Evening leagues become the new norm.

Posted by Tony Hutton

The lack of any spectator access to county cricket, which seems to have worsened yet again today, as well as no Minor Counties, county second eleven, university cricket etc etc, has left many professional cricket watchers dependant on Saturday league cricket and evening league cricket in mid week. So it was last night, for the second night running, back to the evening scene at Adel cricket club in Leeds on a pleasantly warm night for a match with local rivals Horsforth Hall Park in the Headingley evening league. In fact every match in this tightly knit league is a local derby and the move to an earlier start of 6 p.m. gets things over with before it gets too cold on occasions.

The one blot on proceedings was the appearance of the visitors in their all black coloured clothing against the traditional whites of Adel. (Hence the 'library' pictures of Adel). It was a bit like watching the New Zealand rugby union team which certainly did not add to the occasion for the handful of spectators. However beggars can't be choosers in the present situation and all were grateful of the opportunity to watch cricket again.

The visitors batted first and kept the scoreboard ticking over over quite well until the advent of Sam Wilkinson at number five brought the required acceleration with an innings of 53, which included six fours and two sixes. Gavin Thorpe, slow left arm, was the pick of the bowlers with 3-42. There were three catches for Sam O'Sullivan, whose moment of glory was still to come. Hall Park were probably happy with 141-5 in their twenty overs, leaving Adel a target of seven runs an over.

Adel's response started badly, losing two early wickets and a fine attacking innings from Zeeshan Siraj turned the tide back to the home side when he scored 45 from just 23 balls, including three sixes. When he was out at 76-3, opener George Harrison took over and provided the mainstay of the innings with a sound 44 against some tight bowling. The required rate hovered around eight runs an over for a while and with wickets falling at the other end, Harrison stayed until the final over when he was clean bowled from the penultimate ball of the innings.

Two runs were still required from one ball and betting seemed to favour a tie, but enter the hero of the hour Sam O'Sullivan, who calmly hit the ball over mid on for a comfortable two to win the match. No trouble at all! Delight for Adel and despair for the All Blacks.