Yorkshire wither, whither Yorkshire

There was a cricket match at Headingley last week which proved a statistician's delight, a delight for Kentish men and women and men and women of Kent but one which has provoked dismay even anger among Yorkshire members. I was there for the first three days basking in the sunshine and on the opening day enjoying the batting of a forty three year old man who became only the second man aged over forty and the first since Queen Victoria was on the throne to score a double century and take five wickets in an innings in a first class match. Almost inevitably we have to go back to WG Grace to find the last time before Darren Stevens that a quadragenerian achieved the feat for it was at Bristol in 1895 when WG, then aged 46 and 303 days hit 288 and took five for 87 for Gloucestershire v Somerset at Bristol. Stevens, aged 43 and 142 days when he had his septimana mirabilis, scored 237 and took five for thirteen. The next oldest to register such an all round effort was 38* year old Ted Bowley of Sussex who hit an unbeaten 280 and took 6 for 31 for Sussex against 'Glos' at Hove in 1929.

September shadows at Headingley

Enough of stats, especially such that bring back memories to those trying to forget last week's events in LS6, events which were still being discussed at yesterday's cup final at the ground. The Yorkshire hierarchy have made all the right noises, Director of Cricket Martin Moxon has found the manner of defeat in the last two matches 'massively disappointing', and will 'try to bring in two domestic batsmen' for 2020. Coach Andrew Gale has used Matthew Fisher as an example of the sort of effort Yorkshire's players should be putting in  and between the lines suggested that there are some who have not matched Fisher's commitment to the cause. Skipper Steve Patterson 'hurting after Kent loss' does not exclude himself from his appraisal of his team, 'we were all very, very below what we are capable of.'

But fine words, or any other sort, butter no parsnips and if comments on White Rose Forum are to be believed then the next four days at Edgbaston may well have a significant effect on next year's membership numbers. Members can't sack Moxon, Gale or Patterson but they can keep their money in their pockets, especially if like me and many of my friends you only watch championship cricket which if the ECB has its way in 2020 may be covered by the BBC in a new Sunday tea time slot coupled with Ski Sunday. At least the theme tune's good.

In my local hostelry yesterday evening I tried to take a slightly more balanced view pointing out to John and John, yes three of us round the table, that Yorkshire could still finish third which would not be a bad show given the obvious superiority of Essex and Somerset. Nobody said fiddlesticks but it would have been an appropriate comment and at times like that I have to remind myself that according to Tony Hancock's rule only about one armful of my blood was made in Yorkshire, the rest north of the River Tees.

Yorkshire have announced their squad for the trip to Birmingham under the heading' Big Match Preview'. Bresnan is the notable absentee, otherwise it is the same as last week's twelve with the addition of Coad and Loten. Some I know would have wielded a more savage knife. Fisher was rested from the Yorkshire Premier League KO final at Headingley and he must be nailed on to play tomorrow and despite his absence his club side Sheriff Hutton Bridge beat Bradford League winners Woodlands at HQ yesterday by just two runs. Matthew's brother Adam top scored for SHB with assistance from Karl Carver and Ed Barnes. A feature of the day was some excellent spin bowling, Chris Brice for Woodlands and Carver and Dulash Udayanga for the victors. Perhaps the player most deserving our sympathy was Liam Collins who coming in  when Woodlands were 18 for 3 and seemingly down and out but despite suffering from cramp made 92 before falling to the very impressive David Henstock with the score at 194 for 8. A great afternoon and I suspect we might hear more about it from Tony.

* which I thinks makes him a tricenarian.