I spent yesterday afternoon at Sheriff Hutton Bridge CC in the company of Tony and Jennifer watching the final of the Rudgate Brewery Cup between Harrogate and Stamford Bridge, This competition is open to clubs in both North and South Yorkshire Premier Leagues and because both finalists were from the Northern Section the final had been moved from its original venue at Treeton.
The noon start may have been a little early for some but a reasonable crowd gradually assembled, overwhelmingly in favour of the East Riding outfit. Harrogate won the toss and elected to bat and were soon in trouble at 36 for 3. A stand between Atkinson and Kempley restored the position and Atkinson went on to be out in the last over for 72 and having added 41 with Geeson-Brown for the ninth wicket. 214 for 9, a defendable total on an increasingly murky afternoon it was felt.
Stamford Bridge lost one of their star men, Ryan Gibson, in the first over and skipper Beckett followed shortly after, 21 for 2. Will Rhodes who batted very steadily was joined by Ryan McKendry, two very experienced cricketers who knew if they stayed the job would almost certainly be done. Some of Harrogate's bowling and fielding was no better than moderate and McKendry in particular pushed the rate up as the target neared. Geeson-Brown, the Roosters' cheerleader, looked the most dangerous bowler and I thought his second spell too long delayed when a breakthrough was so obviously needed.
Both Tony and I had a 'start the car moment' at 200 for 2 and the game was over in the 37th over with McKendry reaching 100 not out and Rhodes unbeaten on 80. So Bridge go into the last round of league fixtures next Saturday with a trophy on the mantelpiece and with a chance of the league title. Not really a showpiece for the league, an afternoon that never really caught the imagination and grew increasingly cold, quite a contrast with the day before.
There are five matches in the second division of the county championship tomorrow with Notts v Worcestershire probably the pick. Sussex who had a dramatic win at Colwyn Bay last week are very much in contention for the runners up spot and it looks to be between them and Worcestershire. The Martlets are at Northants and Kent, whose hopes were probably washed away by heavy rain at Canterbury last week, go to The Riverside where they face a Durham team unbeaten in its last six matches. With the T20 Blast final out of the way the championship has the domestic programme to itself for the next four weeks. Let's hope for some decent weather, September can be lovely but by the 28th, the last day of the championship season it can be very cold.
This photograph of Tholthorpe CC, a small village north of York, was posted on the blog some years ago. My excuse for posting it again is that it appears in a recent ACS publication, 'Class Peace' by Eric Midwinter.
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