York win Black Sheep Champions Trophy

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 11th September and the final of the Black Sheep Champions Trophy, which is played for by the eight champions of the major leagues in Yorkshire in the 2015 season, takes place at Sheriff Hutton Bridge cricket club at Moor Farm, Strensall. A good number of Pudsey St Lawrence supporters, fresh from winning the Bradford League yesterday, came by coach and managed to arrive in time despite the driver diverting to Sheriff Hutton cricket club which is a totally different location near the famous castle.

York's batsmen are ready and chat with coach Jim Love

Pudsey's opponents were the more local side, York Cricket Club, who not only won the Yorkshire Premier league last season but have dominated that competition during the last ten years or so. York may have been missing one or two regulars but they had the formidable Yorkshire batsman Jack Leaning, who still plays for the club regularly when not on county duty and two very consistent spinners in Dan Woods and Tom Pringle. Pudsey's side looked equally strong and a close contest was in prospect.

Determined skipper Jim Smith leads Pudsey St Lawrence onto the field.

The game got off to a sensational start when York's high scoring opener Duncan Snell was brilliantly caught one handed down the leg side by wicketkeeper Duce off the very first ball of the game from Charlie Parker. This was the man we had seen playing for Warwickshire 2nd XI earlier in the season and was the only moment of joy for Pudsey for some considerable time as Leaning and Ryan McKendry put on a partnership of 99 for the second wicket.

After McKendry was out for 45, Leaning got more valuable support from wicketkeeper Booth with 30 and then this season's newcomer Tom Friend who hit 73 off only 37 balls to give the York innings great momentum in the final stages. Leaning went on to an effortless century and one can only wonder why this recently capped county player is left out of the side for an Australian with a famous father. York finished on 288-6 in their fifty overs and Pudsey had the look of a beaten team. Perhaps they had celebrated too well last night!

Pudsey got off to the worst possible reply loosing Waite and Calum Goldthorpe to opening bowler Charlie Elliot. 31-2 and uphill all the way but Robertshaw and Duce got things going gradually before Snell had Robertshaw caught on the leg side and the introduction of left arm spinner and captain Dan Woods soon got rid of Duce. Resolute skipper Jim Smith made a fight of it and made good use of his big hitting ability with four sixes and five fours in a splendid 64, but the target was never really in sight.
Some resistance from Parker and Watts at the end took Pudsey beyond the 200 mark.

Unfortunately Pudsey's larger than life all rounder Chris Marsden injured a leg during the last over of his ten over spell and was unable to bat. So Pudsey were nine wickets down and all out for 208 falling short by 80 runs. Something of a blow to the Bradford League's prestige but York's all round strength and superior fielding carried the day and they looked worthy winners. The arguments will continue as to which of the Yorkshire leagues is the best and although the two Yorkshire premier leagues may not have the strength in depth their top teams do look the best.