When it was announced that Lancashire would play their championship game against Durham at Sedbergh School the Lancashire Action Group, which does anger pretty well, went into overdrive in expressing their horror that this fixture should be played so far away from Old Trafford and not at Liverpool, Blackpool or Southport. The difficulty of getting there, the lack of facilities, question marks over the pitch were part of a litany of complaints but what seemed to upset them most was that Sedbergh is historically at least part of the West Riding of Yorkshire but has been administered by Cumbria since 1974.
Despite the fixture clashing with the Yorkshire v Surrey match at Scarborough for me it was a 'no brainer' that I should attend for it presented an opportunity for me to add to the list of grounds on which I have seen first class cricket and to see my native county in action at a similar distance from home to Chester le Street. Thus Monday morning saw me make an early start from the Lower Ure Valley taking the A1(M) until diverting through Bedale for the drive up Wensleydale.
The morning had started fine and bright but as I drove up the dale cloud thickened to the point that when I was stuck behind a dust cart in Hawes in gloom and drizzle I began to think the Lord Mayor's Show might be a washout or at best poor light would be a serious problem. By the time I reached Sedbergh things were a little brighter however and having found the well sign posted and very convenient car park on the school rugby field there was an opportunity to take coffee in the town before the gates opened at 9:45. In the event the rain returned and the start was delayed until 11:30. The lost overs were made up, there were no further interruptions and by tea we were blessed with warm sunshine.
Lancashire had been 275 for 5 overnight and Vilas and Croft resumed the innings in front of about 1500 spectators and they took their stand to 65 before the latter fell to Carse. Three wickets for Rimmington in his first championship game of the season stifled the tail's wagging and Lancashire were all out for 337 leaving Durham an awkward spell before lunch. For the rest of the day the scoring rate was under three an over with good stands between Bancroft and Lees and then Bancroft and Harte taking the score to 136 before the Anderson-Onions axis struck twice in two balls and Clark followed shortly afterwards, to make it 136 for 4. It took an extra to get the board moving again and 199 for 5 at stumps represented something of a recovery.
I enjoyed the drive home through a sunlit Wensleydale reflecting on the virtues of Sedbergh School as a venue for first class cricket. During the day from my seat on the boundary I enjoyed the company of Lancashire supporters from Preston, Morecambe, Wigan, Newton-le Willows, Chorley and Oldham, all of whom seemed to be very happy to have made the journey. Some had driven, some had used the shuttle bus from Oxenhope Station and others had come by the free coaches from Old Trafford. As I have mentioned there was ample and very convenient car parking and despite dire warnings from LCCC some street parking for those who preferred not to shell out a fiver for the day. There were several chuck waggons serving a variety of food and further refreshment facilities were available inside the school. Unlike York two weeks earlier there was no large hospitality tent which I suppose loses an opportunity to raise money. Two temporary stands had been erected and there were quite a number of individual seats available. I must mention one feature that proved somewhat irksome and that is a public footpath through the ground at the town end and from time to time people using it caused interruptions in play by walking behind the bowler's arm It would be a shame however to end on a slightly sour note for I thoroughly enjoyed the day and why not with the Howgill Hills providing such a lovely backdrop to such excellent facilities.
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