Three years ago to the week the sun shone, Yorkshire supporters, me amongst them, were at Trent Bridge in large numbers and on the 12th of September Yorkshire won the championship. Three years on Yorkshire find themselves on the brink of a relegation fight, and at Headingley the cricket has failed to warm the bones.
On Tuesday I decided to wait and see what the day might bring and when at two o'clock Messrs Illingworth and Lloyds decided no play was possible at Headingley my mind was made up, for although the prospects at The Riverside seemed brighter by the time play got under way it was too late to make the 130 mile round trip. Wednesday promised better and I stuck to my original plan and drove, trained, bussed and walked to Chester le Street for the second day of Durham v Kent, the visitors first trip to the north east for seven years. Durham were 61 for 4 overnight and in no time had slumped to 77 for 7 but then Wood and Weighell silenced the Kent supporters who had predicted it would be all out for under 100 by adding 106 for the eighth wicket and by the time Onions was last man out a batting point had been achieved. Wood in particular gave it the kitchen sink, the sun shone and the excellent company in the south east corner, despite being displaced from their seats by Kentish men or men of Kent, thoroughly enjoyed proceedings.
Kent began their reply after a delayed lunch and Dickson and Denly soon departed but Bell-Drummond was joined by his skipper Northeast who later got aggressive support from Crawley to bring us to tea at 134 for 3. Time for home and a lift to Durham station for my train to Northallerton by which time the game had spun round again with Wood taking two wickets in the first over after the interval and then Onions sweeping aside Haggett, Milne and Billings to make it 147 for 8. Mitch Claydon, always a popular fellow in his time at The Riverside, had returned after a five year absence, to take five Durham wickets then swung the bat to good effect and Northeast went on to a well crafted century, his second against Durham this season. All out 206 when bad light intervened. But an excellent day's play with sixteen wickets going down and runs being scored at a rate which suggested both teams though a win might be possible. The chances of such a result were dashed by rain and bad light which allowed only 29 overs yesterday.
Yesterday I was at Headingley in good time and the conversation over coffee centred mainly on how cold it had been on Wednesday, the alacrity with which the players had left the field when bad light had been declared the previous evening and the suggestion that had been made by Tony on Wednesday that more might have been done on the first day to have some cricket. Could it be that a draw might suit both sides ? The loss of best part of half a day yesterday,a forecast of more showers today and the fact that Yorkshire need to take seventeen wickets to gain the victory points makes such a result very likely. In the meantime at Edgbaston Somerset have built a winning position which only the weather seems likely to snatch from them, a win which will narrow the gap on Yorkshire and Middlesex.
Thursday morning's play saw Yorkshire add 41 and Robson and Compton make a solid start in reply. Another cold day made watching a fairly miserable experience, even the presence of seven wagtails, a season's best, did little to lift spirits and when at two o'clock the light meters said no the decision to go home was not a difficult one. There was a little more play but not enough to make me think I had made the wrong decision. Sidebottom, who has only 3 more matches left after today, took three wickets and Middlesex will start today still 250 behind. The forecast is for showers and if those we have had already this morning in the Lower Ure Valley are a measure they will be heavy. Day at home I think.
Headingley on a warmer day
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