That was the week that was - despite the abysmal weather forecast at the start, the week stayed dry for the most part until overnight rain on Wednesday meant that Thursday's Yorkshire second XI game planned for Pudsey Congs was called off.
Before that we had seen Yorkshire Academy at Weetwood on Saturday11th June, Yorkshire Ladies heavily beaten at Harrogate on Sunday (as described by Mr Winn), two days of Yorkshire seconds against Leicestershire at York on Monday and Tuesday and finally the jewel in the crown on Wednesday when Durham seconds took on Derbyshire at Darlington.
Those without insider knowledge may be puzzled by my enthusiasm for Darlington but those in the know consider that the standard of the lunches has no superior at any cricket ground in England. A huge plateful from the cold buffet, followed by a choice of sweets and cheese and biscuits all for £3 was taken full advantage of by the assembled throng of professional cricket watchers.
However, back to the beginning on Saturday when the Yorkshire Academy had an incomplete win over Hull (8 Points) to put them joint first with Harrogate in the Yorkshire League North table. No real fireworks from the Academy batsman who accumulated steadily with 40 from Waite and 43 from Hussain against a varied Hull attack. You felt they should have had more than 194 all out.
Hull started badly and were 33-3 wth Jordan Thompson taking two early wickets. They never really recovered from that although a fine captain's innings from Chris Grey of 73 always kept them in the hunt. The later batsmen struggled against the spin of James Logan who took 4-51, and they could only manage 178-7 which was only 17 runs short of victory. A good performance by the Academy who were unable to use Waite and Warner as bowlers due to injuries.
On Monday at York the county second eleven took on Leicestershire who fielded a very different side from that we had seen at Loughborough last week. It was a triallist from Lancashire, opening bat Harry Dearden who dominated the first day with a fine century scoring 132 before being dismissed early on day 2 by Ben Coad, who finished with figures of 6-58. Karim, another recent acquistion, scored a good looking 52, but the end of the innings belonged to England under 19 off spinner Sayer who finished on 94 not out. He was unlucky to run out of partners on the verge of a deserved century.
Leicester 331 all out.
Yorkshire also made a poor start being 7-2 with Rhodes and first team captain Andrew Gale both out cheaply. Elliott Callis and Matthew Waite rescued the situation with a fine stand, Callis falling just before tea for 78 and Waite going on to 69 before Yorkshire declared behind on 240-5. So the game was nicely set up for a declaration by Leicester on day 3, but we had planned to visit the delights of Darlington for day two of Durham seconds game with Derbyshire.
New look Darlington cricket club
The visitors had been dismissed for only 119 on day 1 and Durham had doubled this total with 9 wickets down by the close. So if Derby had performed as badly second time round the game could have been over by lunchtime. However in the very different surroundings from last year due to the new housing development on the old football ground, Derby did put up something of a fight. Lunch was greatly enjoyed by all concerned as described above. Some of the batsmen may have eaten too much as there was a clatter of wickets during the afternoon session. 106-3 became 140-7 in no time and a two day finish was very much on the cards.
Derbyshire fight back but not for long
The wickets were shared by all the bowlers Hickey who got three in the first innings took four more and Weighell got two as did Sandhu, a left arm quick bowler from Middlesex. We left when the ninth wicket fell with Derby only 60 ahead, but events took a very different turn as the last wicket pair added a remakable further 61 runs to take the game into day three. Some suspicion must surround this remarkable turn around as it seems to me the players were so keen to have another lunch on the third day the made sure the game went on.
The Darlington pavilion remains unchanged
Whatever the reason Durham did eventually win by five wickets on the last morning and I am sure they all enjoyed another marvellous meal. Meanwhile a remarkable finish back at York where Leicester declared setting Yorkshire 301 to win in 55 overs. This they duly did thanks to an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 172 between Ryan Gibson with 162 not out and Azeem Rafiq 72 not out. The highlight of any Leicester seconds game was as ever the daily match reports of their scorer Pete Johnson always so good to read.
So wins for Yorkshire at all levels as the first team at last got one day victories under their belts, humiliating Lancashire at Old Trafford, which can't be bad, and beating Northants at Scarborough. Things are looking up and next Monday sees the return of proper cricket with a championship game at Riverside between Durham and Yorkshire. Here's hoping for good weather.
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