It's that time of year with quarter finals and semi finals coming fast and furious at all age group levels. Last Sunday's over 50s quarter final between Yorkshire and Cornwall at Malton was postponed, due to the weather forecast presumably, which saved Cornwall from a wasted journey.
The game has been re-scheduled at the same venue for this coming Sunday 19th August, but again the forecast is not good.
On Tuesday 14th August one game was decided when Lancashire over sixties took on Yorkshire in a quarter final of their competition at the Crimble ground in Heywood. First time I had seen cricket at this pleasant venue, although I did attend a lunch here several years ago. It was a Jim the Dog lunch organised by the late Jim Holt, a former groundsman at Heywood whose memorial stone is situated in the grass bank at the pavilion end of the ground. Apparently he got his nickname due to his dog always following him out to the middle at all times.
A close contest was predicted between these old rivals, all former league cricketers with great reputations during their earlier playing days. Lancashire batted first after a short delay due to several light showers and a lot of coming and going putting covers on and taking them off again. Mick Scott and skipper Martin Ivill bowled their usual tight opening spells to restrict the scoring rate and Scott removed both openers by the time the score reached 36.
The number three batsman was Chris Dearden who had a very successful league career with Littleborough in the Central Lancashire League. Not very tall, but rather broad in the beam, Dearden dominated the rest of the innings. Starting slowly he gradually increased the tempo as wickets fell at the other end. Phil Taylor took two wickets but generally the Yorkshire bowlers could not keep their normal tight rein over the batsmen.
Tragedy struck just before the end of the innings when Dearden, who had been so dominant, was run out just one run short of his century, which would have been well deserved. However, unlike the modern day batsmen, he left the middle with a smile on his face and the congratulations of the fielders for a magnificent innings. Lancashire ended the 45 overs on 169-7 which seemed quite an achievable target for Yorkshire given their performances in the competition to date.
However after an excellent lunch and a walk round the neighbouring park lake for the spectators, Yorkshire began their reply. They lost their skipper, Martin Ivill early on to a dismissal by two players they will come to remember. Both opening bowlers were involved - caught Billy Smith bowled Richard Purser. Billy Smith, who later research showed is over 70, and from Bootle cricket club. He has played for both Cheshire and England over 70s and bowled nine very tight and accurate overs, which meant that Yorkshire never got into their stride.
Purser, from Heywood, had an identical analysis, nine overs 1-17 and these two between them really decided the result of the match. With the dismissal of Flintoff and Frank, both century makers this season, followed by that of danger man Murphy Walwyn, apparently not fully fit, Yorkshire's hopes were in tatters as the scoring rate required went up and up.
Man of the match with the bat, Chris Dearden, suddenly did the same with the ball towards the end of the Yorkshire innings by taking the last five wickets for just 21 runs in his nine overs. Yorkshire ended the innings on a miserable total of 126-9 and lost by 42 runs. Full marks to Lancashire for a well earned victory and good luck to them with a home semi-final against Surrey on Tuesday 28th August.
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