Saturday 5 September 2015

VISITING GROUNDS IN BRADFORD AND SHIPLEY

By Brian Sanderson,

After a day off cricket but not gardening due to Yorkshire victory , it was back to work. Myself and Ron Deaton went again on our trip round new grounds for ourselves.The first match was not a new ground for myself as I played here  more than twenty years ago. At that time the club who played here was Salts who were in the Bradford League since  1946. To days team who were play here is Shipley Providence who  was  formed in 1932. Since 1998 they have played in the Dales Council League

Shipley were playing Cookeridge in Division A  of the Dales Council and it was a short match. Shipley were bowled out for 31 and their opponents won with nine wickets to spare.

The next match was a short walk away along the Leeds and Liverpool Canel at Hirst Wood. This is the first time I have seen swans from a cricket ground.The match was Yorkshire  Friends were playing Great Horton Methodists in Group C of the Bradford Mutual Cricket League.

The ground is just behind a bakery so surroundings of cricket grounds vary from different angles.

I must include the above photograph to show the leafs on the trees are changing and Autumn is coming. Great Horton with ten men scored 127 and bowled the Friends X1 out for 126.

Moving across Bradford our next port of call was at Great Horton Methodists were the Second team were playing Bradford Indians Group D of the Bradford Mutual League.The home side had eight men and were struggling to contain the Bradford Indian batsmen and they went on to score 235 and then bowl Great Horton out for 44. Another side struggling to keeping on going with no junior sides.

Moving on to a more progressive club Mayfield. They have recently purchased a new lease on the ground and want to move to The Dales League as they feel the wickets will be better. The ground has a large slope similar to the Idle ground.


There is great views to the fields near by and you can see some cows which means to  me you are in the country. They were playing Allerton in Group C of the Bradford Mutual League. Allerton side consisted  of players over 40 years old  because they did not want a club who was a founder member of the Bradford League to fold. Today the home side scored 114 and Allerton won by five wickets.

Moving on to the Halifax League  Clayton were their seconds were playing Great Horton Chapel seconds.
A chance to have a cup of tea and see a excellent views from the bench. The ball was lost a few times in the local gardens by the home side batsmen.

Whilst we were at Clayton , spectators watch cricket from some odd spots. He moved when the bowler was bowling at his end.

Moving back towards Bradford we called in to Jer Lane were their seconds were playing  Sowerby Bridge Seconds in Premier Division. The home side scored 227 and the bowled the away side out for 171  with Phil Yeadon taking 6 for 43.

Moving on to our final match between Great Horton Park Chapel first X1 against Denholme Clough in 2nd Division 1 st X1. The ground used to be used by Great Horton who were playing in the Bradford League however in 2014 they had to resign from the league due to lack of players. The home side won the match by four runs.

Another great Saturday and back to work at Headingley tomorrow. I took sixty six photographs to day so these above are just a few.

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