The cricket season seems to be going out with something of a whimper rather than a bang.
Many of the local leagues finished their programmes on Saturday 9th September, but a surprising number from the lower echelons were still involved a week later. Our original plans were thwarted by the wet weather which put the lid on the premier leagues semi-final between York and Hanging Heaton in Scarborough. However our few days on the Yorkshire coast were not in vain being able to see the last four concerts of the admirable Scarborough Spa orchestra before they shut up shop for the winter.
On returning to Leeds early on Saturday afternoon the sun was shining and we managed to find an abundance of fixtures in a variety of leagues all within a short distance from home. First stop Crag Lane, Alwoodley where the sports complex adjacent to Adel Woods had not only an Aire Wharfe third division game between Alwoodley and New Rover, but an Old Leos seconds v South Milford seconds in division four of the Wetherby League as well as an Old Leos rugby union match going on.
Alwoodley, perennial strugglers in recent seasons, finished bottom of their league and will presumably have to apply for re-election. Today however they managed to finish with a win, only their third of the season, against local rivals New Rover who continue to have problems without a junior set up. Nice to see our friend Harold Todd still umpiring and keeping an avuncular eye on proceedings.
Just next door some very young cricketers were both batting and bowling for Old Leos and South Milford second teams. South Milford ended the season as Division four champions. Plenty of enthusiasm here on a ground where I played my very last game of cricket some thirty years ago. I still remember hanging on to a very fierce caught and bowled to the amazement of my team mates!
We drove past the Adel ground, where their second team were in action. No room to stop because of a huge crowd watching the adjoining soccer match. Not a car parking space to be had anywhere in the vicinity! So up the road to Bramhope where Headingley Bramhope were playing their last match before relegation from Division one of the Wetherby League. They have had a spectacular rise through the divisions of this league in recent years, when they were based at Glen Road, Headingley.
Sadly the tide now seems to have turned and they are bottom of the league by a substantial margin. A brief rain shower sent the players from the field on this hill top ground, so off we went again down into the valley bottom.
Here at Pool in Wharfedale it was still dry and the game in progress between Pool and visitors Ilkley.
I seem to remember Ilkley doing well in the first half of the season,but they too seem to have come unstuck and both sides are in the lower half of Aire Wharfe division one. A close encounter this one as Ilkley were bowled out for 107 and the home side were in sight of victory when we arrived. The fall of two quick wickets turned the tables and despite some late resistance the home side were all out for 98 finishing just nine runs short. Slow left armer Nick Cockcroft the match winner with 6-24.
There was just time to make one further call a short distance down the road where Arthington were celebrating both teams having gained promotion this season all be it in the lower reaches of the Nidderdale League, but no worse for that. The first team who are promoted from Division five were entertaining Bishop Thornton 2nds and cruising to yet another victory by eight wickets. This was their sixteenth victory of the season.
A large part of their success has been the prolific form of a newcomer this season Naveed Andrabi, who before today's game had scored no less than 1,316 runs, including five centuries, with a highest score of 166 not out against Pateley Bridge, where he also took 7-15. He is also the leading wicket taker with 44.
Another star performer was Lawrence Barraclough who made the club's highest ever score of 235 back in June against Crakehall, in a record total of 410-3 in 45 overs!
The second team who gained promotion from Division eight had a record of a very different kind. No less than nine of their fifteen victories were due to the opposition conceeding due to failures to field a team. Sadly a growing trend where second and third elevens are concerned. However promoted they are and congratulations to everyone at this pleasant club who continue to play their festival matches until mid October.
Just to confirm the plans for the two premier league semi-finals which were both involved in endless changes due to the weather this weekend. They are both now to be played next Saturday 23rd September. Great Ayton will play Wakefield Thornes at Scarborough at 10.30 and York will play Hanging Heaton at Headingley, also at 10.30.
The final will then be played at Headingley the following day, Sunday 24th September, also with a 10.30 start. All games of fifty overs duration.
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