Tong Park where I enjoyed an afternoon in JulyWith the league cricket season finally put to bed in Abu Dhabi last week, and Tony has made it very clear what he thinks about the choice of that venue to decide the 'Champions of Yorkshire', my usual round up of winners and losers in North Yorkshire has been much delayed although the temperature yesterday, warm enough to tempt me into the garden, would have made for not unpleasant cricket watching.
My report card for watching cricket in my area in 2016 will be marked 'could do better' for in terms of new grounds visited it has been the poorest for at least ten years. After a good start with an afternoon in the Pontefract League in early May it soon fizzled away into a pattern of a trip to York or Harrogate followed by tea at my local club, Ouseburn CC. Let's hope I show more enterprise in 2017 and my travels and travails provide more interesting fare for our readers.
Living where I do the A1 and A19 roads provide good access to cricket in North Yorkshire and County Durham and by the start of next season the upgrading of the former to motorway status from Leeming to Barton will be complete so there will be even less excuse for inertia. The A19 is my path to The Langbaurgh League which was won by Kirby Sigston, a rather isolated club to the east of Northallerton. Relegated from Division 1 are Moorsholm and Hutton Rudby who are replaced by Chop Gate and Dormanstown, the latter a side quickly finding its feet after joining from the defunct Cleveland League and who are the only outfit in this league I have not visited.
A bit further north and spreading up into County Durham is The Darlington and District League and I had a nostalgic afternoon early in the season calling in at Rockcliffe Park and Barton. Champions here were my father's old club, Haughton, captained by Mark Dobinson, a grandson of a cousin of mine. The strugglers in Division A were Brompton on Swale and Rockcliffe III and their places will be taken next year by Nunthorpe*another former Cleveland League club who have enjoyed successive promotions since switching in 2015, and Middleton in Teesdale. The 47 miles between the two promoted clubs somewhat stretches the concept of ''and District'. Relegated from Division B are Catterick Village and the hapless Witton le Wear who won only one game and conceded six.
The NYSD Premier champions were Barnard Castle but who were ineligible to represent the league in the 'Yorkshire Championship'. Their place was taken by runners-up, Great Ayton who lost to Pudsey SL in the semi-final. The NYSD is undergoing some restructuring and the two relegated clubs, Normanby Hall and Billingham Synthonia will be replaced by only one, Marton.
Top dogs in the Wetherby League were Kirk Deighton with Bilton in Ainsty second. Just two days ago the league posted its structure for 2017 and here the cat has really got among the pigeons with the departure of two clubs to new pastures. Bilton are moving into the York League but leaving behind their second XI while St Chad's Broomfield are taking two sides into the Aire Wharfe with their thirds provisionally placed in Wetherby Division 3.
Where these clubs will be placed in their new homes I have been unable to find but more leagues next time.
*Nunthorpe have made application to join the NYSD. Officials of the league are to visit the club's ground
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