Saturday 2nd June was far from 'flaming June' with persistent rain for most of the morning and apparently little chance of league cricket anywhere. There was even a yellow weather warning of possible flash flooding and heavy downpours. However, when the rain appeared to ease we set off with very little hope of trying to find some cricket. First stop Weetwood where Yorkshire Academy were due to play Driffield in the Yorkshire Premier League North. A miserable scene with covers still on and groundsman Richard Robinson trying to mop up the water lying on them. The verdict an early tea interval and the umpires would look again.
Shortly after this we discovered that play was going on at nearby Adel so off we went up the road to find Adel batting against Horsforth in the Aire/Wharfe League. The home side were already 5-2 when we arrived, having been 0-2 at one stage, and obviously the ball was doing a bit on the damp wicket. Wickets continued to fall rather quickly to the main danger man Sajad Ali who took the first three in quick succession from the church end. Andrew Robinson soon had skipper David Foster smartly caught behind by wicket keeper Bailey Worcester and Adel were 6-4.
Worse was to follow when Sajad Ali struck again, another fine catch by Worcester, standing up to the pace bowler and Adel were 11-5. Opener Tom Harrison had watched all this carnage from the non-strikers end and was still there and able to recover things somewhat in partnership with Griffin Lea. These two put on thirty four before Harrison was finally out to first change bowler Osama Ahmad for top score of 26. Dixon and Lea both scraped into double figures (just) before they also left the scene to make it 62-8.
At this stage we discovered that the Academy game had now started so off we went back to Weetwood. Later we learnt that Alex Myers had taken the last three wickets and Adel were all out in twenty seven overs for a paltry 75. Horsforth won the game in the twentieth over despite losing six wickets in the process, largely thanks to Oliver Hardaker's 23 not out.
Back at Weetwood with the Academy batting, they had already lost the wicket of young first teamer Harry Brook, out cheaply for the second week in succession. Matthew Revis, originally from the same club as Brook, Burley in Wharfedale, together with Billy Whitford had begun what proved to be a match winning partnership in this game reduced to 34 overs per side.
These two put on 124 in fine style against some not too brilliant bowling and Revis was very disappointed to be dismissed when clean bowled for 82 with a century almost within his grasp. Whitford stayed till the end and managed to increase the scoring rate, despite being involved in the run out of Tom Loten before George Hill came in to hit a four and a six at the death. Final score Academy 221-3.
Driffield have lost several players since last season, notably the two Kohler-Cadmore brothers and Sam Drury who is now captaining Scarborough. Their reply seemed rather hesitant with a slow start not making it easy, although overseas player Kavindu Kulasekara and Danny Broumpton, the skipper stayed together to put on 67 for the third wicket the scoring rate was never approaching that required.
The late introduction of the spin brothers Harry and Josh Sullivan brought two wickets each and the innings rather tailed away. So an eight point winning draw for the home side.
Once again full marks to Richard Robinson and his assistant for getting the ground playable. We were pleasantly surprised to find out later that the majority of games in Yorkshire were in fact played, many with reduced overs, but surprisingly few actually called off.
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