YPN too good for NYSD

posted by John Winn

Yesterday was semi-finals day in the KO  competition between the four Yorkshire ECB Premier League champions. This year the organisers were saved the embarrassment of the NYSD being won by a team from north of the River Tees for it was Richmondshire who had that honour and entertained Sheriff Hutton Bridge, winners of the Yorkshire Premier North. Less than an hours drive took me to Hurgill Road, a ground where I always enjoy watching cricket.

I was joined by Keith and Leslie from Darlington and tapped in to their extensive knowledge of all things NYSD and later by Starbeck Steve who is similarly on the ball when it comes to the various Yorkshire leagues. Richmond won the toss and chose to field and after a stand of 27 for the first wicket the decision began to bear fruit with the wickets of Louis Foxton and Ed Barnes falling in close order. Wickets continued to fall  and despite a bit of a recovery mainly through Dulash Udayanga, at 94 for 6 it looked like the Dalesmans' match to lose. 

Cometh the hour and all that, in this case Matthew Fisher, and the game changed very quickly. Stands of 43 and 57 for the seventh and eight wickets had the pundits shifting their positions and when the innings closed on 208 for 9 the hot money was on Bridge. Fisher out for 87 including four sixes. And that was as good as it got for RCC for they were shot out for 42, Ed Barnes the chief destroyer with four for 12 off seven overs and two wickets each for Mark and Matthew Fisher and David Henstock aided by  some sharp catches in the slips and behind the stumps. Top score was 8 not out for number 10 Craig Swainston and the highest partnership 12 for the fourth wicket. All done and dusted in one hour twenty minutes. 

Meanwhile seventy miles south another one sided match was deciding who Sheriff Hutton Bridge would face in the final at Headingley next Saturday (wickets pitched 10:30). This fixture was at Albert Terrace, Bradford, the ground of Bradford league champions Woodlands CC where Doncaster Town were the visitors. Here the home team had  been put in to bat and rattled up one short one of three hundred for 8 wickets with New Zealander Brad Schmulian leading the way with 122. Doncaster fared a little better than Richmond but never threatened such a formidable total and had no answer to the bowling of Chris Brice who took 6 for 20 off his twelve overs. I look forward to seeing these two in action at Headingley next Saturday. Let's hope for a closer contest than last year's final when Wakefield Thornes gave Great Ayton the run around. If last year is a guide then we might expect the game to be played on the wicket to be used in the Yorkshire v Kent match starting tomorrow and scheduled to last four days. We shall see.