A change of plans

posted by John Winn

A text from my friend Les Pennington yesterday morning informing me that the village cup game between Studley Royal and Staxton had been put back a week threatened to spoil my Sunday. For various reasons, not least Saturday's weather, I had been cricketless for a week but I was rescued from an afternoon in front of the tv by a message from Tony informing me that he was watching Yorkshire Under 15 v Cheshire at Harrogate CC, just a twenty minute drive from my house.

I arrived at St George's Road to find that the pleasant early morning weather had given way to darkening skies and a very strong wind that meant watching in the open air
was a very unpleasant experience. Yorkshire had won the toss and made steady but slow progress and two third of the way through their fifty overs were 115 for1. Attempts to accelerate led to a loss of wickets and only a marginal improvement in the run rate and the innings closed on 202 for 5 with rain delaying the start of Cheshire's reply.

When they did get underway Adams and Begg put on 50 for the first wicket and were still together when further rain came at 52 for 0 after 7 overs. At four o'clock I texted Les who was hanging out at Hanging Heaton to say that we had very heavy rain and a very strong wind but only a few minutes later the sun came out, the players removed the covers with remarkable speed and play resumed immediately, no mopping up, no sawdust, but simply let's get on with it. Seemingly unhampered by a wet ball Yorkshire's spinners got to work and after 18 overs Cheshire were 86 for4 and the lady parked next to me beside herself with joy for her nephew had taken two of the wickets. In lovely sunshine but with a wind high on the Beaufort Scale, spectators cars shake a bit, Bailey and Latter tried to rebuild but the admirable Cheshire twitter feed reports that the innings closed on 173, a victory by 29 runs for Yorkshire.

I am indebted to the Cheshire tweeter for throughout the afternoon the progress of not only under 15s but under13s and under 12s was reported. The match I saw was an ECB U15 County Cup Group 1A with Derbyshire, Lancashire and Notts making up the rest of the teams in the group. The next match in the group is on Wednesday when Cheshire take on Lancs at Grappenhall CC. 11:00 start. Yorkshire are next in action on Sunday at Worksop College v Notts with wickets pitched at 11:00. Yorkshire will be home again on Sunday 25th when they face Derbyshire at Pudsey SL.

I attach a picture of Scarborough CC where Yorkshire II take on Lancashire II in a SEC match beginning tomorrow and from where our correspondent will bring readers a report in due course.