After a long day at Derby, made longer by a police 'incident' road closure on our cross country journey through the Derbyshire Dales, it was time for a couple of days close to home. Tuesday15th May was an opportunity to catch up with the all conquering Yorkshire over 60s side who were playing Durham over 60s at the attractive Bradford League ground of East Bierley. Another very hot sunny day with marvellous views looking south over Huddersfield and the Pennines with the Emley Moor TV mast on the far horizon. The ground is situated on the aptly named South View Road.
Yorkshire, following a big win last week away to Lincolnshire at Cleethorpes in their first match of the season, were soon down to business as usual. Durham elected to bat first but became bogged down somewhat against some accurate bowling, particularly from the ever reliable Mick Scott, veteran of the Aire Wharfe league for many years. A typical performance with nine overs, five maidens, no wickets for only ten runs more or less settled the match.
All the other four bowlers supported him well and there were in fact ten maiden overs out of the total of forty five. Only a late flourish from the later batsman took the final score to 147-6, almost respectability but not enough to challenge Yorkshire's batting line up which included two century makers last week in Colin Frank of Pickering and skipper Martin Ivill of Barnsley. Perennial wicket keeper Tommy Hodson got in on the act as usual, the 'crafty cockney' snapping up two stumpings and a catch towards the end of the innings.
Durham suffered a little with one batsman retired hurt and another having great difficulty running between wickets due to a pulled muscle apparently. Garry Purcell with 38 and Colin Ede withe 37 were their top scorers.
The Yorkshire reply was very predictable with the long standing opening pair of Martin Ivill and John Flintoff, from Sessay, making short work of the job, knocking off the required total of 149 together in 31 overs. Ivill finished with 72 not out, including eleven fours and the slightly more sedate Flintoff 59 not out, with six fours. All in all a splendid advert for over sixties cricket. The running between wickets and sometimes the fielding may be a little slower than when in their prime but the players still give their all in a very competitive competition.
Wednesday 16th May brought a distinct change in temperature, about ten degrees cooler in fact.
A full programme of BUCS (British Universities) cricket in the North Leeds area but the cold winds made it necessary to find a ground where you could watch in comfort from the car. After an early trip to windswept Weetwood, where Leeds/Bradford's womens team were entertaining (?) Edinburgh women and Leeds University mens 2nds were playing Durham 2nds, we went a short distance down the road to New Rover cricket club.
Here Leeds Beckett University were playing Loughborough University and as the only two spectators to be seen were able to secure an admirable vantage point in our car where we could see both the play and the scoreboard. Problem solved for the moment. The home side batted first but were very soon in desperate trouble as the freezing conditions did not seem to hamper the Loughborough bowlers. By the third over Leeds Beckett were 9-3, with stumps flying out of the ground on two occasions. When the fourth wicket went down at 27 we anticipated another early finish, which seemed to be a trend this week with Yorkshire seconds twice bowling out opponents cheaply in the Second XI trophy.
However, some resistance from the middle order saw a partnership of almost fifty develop, but the tail succumbed to the Loughborough spinners until the number eleven batsman supported the unknown number four who collared the bowling at the end to finish with 73 not out in a total of 135 all out.
At this point (around 1 p.m. we returned to Weetwood to find that the women's game was already over. Edinburgh who had been bowled out for ten a couple of weeks ago at home by Leeds/Bradford, did rather better with 39 all out today. The home side knocking off the runs in 4.4 overs. Was your journey really necessary!
On the main Weetwood ground Leeds University seconds bowled out Durham second for 202, again with a one man band, this time number four scoring 86. Leeds knocked off the runs fairly easily after losing two early wickets with Killoran 70 not our and Tikere 76 not out taking them to an eight wicket victory. By this time we had long gone for the warmth of a shopping trip but had achieved our daily fix despite the Arctic conditions. Last we heard from New Rover was Loughborough 70-2, so assume they won although the rather dilatory BUCS website still does not show the result.
Next thrilling instalment a long awaited return to Hartlepool tomorrow.
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