It may surprise some people to know that there are county cricket competitions for both over fifties and over sixties age groups. Indeed in the south of England there is even an over seventies competition. Up till now nobody has yet been able to find an over eighties team but I would be available if required!
We have just spent a very enjoyable trip to north east England to see two Yorkshire sides in action, first of all on Tuesday 3rd July Yorkshire over sixties were in action against Durham at the lovely ground of Shotley Bridge in the far north west of the county, not far from Consett, and almost in Northumberland. The Spa ground, which was the site of 19th century Spa, is situated down a track in the valley bottom alongside the River Derwent and surrounded on all sides by trees. A delightful spot and with Yorkshire batting a veritable feast of runs.
Paul Collingwood began his cricket career on this ground and you could not wish for a nicer place to learn the game. Skipper Martin Ivill was out cheaply early on in the proceedings but the second wicket pair of John Flintoff, from Sessay, and Colin Frank, from Pickering were both in fine form. The boundaries flowed throughout a partnership of 205 in which Frank was the dominant partner and reached a wonderful century with 21 fours and 2 sixes before being bowled for 121.
Graham Copley, Alan Steers and Johnny Davidson all went cheaply and Flintoff may have wondered if he was going to run out of partners, but eventually he too reached the century mark with only 12 fours and one six. He seemed to have run a lot of rather slow singles in the process but a fine innings none the less. The Durham bowlers toiled hard all afternoon in the baking sun and a bright and breezy 27 from Michael Kenyon from Dringhouses brought the innings past the three hundred mark to finish on 312-8 in 45 overs.
The handful of spectators and camp followers had excellent entertainment and although the Durham run chase never really got off the ground, we saw some typically tight bowling from Mick Scott, Robert Kettlewell and Michael Kenyon who all made sure Durham got no where near the required rate. At 92-5 an early finish looked in prospect but the home side's later batsman got stuck in, with number eight Dick Longstaff top scoring with 33 to prolong the game to the end of the allotted overs.
Durham finished on 178-9. Another fine win for the Yorkshireman with wicket keeper Tommy Stafford as keen and active as ever.
The following day and it was off to the Feethams in Darlington for another Durham v Yorkshire contest this time for the slightly more athletic over fifties. After early morning cloud the sun eventually broke through yet again for another hot afternoon. This time Yorkshire won the toss and elected to field. The opening bowlers Mark Wilson from Wath and Mo Shahnawaz, a recent newcomer to the side, soon claimed two wickets each and Durham were in trouble on 13-4. The two bowlers finished their allocation of nine overs each but the change in bowling brought little respite for the Durham side.
Two more Yorkshire league cricket legends Haider Jahingar and Stephen Foster took over the bowling and Foster in particular destroyed the middle order with four wickets. Durham had collapsed to 67-9 and a very early finish seemed in prospect. However the powerful Andy Burgess at number seven at last found support from number eleven Dave McCabe. Burgess went on to the attack and hit five fours and two sixes in a fine 57 before being smartly stumped by Paul Langley, from Streethouse, off the bowling of Dave Burden. McCabe had given Burgess stubborn assistance with ten not out and Durham were finally all out for 115 in the 43rd over.
The Yorkshire reply was even more remarkable. Needing only 116 to win there was a very good chance until the final stages of the game that opener Kevin Bradley, from Clifton Alliance, would score a century. After no runs had been scored off the first three overs Bradley went into overdrive and hit boundaries all round the ground, whereas opening partner Nick Gaywood from Sheffield Collegiate, played an obdurate defensive innings, possibly to try and get his partner to the century mark.
Bradley got into the eighties with his partner still in single figures and you fancied the Durham bowlers and fielders were not too happy with this manipulation of the game. With Bradley on 89 he required eleven of the last sixteen runs, but three wides were bowled and mutterings about don't let it happen were heard. However Bradley tried to flick the ball over his left shoulder and a diving catch by former Durham wicket keeper Andy Fothergill sent him on his way. A tremendous innings and a shame he didn't make the century target.
Gaywood then started to play his normal game and soon hit a six and a four over long on to finish proceedings in style. A nine wicket win for the Yorkshiremen with only 21 overs needed to get there.
Another entertaining game and proof that the older players still play the game properly with great enthusiasm, even if there are sometimes problems with the fielding.
As ever we must pay tribute to Mrs Mulholland's excellent tea provision as we sat down to the usual grand repast, after the player's had finished, to the great delight of some of the players' wives, particularly when it came to the choice of desserts.
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