PIES AND PROS

By Peter Davies

Three Huddersfield League Clubs in South Kirklees-and three 2nd X1 games.

DENBY DALE : TWICE AS NICE

A main road ground and a new Huddersfield League club .Denby Dale is famous for pies and the pie hall is only a six-hit away from the cricket ground. A lovely sunny afternoon and Dale were home to Lepton Highlanders. We sat on the banking on the road side of the road side of the ground. We had two cups of tea and Dad bought a tea meal to share: quiche ,sausage rolls, cheese sandwiches and salad.Dale have just "moved up " from the Hudderfield Central League to the Huddersfield League-not bad for a club with no bar.They share the pavilion with a chartered physiotherapist.

SKELMANTHORPE : BIG RON

Tea had just been served at Lidgett Lane- only pork pies were left.We sat in our usual seats-just round from the pavilion. Denby Dale were the visitors. Said hello to a club  official I knew and Dad walked round the ground. Skelmanthorpe  means Ronnie Irani- he played as a pro for Skelmanthorpe in the early 1990,s. Lidgett Lane is a "proper" cricket ground- good facilities in all respects.Houses and bungalows just beyond the boundary,and close to the fire station and school. The club graduated from the Huddersfield Central League and are now a top Huddersfield League club.

KIRKBURTON: VILLAGE PEOPLE

Serving behind the bar was Andrew Crookes, my former plumber when I lived in Shelley. His son   now plays for the Kirkburton i st X1- an off-spinning all-rounder. Kirkburton were playing Broad Oak. Pretty quiet on the boundary edge.We sat just in front of the pavilion. Sunny evening and the views out over the village: parish church,cricket ground,and a couple of pubs. Got to know Kirkburton quite well when I lived in Shelley-the next village along. My doctors was in Kirkburton and "T he Bakery and Coffee Shop", on the main road , is a place my Dad really liked.

RECORD BREAKING DAY AT CHESTER-LE-STREET

By Brian Sanderson,

This morning as I arrived to pick up Bob Procter, there were two matches to visit. Either Trent Bridge or Chester-le-Street and we choose the latter. What a good choice.
After a easy ride up the A1 we arrived in enough time to have a cup of coffee and excellent bacon sandwich.We were joined by Tony Hutton who had managed to see the days play.Yorkshire were  329 for 6 with Bairstow and Bresnan batting. John Winn also arrived to watch the record breaking day.

Soon records started to fall;

New Yorkshire 7th wicket partnership of 366 beating Rhodes and Burton 254 at Dewsbury in 1919.

The five hour partnership was the third best of all time in first class cricket in the world.The first being Bhupinder Singh jnr and P,Dharmani of 460  Punjab v Delhi in 1994-95.

It is the highest seventh wicket partnership in county cricket beating Ranjitsinhji and Newham for Sussex against Essex at Leyton in 1902.

It was the highest partnership on this ground and the best against Durham,

It was also Yorkshire fifth highest first class partnership of all time  for any wicket.

Bairstow highest first class score of 219 off 268 balls.

Bresnan highest first class score of 169  not out off 256 balls.

When Yorkshire declared on 557 for 6 it left ten overs to bowl before tea and two wickets fell.

After tea Yorkshire took another three wickets before Borthwick and Pringle put on a unbeaten  partnership of  59 in 18 overs. Durham finished on 140 for 5.

Another great day for Yorkshire but they must win this match to overtake Durham in the Championship.

Fifers march on in village cup , but only just.

posted by John Winn

The portents were not good:  a team with a dress code arrives in a luxury coach carrying players and impressive support and the feeling that a club whose away trips take them to places  like Edinburgh and Aberdeen might be too strong for Ouseburn CC was reinforced in the first over when Falkland opener and skipper Jack Henderson played a perfect hook shot on to the roof of the gazebo specially erected for the fifth round village cup tie at Ouseburn yesterday. . The gazebo never really recovered failing  to withstand a stiff breeze and had to be dismantled. Fortunately Ouseburn fared better than the gazebo and  did recover despite a partnership of 153 for the first wicket by Ferguson and Henderson. Tom Parker and Olly Rose  brought some measure of control and although there was some more excellent stroke play from Brock Ditchburn a final score of 307 for 6 whist daunting was not as bad as we had feared at one time.

613 runs to go

Ouseburn began slowly but the loss of an early wicket brought Dave Cummins to the crease and he and Tom Parker then put together a partnership as good as anything I have seen at Lightmire Lane to a point where the group amongst whom I was sitting thought the home team slight favourites. Tom's 155 was magnificent and he received excellent support from Dave who made 88. Cummins' dismissal brought Jamie Bryant to the crease but he was tragically run out and Parker followed next ball. Ouseburn sent up the heavy guns in the form of Russ Robshaw and he, together with skipper Morrison got Ouseburn back into contention. The boys from Fife were not done however and skilful bowling and excellent fielding, the latter perhaps the deciding factor between the two sides, strangled the flow of boundaries.

With two overs to go it was anybody's game but a tight penultimate over left Morrison and Rose needing 10 off the last. Boundary needed but one would not come and the skipper was left to try and  hit a four off the last ball. Two runs only were forthcoming and I suspect a slightly relieved Falkland CC were the victors by one run.

No doubt there were inquests and lots of ifs and buts as the game was digested over pints of beer, supplies of which had had to be replenished twice during the afternoon but we had seen a wonderful contest which judged from a deck chair at least appeared to have been played in a splendid spirit. Congratulations to the visitors who are now faced with another long trip as Scotland's last representative in the competition. Next stop for the boys from Fife is Hawk Green near Stockport. All Ouseburn players and supporters will follow you with interest. Good luck and may your next match be as memorable even if  you would prefer it not so tight.

Finally a word of thanks to all at Ouseburn CC who worked so hard to make the occasion such a success, I have rarely enjoyed an afternoon's cricket more.

The tartan army

TWENTY/20 CUP FOR THE BRADFORD LEAGUE

By Brian Sanderson,


On a cloudy Sunday morning I decided to take the family to Pudsey. St. Lawerence were there was the  Twenty/ 20 cup. We arrived at the ending of Woodlands innings against Pudsey St. Lawerence. There has to be music with the DJ on the roof of the pavilion.

Woodlands two batsmen put on a partnership of 137  which were Logan Weston, Leeds and Bradford University , and Pieter Swanepoe , ex Yorkshire.At the end of their innings they scored 203 for 4 which was a excellent score. However the Pudsey ground is very short straight towards the road so I did not park by car there.

The Pudsey opene rs of Mark Robertshaw and Callam Goldthorpe put on a partnership of 73. Robertshaw, above , scored 50 in 35 balls.Then it was left to James Smith to score 50 in 23 balls.They required  30 in the last two overs and won the match with two balls to spare. So a good victory.

The next match was Hanging Heaton against Pudsey Congs.  Hanging Heaton batted first with Gary Fellows opening. He top scored with 39 but they only score 135 which was a poor score compared to the first match.

Kez Ahmed took  4 for 24 in his four overs. By this time the sun was out and it was pleasant watching the cricket and had attracted a good crowd. Pudsey Congs were never under pressure and won the match with  fifteen balls to spare and only six wickets down. Callum Gildart , ex Yorkshire Academy, topped score with 42.

So the final was an all Pudsey affair. Congs batted first and started at a very fast pace. Again Geldart was in form and scored 45 in a opening partnership of 95.

However it was Adam Patel who took the eye. He scored his first fifty in 22 balls and finished on 88 in a total of 231 for 6. This was a excellent total  and Lawerence were soon 33 for 2. Then James Smith and Natthew Duce put on a stand of 104.However the side  finished 5 runs  behind Congs.

A excellent day in the sunshine in the afternoon watching some good cricket. A great success for the Bradford League. and well organised by the host club.

DO YOU WANT MILK IN YOUR TEA ?

By Brian Sanderson,

On a lovely warm Saturday morning I drove up to Weetwood to see the start of  the Yorkshire Academy against Castleford. Castleford won the toss and Callis and Brook opened the innings,see above.First ball Brook was bowled by Cook, the Australian overseas player.A further three wickets fell as myself and Ron Deaton left on our travels.

The second match was Skipton Church Institute against Haworth West End  in division three of the Craven League.We visited this ground last year when the fixture was cancelled because of rain.Today the sun was shining and there were beautiful views down the Aire valley. Skipton won the match by 146 run.

Moving on towards the outskirts of Bingley we went to Ingrow St. Johns were their second team were playing Riddlesden Seconds in the Third division of the Craven League. More great views from the hills.

The wicket was very unusual as it had green strips. The ball was either keeping low or trapping the batting gloves against the bat.

Moving to the other side of Bingley we went to the Bradford and Bingley second  ground which is over the River Aire from the main ground. The sides playing were Eldwick @ Gilstead against Barrowfield in the Third Division of the Craven League.The home side had have to move from their original ground as their was no water, electricity and the ground was flooding as there was no drains. They could not afford the drains so moved to this new ground were they share with Bradford and Bingley Third side who are also in the Craven League.

Moving on to Bingley Congregational which  is about a mile from the previous ground.. Their Second team were playing  Gargrave Seconds  in the Division four of the Craven League. A beautiful ground next to the river.

Moving up towards Haworth we went to Wilsden were their first team were playing Ingrow in the Division two of the Craven league. They are just building a new pavilion. We obtained  two cups of tea were the tea lady had a tale tp tell about the umpire. At tea time  she put his milk in first his cup of tea which caused him to swear at her as he wanted the milk in last.There is no need for this this situation and the umpire shown should have apologise  for his   behaviour.

There was just one bad view from the ground a electricity sub station could be seen This is the one blot we had seen in the Craven league.

Moving on back towards Bingley we went to Sandy Lane. Here their firsts were playing Bradford @ Bingley third team in the Division three.The ground is situated in a local park. The home side  won by 51 runs. When we had visited this ground we had now seen all the grounds in the Craven League.

We we arrived back at Weetwood  Castlford were  nine wickets down chasing a total of 198. Castlford overseas star was 41 not out  and had helped to put a last wicket stand of 41. Castlford won the match with.  a four. This was the second week that the Academy had lost a close match.

Notts continue to underperform

posted by John Winn

At lunchtime at Headingley yesterday I dared to forecast that Yorkshire would end the day in a position to claim the extra half hour and that there was a very good chance there would be no play today (Thursday). Of course I was only partly right, for by half past five, the one sided contest (ruthless against toothless if I may borrow from Chris Waters in today's Yorkshire Post) was done and dusted when Sidebottom held onto a skier from Ball, Notts' number 11. Only when Broad and Hilfenhaus were swinging the bat did a fourth day look likely and as early as tea time pcws were consulting their dairies for alternative venues for today.


In previewing the match in an earlier posting I used the phrase 'underperforming' to describe Notts and this chastening defeat leaves them bottom of the table, level on points with Hampshire. To his credit their director of cricket, Mick Newell did not come out with the usual flim flam about taking the positives and hitting good areas in his post match interview. Yesterday's poor batting was the result of hitting balls that should be left alone and not hitting those that should be stopped. Not quite in those words but that seems to be the gist of it. Even before they lost a wicket you sensed that the task of batting to at least mid-afternoon on the fourth day to save the game was not one they relished. Any boost to their spirits caused by the capture of Gale and Leaning in the first three overs of the day was soon undone by the Patterson/Bresnan stand and the last five Yorkshire wickets almost doubled their advantage.

Notts have not been slow to tempt players from other counties, leaving aside Taylor (B) and Hilfenhaus (more effective with bat than ball in this match), six of yesterday's team have previously played for other counties and as today's Guardian commented 'The only area in which they edged Yorkshire was in the number of internationals they fielded.' And there is the curious case of Gurney; as recently as December he was playing for England in an ODI, at Headingley on Monday he fielded only because the twelfth man sustained an injury. Another whose star appears to be in descent is acting skipper James Taylor whose fussy captaincy contributed to Notts' poor run rate on Tuesday and after his struggles with the bat all he has to show from this game are three disciplinary points for his dissent when given out for 0 in the first innings.

Newell accepts that they are now very much involved in the struggle to drop in to Division 2 and believes that the two who go down will come from themselves, Worcestershire, Hampshire and Sussex. Little over a week ago he might have included Somerset in those at risk, but their remarkable win against Notts and a nine wicket victory over Hants on Tuesday has lifted them to fifth and done much to overcome their bad start to the season. Notts are next in championship action on Monday when they host Worcestershire. Two teams with a win apiece and just two points between them, could be a bit tense.

Trent Bridge

TWO BRILLIANT CATCHES

By Brian Sanderson,


I set off today hopeful of some more records to be broken by Gale and Leaning. However Stuart Broad shown his international bowling class against Yorkshire,He removed both batsmen  inside the day,s first five overs,lbw and chopped  on respectively, as Yorkshire fell to 325 for 5.

Wood bowled Bairstow for 15 after his trip to Old Trafford yesterday.Next Hifenhaus had Middlebrook caught at second slip with 398 on the  board .Bresnan and Patterson shared a fifty for the  eighth wicket during the latter stages Broad picked up his fifth wicket as Yorkshire reached 418 for 8 at lunch.

Stuart Broad  completed notable figures of 7-84 on his 29 th  birthday to wrap up Yorkshire first innings for 430.Brendan Taylor was caught at gully off Sidebotom for a duck in the first over before he had Mullaney caught in the fifth.Patterson trapped James Taylor lbw before Bresnan got Wessels caught behind and Lumb lbw for 47.
When Brooks had Gidman caught just in front of square leg-side in the 26th over, Notts were 88-6.
Sidebottom then had Samit Patel brilliantly caught at first slip by Alex Lees in the final over before tea.

Sidebottom bowled Wood in the early stages of the evening before Broad ,who made 50 off 42 ball,and the ninth-wicket partner Hifenhaus shared  60 inside eight overs to advance to 126-8.

Their stand was ended when Middlebrook had Broad brilliantly caught at mid-wicket by a diving Gale before the off-spinner wrapped up the match by getting Ball caught by Sidebottom.

Yorkshire won by a innings and 8 runs.The two catches by Lees and Gale was worth the admission money alone.Great victory for Yorkshire within three days,

Billy Root stars on the big stage

Posted by Tony Hutton

Today at Lord's Leeds/Bradford University put their recent failures behind them.
Having lost in both the semi-finals of the T20 competition and the 50 over competition for University sides, they clinched the big one with a resounding victory over Cardiff in the final of the two day competition. Still baffled that the final of this is only a one day game.

The action gets underway at Lord's

The star of the show, as so often this season, was Billy Root left-handed younger brother of England's top man Joe Root. He crowned his magnificent season, not only for the University side in their last match of 2015, but with more to come I am sure for Notts second XI and Sheffield Collegiate in the Yorkshire Premier League. One of his milestone's today in passing 1,000 runs in the short University season was greated with glee by his colleagues on the pavilion balcony.

Cardiff's first mistake was to win the toss and put Leeds/Bradford in to bat. Bullen and Thompson took their time, in fact the first two overs were maidens. Bullen, the wicket keeper as usual was the more aggresive, but it was the tall lanky Lancastrian who hit the first six of the day into the hospitality boxes on the top tier of the short Tavern side boundary. Many more were to follow that route as the innings progressed. The opening pair had just put on a century partnership in the 21st over when Thompson fell lbw to the off spinner Bull, who has played for Glamorgan second XI. He had scored a valuable 36.

Good opening partnership

Bullen was joined by Root who was soon into his stride and began to dominate the scoring while Bullen who was already in the sixties seemed to slow down a bit. Nevertheless he hit eight fours and two sixes before he was next man out for 86 with the total now 178-2 in the 36th over. Root was joined by the skipper Davis, who made a bright and breezy 17, including yet another six to the short side. By then the score had progressed to 207-3 in the 39th over,

What followed was total carnage as Root really got into his stride, hitting sixes almost at will, including two reverse sweeps, one of which just missed your correspondent sitting in the Mound Stand. Root and Weston put on 97 runs in only eight overs with Root going to his century with two successive sixes, the second to the furthest boundary where he was caught at long on, but the fielder went backwards over the boundary line. He continued on his merry way before eventually being caught behind for 135, which came off only 69 balls and included eleven fours and no less than nine sixes.

Hundred up for Root

The score had now progressed beyond 300 but there was no let up for the Cardiff bowlers as Logan Weston now set about them and raced to 67 not out off only 40 balls with eight fours and two sixes. The final partnership between Weston and Scott put on 62 in only 23 balls and the final total was a massive 366-4 in 50 overs. The pick of the bunch was Griffiths who had respectable figures of 10-0-44-0.

To be fair to Cardiff, although they were never in the game after that, they tried hard with one or two valuable thirties and forties and six sixes of their own, but the steady bowling of the Leeds/Bradford team, led by Harry Rouse with figures of 3-36 was too much for them. Rouse greeted his younger brother playing for Cardiff with a bouncer and was obviously pleased to have him caught out for only two. No brotherly love there. In the end Ellis-Grewell bowled the last man and Cardiff were all out for 249 in the 41st over. A good effort but not good enough for this brilliant all round side that deserved this reward for an excellent season which has given full value to the handful of hardcore supporters at Weetwood.

Billy Root patrols the shortside boundary......

......and becomes the target of the schoolchildren authograph hunters

Meanwhile on the Nursery Ground next door the womens universities final was taking place, with hot favourites Loughborough taking on Exeter, somewhat of a surprise package as finalists. However, despite losing two early wickets Exeter put together a useful score of 186-7 in 50 overs with Cranstone top scoring on exactly 50.

Women's final in progress on the Nursery Ground

Loughborough had no problem in knocking off the runs with one or two England players in their ranks and it was one of these Anna Shrubsole who did it in style with a straight drive for six to win the match in the 29th over. Sciver top scored again with exactly 50 runs to her name.

Loughborough women's team - University champions 2015

So a marvellous day's cricket all round, played in warm sunshine during the afternoon after a cloudy start and one which made me think I had made the right decision for once, with so much cricket going on at Headingley, Derby, Todmorden, Netherfield, Belper, Sleaford and others no doubt, some with centuries galore, but I am sure none could match that produced by that man again - Billy Root.

NOT A BAD DAY

By Brian Sanderson,

I had a busy day yesterday at Headingley but I did not see much cricket between Yorkshire and Nottingham. It was Heritage day so I was involved in a small display of my cricket memorabilia. The weather was cloudy and cold with rain arriving in the afternoon. Nottingham finished on 169 for 8. On the second day Nottingham were grateful for some spirited batting  in the first 45 minutes from Hilfenhaus and Luke Wood who advanced their stand to 65 in 14 overs before Jack Brooks bowled Wood and last man, Jake Ball, in space of four balls. Nottingham finishing on 224.

The start of Yorkshire ,s reply could  not have been more inauspicious, however, because Broad third ball got Lyth LBW.The next to go was Ballance turning  a ball from Hifenhaus straight into the hands of Patel at leg gully. So at lunch Yorkshire were 35 for 2.

In the afternoon Lees struggled to 15 from 21 overs before Btroad returned to bowl  and send his middle stump spinning.Gale and Leaning began to enjoy themselves with barely a false stroke between them.Gale moved on to his second highest score of the season on 38 and his half century came off 87 deliveries with seven fours. He straight drove Patel to the boundary to raise the century stand before Leaning  50 arrived off 77 balls with nine fours.

After the interval Yorkshire moved into the lead, Gale  completed his 17th century and his fourth against Nottingham- off 153 balls  with 14 boundaries.

The double century stand  came up and at 211 it beat  Yorkshires previous best for the fourth wicket partnership against Nottinghamshire  of 210 by Ted Lester and Willie Watson at Trent Bridge in 1952.

Leaning went to his century with a legside six of Patel. It was his third century of the season and was made off 155 balls with 14 fours.

By.  the end of he day Yorkshire were 302 for 3 . I overheard a Yorkshire supporter say it was not a bad day cricket. I think it was a great day for Yorkshire. Bring on tomorrow.

National Club KO Cup

posted by John Winn

Following Sunday's matches the draw for the last 16 (Round 5) of the National Club KO is as follows

 

Chester le Street v Leyland

 

Sheffield Collegiate v Bowdon

 

Ockbrook and Borrowash v Northern

 

Brentwood v Blackheath

 

Kidderminster Vic v Kimberley

 

Ealing v Swardeston (Norfolk)

 

Roffey (Sussex) v Havant

 

 Bath v Sudbury

 

Matches to be played on Sunday 12th July

 

In the games played yesterday the most exciting finish was in Newcastle where South Northumberland lost by one run to Chester le Street. The Cestrians home tie with Leyland is scheduled to be played on the same day as, just half a mile down the road, Durham take on Warwickshire in the championship.

 

 

The outstanding tie in the Village Cup was played yesterday and was won by Houghton Main who will now be away to Cheshire outfit, Hawk Green, in the next round.

SUN,SPORTSMAN'S EVENINGS AND SAUSAGE ROLLS

By Peter Davies


Hanging Heaton ; Dean and Mel Dearden

Hanging Heaton, Batley, are a top Bradford League Club. A big clubhouse and lots of significant names ,including Ismail Darwood and Dilip Vengsarker. Also two of the nicest guys we met during our university cricket project; club officials Mel Dearden and Nat Lawrence. They were playing Undercliffe and the sun was shining. Spotted a poster for a sportsman evening on Thursday this week; Dean Windass. I may pop in.On the boundary edge  I sat next to a girl who explained to me that her boyfriend was batting in the middle as we spoke. He was out the next ball.

Mirfield Parish Cavaliers; Small is beautiful.

A very small ground close to Mirfield Parish Church, with whom the club  has a link.We parked on the main road but discovered that the gate we usually walk through was locked up.So a bit of a walk round the outside of the ground to the main entrance by the clubhouse.We arrived just for tea. The tealady gave me a couple of sausage rolls and I bought a cup of tea for my Dad. MPC  beat Batley by four wickets in their Central Yorkshire League game. Enjoyed the view from the inside the pavilion and watched a bit of England -New Zealand on the TV- the game was brewing up very nicely.

Mirfield; Aussie rules.

Arrived just after 6pm  but Mirfield's game was over.Their 2nd X1 had beaten Adwalton; Mirfield had made 180-9  , Adwalton had been bowled out for 63.So popped into the pavilion and asked for a league handbook-but they had none.Bumped into Aussie Paul Newton; top Mirfield batter and ex-colleague of mine at the University. A few people milling about and playing cricket on the outfield, but very much a post-match  atmosphere. The clubhouse has been renovated in recent years and the outside now looks very smart. Said Hello to another guy I knew but would have liked to have seen Pat Neal-club stalwart and historian.

Moorlands

But the "other " club, next door, was playing . In   fact , there was a good crowd ,ringing part of the boundary edge. We popped into the pavilion, Moorlands were playing Elland in the Huddersfield League, a league they have recently joined. We sat outside in the early evening sun. Bumped into a club official   I knew and enjoyed the atmosphere. Had some salad and bought my Dad a cup of tea. Moorlands were originally known as Dewsbury Moorlands and had Methodist connections.

DERBY

By Brian Sanderson,

My self and Bob Procter decided to see their  first day of the Second Division  match  against. Surrey. It is my first visit this season and there had been some changes

The dressing rooms have now moved to were the indoor nets are situated. This makes it harder to obtain players autographs. The rooms used to be in the pavilion and the players sit outside which was easy to talk to player

The old bookshop is now a bar. It has now moved into the food bar so restricting the space for you to eat and now there is ropes  to the counter.

Surrey batted first on a windy morning and on a green pitch.The crowd was very poor even though some  P.C.W.   from Lancashire and Yorkshire were there.

Surrey started slowly against Derby pace attack which included Mark Footitt who has just join the Ashes squad. He is left arm medium fast and was the top wicket taker last season.

Surrey saw off the new ball before White got the breakthrough as Harinath edged to wicketkeeper Paynton , his first of four catches, for 35. Taylor had Ansari caught at second slip for 13 the following over, before Sibley was bowled  for 10.At lunch Surrey were 90 for 3.

We moved to a more sheltered spot for the rest of the match.Elgar,South African international, played fluently for his 44 but he skied a Durston ball to Palladino before Burke fell shortly after he was stumped by Poynton for a single of the same bowler.

Captain Batty and Wilson shared a 80 run stand before White had Batty caught behind for 41 , with Surrey 235 for 7. Surrey then lost three more wickets for just four runs to be dismissed for 239.

New Zealand  international Rutherford and Slater guided Derby through to the close on 64 for 1. Good to return to Derby but the alterations have not improved the ground.