Danby make it at the first attempt

In early June I reported on a visit I made to the north eastern corner of Yorkshire to complete my set of all the grounds in The Langbaurgh League. Two  more contrasting grounds it is hard to imagine and the two home clubs that I saw that day, Dormanstown and Danby have experienced contrasting fortunes on the cricket field since my early season trip.

First call on the first Saturday in June was at  Dormanstown on the outskirts of Redcar where Kildale were the visitors in a match that at that time was between two sides that had found the early season going rather tough. Dormanstown won comfortably that day but the two clubs remained relegation candidates throughout the campaign and only the hapless Ingleby Greenhow who failed to win a match all season saved one from relegation. Both teams finished on 26 points and with five wins apiece were separated only by their run wicket differential which went in favour of Kildale. So Dormanstown, who until recently were members of the now defunct Cleveland League, find themselves back in Division Two after only one season in the top flight while Kildale live to fight another season at least in that august company.

Meanwhile not too far away but in the North Yorkshire National Park, Danby, newcomers to the league in 2019, have won promotion at the first bite. On the day of my visit Danby were easy winners over Thimbleby, a result that left them third and Thimbleby near the bottom. The final table for Division Two shows Danby second to Hartlepool Power Station and thus promoted while only Norton IV keep Thimbleby off the bottom, one place lower than they finished in 2018.

Danby take the field after tea.

Meanwhile although the 2019 county championship season only finished three weeks ago amongst the twitterati at least thoughts have turned to next season's fixtures and in particular the system whereby it will be decided who plays who twice in the now ten team first division. There is even a rumour that Yorkshire might play Lancashire at Scarborough, something that hasn't happened since 1991. Looking back to that occasion on the third to sixth of September 28 years ago, Yorkshire captained by Martin Moxon won the toss and after being 18 for 3 ran up over 500 with centuries for Byas and Robinson (P). Lancashire declared 98 behind and this time it was Moxon's turn to  reach three figures. Needing 343 to win Lancashire slumped to 129 for 8, Darren Gough the main destroyer, but thanks to an Ian Austin century with support from John Fitton and Peter Martin the last two wickets added 165 to keep things interesting. With Yorkshire looking worried Peter Hartley snaffled the last wicket to conclude four wonderful day's entertainment. 1442 runs in the match from 406 overs suggests cracking stuff  and faster over rates than twenty first century crowds are used to.