Heavy showers on Saturday morning and a forecast of more to come easily persuaded me that it was not a day for venturing far from home. First port of call was just a mile down the road at Whixley where The Cherrymen have enjoyed a decent season in Division Three of The Nidderdale League.
As I reported at the time, the a year ago Whixley took the bold decision to plough up and reseed their entire outfield and despite the very dry spring the new turf looked in good condition when I arrived just before four o'clock. The earlier rain had caused a delayed start and there had been some reluctance amongst the visitors, Boroughbridge and Staveley, to hang out about while the afternoon sunshine dried the wicket and surrounds. Indeed one of their number felt that in such circumstances and in particular where 'there was nothing to play for' a team that did not want to play should concede the match and let their opponents take the points. You could make it up but you probably wouldn't.
In the event and after tea had been taken a start was made at 4:00 with Boroughbridge batting. Twenty five overs had been agreed although a consultation of the rule book showed that 20 was the minimum allowed .A late flourish saw the visitors reach 124 for 7 at which point I decided that it was time to move on, a five minute drive taking me to Lghtmire Lane, Great Ouseburn just in time to see groundsman Edward Pearson locking the last of his machinery away and giving me the news that OCC had had an easy victory in their local derby with Alne. Later in the evening the news came through that their two rivals for the championship had had mixed fortunes. Birstwith had suffered their third washout of the season but Masham had gained a five point win in a thirty over game with Burton Leonard. This means that with one week to play Ouseburn lead the table by three points from Masham with Birstwith a further five points away. In next week's final round of matches Birstwith, who can no longer win the title, entertain Masham while Ouseburn travel to West Tanfield.
Meanwhile back at Rudgate, Whixley had reached 77 for 4 off 18 overs when the heaviest rain of the day brought proceedings to an end. The table shows B and S fourth and Whixley fifth.
Yesterday was a similar day to Saturday although without much in the way of sunny intervals. I resisted the temptation to travel to Masham where the final of the Black Sheep Cup had been scheduled to be played between York and Pudsey St Lawrence. Disappointingly this too fell to the weather and was called off about three o'clock.
As Tony has pointed out forcefully on social media the ECB has contrived to fix eight championship fixtures for the coming week, four in each division but none north of Birmingham. I'm off to The Oval for a couple of days where Yorkshire are the visitors. One school of thought anticipates this will be a stalemate. If so much the same could be said of Middlesex v Hants at Uxbridge and certainly the other two first division games seem to have a bit more bite to them with Somerset, whose win last week has given them hope of avoiding the drop, taking on Lancs at Taunton, and for the red rose anything less than a win must surely hand the title to Essex. The leaders go to Edgbaston where the Bears are supping in the last chance saloon, 30 points behind Somerset. One win all season and I note that as far back as April, Coach Ashley Giles was talking about his side being in a relegation struggle.
In Division Two Notts have a week off and Worcestershire who rather spoilt Chris Read's party last week will fancy their chances of taking close to maximum points off likely wooden spoonists Leicestershire where coach, Pierre de Bruyn pulled out of Grace Road rather abruptly last week. BBC Radio Leicester correspondent Richard Rae describes the South African as 'abrasive'
who 'was quickly at Loggerheads with a number of players'. The simmering pot boiled over when de Bruyn would not agree to an attempt to contrive a finish at rain soaked Canterbury a fortnight ago. The Foxes seem likely to finish the season without a win.
More heavy rain in the Lower Ure Valley this morning but a decent forecast for the next couple of days in Kennington. It is perhaps worth a look at the first division table before this week's games for all teams have three games left and positions five to seven, Yorkshire, Middlesex and Somerset are separated by 13 points, little more than can be gained from a decent draw. Drawing matches can still be reasonably profitable, Surrey lie fourth and are probably safe having won only once this season, but Yorkshire and Middlesex would be foolish to be complacent, and amongst a number of members I have canvassed pessimism is not in short supply.
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