Saturday 1st September and off to pastures new hopefully. Plan A was to see some club cricket in Cumbria followed by a couple of days at Cumberland's Minor Counties game with Lincolnshire at Carlisle on Sunday and Monday. Unfortunately for once the weather intervened, something we have not been used to over most of the season.
We were heading for the Eden Valley league and with two o'clock starts still in force, had plenty of time in hand on arriving in Carlisle. We decided to head north over the border into Scotland as far as Langholm the most northerly ground in the league. After a scenic drive the light rain arrived just as we approached this attractive ground, situated in the middle of an old racecourse alongside the river Esk. Obviously a good place to watch cricket on a fine day, but sadly this was not it. The mist came down on the hillsides all around and the persistent drizzle continued so we soon returned into England.
Next stop was Rockcliffe almost on the Solway estuary not far north of Carlisle, where the home side were due to entertain Kirby Stephen. With both sides in the top three of the league table this seemed likely to be the match of the day. However, although the rain had stopped when we got there,we were soon told the game was off. When both teams had arrived it was raining heavily and they had quickly called it off. I was aware that this ground flooded regularly, being so near the river but thought they might have waited a bit longer before abandoning ship. The sign on the pavilion shows the club's aptly chosen nickname - 'The Swans'.
After this we decided to head inland where it looked brighter and eventually found cricket in play at Lanercost adjacent to the famous priory, where there is an attractive cafe which provided some welcoming refreshment. Nothing to write home about with a second XI match between Lanercost and Caldbeck, which John Winn visited recently, but plenty of runs being scored on the artificial wicket which was unaffected by the earlier rain.
At least we had found some cricket and a bit later on returning to Carlisle found that Carlisle first eleven were playing Cockermouth at Edenside in a game which ended with Cockermouth as league champions of the North Lancashire and Cumbria league, having won sixteen of their twenty games.
Carlisle made 177-5 in a game limited to 40 overs per side and Cockermouth 178-3 in 37 overs.
For the visitors Greg Platten made 76 and Cumberland player Marcus Stables 52 not out.
The following day we were back at Edenside for the Minor Counties game, but again the weather delayed the start. Lincolnshire the Eastern Division league leaders, but only by a few points, were obviously anxious to get started but when they did found run scoring rather difficult. Louis Kimber, who had scored a huge century in very quick time in a T20 game earlier in the season, made heavy weather of things. However he managed to hang around as wickets fell around him to make a most valuable top score of 68.
Veteran Chris Hodgson bowled almost unchanged from one end and finished with an analysis of
32-5-72-4, a real marathon effort. He was helped by new opening bowler Ryan Maddock from Ormskirk who finished with 14-6-20-4, a fine effort on debut. When rain returned later to bring an early finish on Sunday, we could not have imagined that there would be no play at all on Monday due to persistent drizzle all day. Very disappointing for all concerned, but we put Plan B into operation and enjoyed an interesting day in Carlisle, visiting the Cathedral, excellent Museum and the Castle which all provided an excellent day out.
Day three on Tuesday, when we had set off for Durham, managed to produce a most unlikely result. Lincolnshire declaring on 231-8, then both teams forfeited an innings leaving Cumberland chasing 232 in 70 odd overs. With the title at stake Lincolnshire pulled out all the stops and bowled the home side out for 178 in 63 overs taking 18 points to keep them just ahead of Staffordshire and Suffolk who both won their games with 22 points each. Lincolnshire will now play the Western Division champions Berkshire, in a replay of last seasons final, in a four day match at Banbury starting on Sunday 16th September.
Meanwhile we were off to Riverside, Chester le Street, for the four day county second eleven championship final between Durham seconds and Essex seconds. A handful of spectators, never exceeding fifty on the first two days and somewhat less on day three saw a fascinating contest between two young sides. The weather by this time had returned to normal and we were blessed with two and a half days of almost constant sunshine.
Essex batted first and lost wickets quickly against the Durham pace attack spearheaded by Josh Coughlin who took four wickets by which time Essex were 98-5. After that they collapsed completely against the left arm spin of George Harding, who took 4-20 in just seven overs. Essex were all out for 130 and feelings were that the game could be all over in two or at most three days.
Durham established a comfortable first innings lead, although it was hard work at first and opener Jones played a marathon innings of 2 hours and 40 minutes in compiling just 46 runs. It was left to wicket keeper Davies and Coughlin to accelerate the scoring rate which they did with a vengeance. They put on a hundred partnership, Davies making 83, with fifteen fours and Coughlin 68 with ten fours. Durham 263 all out, a lead of 133.
Thoughts of an innings victory for the home side were soon gone in the final session of day two when Beard and Kushi came together with the score on 72-2. The both batted through to close of play, having completed fifty each and looked in total control of the situation. Day three started again in hot sunshine and the two youngsters were in complete control both batting throughout the morning session with first Beard, the left hander, and then Kushi reaching their centuries. Durham rang the changes with nine bowlers but could not make any breakthrough.
Things changed after lunch when the partnership of 249 was finally broken and the rest of the innings just fell away with skipper Pringle taking four wickets near the end. Durham's overseas player Rimmington, took no part on day one when apparently confirmation was awaited that he was eligible to play. When he did appear on day two he was out for a duck and although bowling economically did not look like taking wickets.
By this time we were heading for home as Durham began their chase of a target just short of 250. Not unreasonable one thought with plenty of time to go in this four day game. However now was the time for Essex's more experienced players Matt Coles and New Zealander Quinn to come to the party.
Coles, once talked of as an England player when with Kent, has moved twice since to Hampshire and then Essex without really pulling up any trees. He proved effective here though and by taking four wickets before the close, along with three for Quinn, looked to be taking Essex to victory.
Day four brought a long delay for rain and it must have been very frustrating for Essex, who had turned the game on it's head. When play finally started late in the day they needed just three more wickets for victory. Coles soon repeated his first innings feat of five wickets by bowling Coughlin, after Rimmington was dismissed for ten by Quinn. However, there was yet another twist in the tail.
Durham were in a hopeless position with 136-9, but McBride who defended stoutly for almost two hours was assisted by last man Whitehead for the last half hour and they managed to bat out time for a draw.
Durham were awarded the second eleven title due to their first innings lead, which all seems a bit unjust on Essex, who one feels should at least have shared the honours. Who said cricket's a funny old game?
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