The Weetwood cricket ground of Leeds University, on the northern Leeds ring road, has quite a reputation among the more discerning of cricket watchers, many of whom are quick to give it the title of the coldest cricket ground in England. There were some exceptions in last season's high summer, but at any time the vast open space, with hardly any shelter, is prone to cold winds. So it proved over the last three days when Leeds/Bradford MCCU entertained Yorkshire in a first class match, allegedly the first of it's kind on this ground, although there have been several previous friendly games against first class counties.
A good crowd turned out for the first day's play on the last day of March despite serious car parking problems made all the worse by a junior hockey festival taking place from early that morning. Rather surprisingly the University won the toss and elected to bat, quite against the normal precedent for such games when the county sides inevitably bat first to prolong the action of what are usually very one sided contests.
Although the University side suffered a heavy defeat at Derby the were obviously confident enough to make a reasonable start, with Haynes who made a pair last week looking good in partnership with Cornall from Lancashire. The pair put on 36 for the first wicket against the highly rated Yorkshire opening bowlers. Ben Coad starting proceedings in the company of the recent controversial signing Duanne Olivier, the South African test bowler. The newcomer worked up a reasonable pace and troubled both batsmen with some short deliveries, but by and large bowled wide of the off stump much of the time and the batsmen were able to leave well alone.
He did take the first wicket bowling Cornall for 10, but the after a typically economic spell by skipper Steve Patterson, the star of the show emerged as young Matthew Waite, pressing hard for a place in the team at Trent Bridge on Friday in the absence of the injured Tim Bresnan. Waite was soon among the wickets and finished with figures of 5-16 in his twelve overs. Coad finished off the tail to end with 3-21 and the University side were all out for 119. Top score was skipper Angus Dahl, who has played for Surrey seconds, with 46.
Yorkshire did not have it all their way when they batted and openers Lyth and Brook both went cheaply, the experienced Gary Ballance and Tom Kohler-Cadmore soon put Yorkshire in the ascendancy however and Yorkshire looked well in command at the end of the first day, although Ballance was dismissed for 39. Many of the numbed spectators had made an early exit and I imagine very few remained at the close of play.
The next morning it was again cold and refugees from the bank near the pavilion relocated to the slightly less cold area at the far end of the ground. After Leaning was out for 20, Kohler-Cadmore and Tattersall took control, although they never really raced away in the first session against some accurate bowling by the University's four seam bowlers. The temperature rose somewhat in the afternoon session when the sun finally broke through and the batsman both got well into their stride.
Kohler-Cadmore was the first to his century and he got his head down to carry on the good work.
Tattersall made what was his very first century at this level, although I recall seeing him score a hundred for Harrogate against Yorkshire Academy on this ground. This was greeted with particular applause from the spectators and his team mates for a young man who had come back from being released and made the wicket keeping position his own. The pair put on a partnership of 213 for the fifth wicket before Kohler-Cadmore was caught, at the second attempt, on the long off boundary by substitute field Steve Bullen for 176.
Yorkshire eventually declared at the tea interval on 489-8 after Patterson had demonstrated what a useful batsman he is, as he has proved on more than one occasion, with an innings of 39. The University openers again took the score into the thirties before the first wicket fell, but then two more fell at the same total and to all intents and purposes the game was as good as over. However as in the first innings Dahl and Ashraf hang around to take the game into day three.
The hard core of spectators joined by veteran Reg Parker, underneath the scoreboard.
Another cold and this time damp morning. Play started half an hour late after early rain and Ashraf in particular looked intent on batting for a long time. Olivier took the first wicket when Dahl was bowled for a valuable 36, but shortly afterwards the South African left the field with an apparent knee injury. Play continued until just after three o'clock and the game was over when the ninth wicket fell as Fellows was unable to bat due to an injury. Ashraf had made a fine 62 before he became a rare stumping victim for Tattersall off the part time spinner Leaning.
Pillans, yet another South African signed from Surrey, made some impression with two wickets but the University tailenders kept things going well, especially last man Cantwell, who also made runs at Derby, finishing the match on 21 not out. So Yorkshire predictably the victors by an innings and 151 runs when the early finish came, releasing the freezing spectators (of whom there were about 25) back into the warmth. To be fair the sun did re-appear after lunch but all in all it obviously felt far too cold to be starting our summer sport.
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