As John discovered on Saturday plenty of cricket going on but not ideal weather for spectators. Just to bring things up to date following my recent visit to Old Trafford for the second eleven battle of the Roses, the four day friendly game ended in a draw on Thursday. After a rain hit third day, Yorkshire looked to be in a winning position but after five wickets had fallen for seventy runs (four of them to Matthew Waite) Lancashire apparently put up the shutters with a vengeance. In a performance akin to some Roses games of long ago, their second innings lasted for one hundred overs, of which no less than 41 were maidens, for a final total of 185-5. Talk about watching paint dry!
While all this was going on we were back in Yorkshire watching the two day game at Weetwood between Leeds/Bradford and Cambridge Universities. After Cambridge's narrow victory in the one day game on Wednesday, Leeds were very much looking for revenge. However, in atrocious windy conditions on both days, which made watching only possible from the corner of the pavilion or more comfortably in the car, Cambridge came out very much on top yet again.
Leeds/Bradford MCCU ready for action.
Tetley and Palmer the openers for Cambridge.
The home side were probably quite happy to have bowled the visitors out for 233 on the first day, with left arm spinner Holmes from Cheshire taking 4-48 in twenty one tidy overs. They were handicapped by the loss of Harry Stow, the Harrogate bowler, who had to leave the field with a back injury, but still had lots of work to do as twelfth man. No one made a big score for Cambridge, Callum Guest an all rounder from Sussex top scoring with 47.
Cambridge all out for 233.
Leeds started well but from 101-2 with Andersson again going well they subsided once he was out for 45 to 178 all out. Guest had a great spell of spin bowling after lunch taking five wickets for twenty two and demolishing the tail completely. Rippington the left arm pace man took three wickets and Cambridge had won the first innings points.
The batted briskly in their second innings and accumulated more bonus points by scoring 212-6 in just 51 overs. Opener Harrison Palmer, who has played Minor Counties cricket for Hertfordshire top scored this time round with 52. Holmes again impressed with the ball with four more wickets.
Cambridge finished the game with seventeen points and Leeds/Bradford just seven.
So a poor start to the season for this new look home team with many newcomers who could well take time to settle, but they will be in action again next week with three days of cricket against Oxford University, starting with a one day game on Tuesday, apparently with the usual 12.30 start despite rumours of 11 a.m. Yet another unfortunate clash with Yorkshire 2nd XI playing Gloucester at Headingley for three days.
While John was navigating around Huddersfield on Saturday, we were off up north to Chester-le-Street for the second day of Durham v Nottinghamshire at the Riverside.
A good crowd had already filled the seats in front of the health club, which was the only spot out of the wind, so after an hour or so we retreated to the warmth of the long room. We were lucky to find an excellent spot watching behind glass alongside our good friends Darlo Eddie and our Hartlepool correspondent Mike Taylerson.
View from the long room at Riverside
Notts had bowled out Durham for 162 on day one, with wicketkeeper Poynter top scoring on 65and were 96-4 overnight which was something of a recovery having been 7-3 at one stage. Patel was soon out this morning and a most unlikely hero emerged in the considerable shape of Luke Fletcher an opening bowler by trade, who had been pressed into service as a night watchman. He batted with the utmost confidence to reach only the fourth fifty of his long first class career. His eminent partners came and went, Patel, Wessels and Read in fact. He was then joined by recent Australian recruit James Pattinson, a fellow bowler who can bat a bit, as he proved in a century partnership with Fletcher.
The big man, although he is said to have shed two stones in weight during the winter, looked more and more fluent until he equalled his previous highest score of 92 and on the verge of his maiden century when sadly tragedy struck. Pattinson pushed the ball out on the leg side, started to come and then sent Fletcher back. He was almost two thirds down the pitch by then and has a turning circle somewhat like an aircraft carrier. At this point he slipped and dropped his bat, got up and raced back to the bowler's end only for Jennings to throw to the bowler, Collingwood, who demolished the stumps and poor Fletch was out. Oh calamity!
The disconsolate Fletcher returns to the pavilion
By this time Notts were 264-8 and over one hundred runs ahead, so the game was drifting away from Durham, who of course are desperate to make up the points deficit so unjustly inflicted upon them by the E.C.B. Notts continued to add 37 more runs with a partnership between Pattinson, who reached his fifty, and Jake Ball. Rushworth despatched number eleven Harry Gurney without delay but by this time Notts were 305 all out with a commanding lead.
Things soon got even worse when Ball dispatched newcomer Stephen Cook for a duck, caught in the slips, shortly followed by Burnham who was caught behind by Read. 8-2 soon became 24-3 when Fletcher had Richardson lbw and Durham hopes were almost sunk without trace. We took our leave at this depressing point, but last year's outstanding performer Keaton Jennings was still there so still a faint hope of recovery.
Earlier in the day our lunchtime walk, risking life and limb trying to cross the busy dual carriageway, took us to Ropery Lane the home of Chester le Street cricket club, who were opening the North East Premier league season with a game against Whitburn. Nice to see the ground where Durham played some of their earliest fixtures before nearby Riverside was built. It looked spick and span with new tarmac paths and seating round the ground.The home side were batting and doing well with opening bat Davis on his way to a century, but eventually the game ended in a draw.
Chester le Street pavilion at Ropery Lane
Riverside floodlights from nearby Ropery Lane
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