Ouseburn beat the weather to retain their title

posted by John Winn

A rainbow over West Tanfield

On Saturday, a day of heavy but isolated showers, I drove to West Tanfield, between Ripon and Masham, where Ouseburn were the visitors and for whom victory would ensure they retained the Nidderdale First Division Championship.  

Ouseburn won the toss and fielded, an easy decision given the threatening clouds, and wickets fell at regular intervals with only Sam Abel offering serious resistance. During his innings Sam passed 500 runs for the season and when the last wicket fell at 118 he was undefeated on 65. Towards the end of the innings a heavy shower drove me to my car but the players remained on the field. Further heavy rain came shortly into the Ouseburn reply and held up play for about half an hour and sawdust was liberally applied before the Ouseburn innings could resume. Chasing a modest total a good first innings partnership by Peter Carr and Chris Morrison calmed the nerves and 97 were on the board before Carr was out. There were to be no more alarms until the scores were level at which point Morrison, going for his fourth six, skied one to mid off but with all rounder Jamie Bryant, over 500 runs and 45 wickets in the season, hitting the winning run, the title was retained. 

Credit is due to the umpires and West Tanfield's players for sticking it out in the soggy conditions. During the course of the evening news came through that Masham's match at Birstwith had been abandoned thus leaving them seven points behind Ouseburn in the final table. Birstwith a further five points away can consider themselves unlucky as they have suffered four 'wash outs', more than any other club in the division. 

Yesterday the finals of the two national ko competitions were held. At Lord's holders Sessay lost by seven wickets to Reed and at Chelmsford Wanstead and Snaresbrook beat Ormskirk in the National Club Championship by 12 runs. The Essex club were all out for 159 but four wickets for 19 year old  Jack Lord saw Ormskirk fall short. A good weekend for cricket in Essex. 

Eight championship matches begin tomorrow and with Essex crowned champions on Friday attention in the first division turns to who will join Warwickshire in Division Two next year. The Bears visit Headingley where Yorkshire, who have not won  any of their last six matches, lie fifth but only one point above Somerset and Middlesex. Middlesex are at home to Lancashire and Somerset are at The Oval where if last week is anything to go by they will find it hard to get more than a draw. For Yorkshire Sidebottom faces a fitness test, how sad it would be were he to be denied his swan song at hq, and one presumes Father Lyth will return with Brathwaite as his partner. 

In Division Two it is stretching it a bit to think that one of  Northants, Kent or Sussex can squeeze into the top two . Northants entertain Notts while Kent are at Queen's Park, a switch from Derby, and Sussex will be at The Riverside. Temperatures as high as eighteen are forecast for Chester le Street in the next few days. Whether that is Celsius or Fahrenheit is not known.