MCC's annual match with the Nidderdale League

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The annual match between a Nidderdale League eleven and MCC has become a regular feature on the cricketing calendar since 1994 which was the centenary of the league's foundation. The first match was played at Dacre Banks on 6th September 1994 and I was fortunate to be in attendance. A strong MCC side made 191-7 in 55 overs with Andrew Fordham, then of Northants, playing one of the requisite matches required to become an MCC playing member. He top scored with 79 and obviously impressed on his way up the ladder to become part of the ECB hierarchy. The President's League XI were struggling in reply on 88-6 in 35 overs when rain ended play for the day. Phil Carrick was the best bowler for MCC with 3-17. An excellent dinner at Ripley Castle followed the game and I believe has become a regular feature over the years.

The socially distanced MCC team at Studley Royal.

The fixture is moved around every year and usually takes place on a different league ground, although in 2018 season they received the accolade of playing the game at the Nursery Ground at Lord's, which may have had some connection with the ongoing hospitality at Ripley Castle. This year the game was played at the ground of Studley Royal cricket club just outside the City of Ripon at the very spacious ground which I think I am right in saying opened back in 1997. Prior to that the club played a little further up the road on a ground still used by the Third eleven on the Studley Royal Estate, adjacent to Fountain's Abbey.

Studley Royal's cordoned off pavilion.

So on Monday 17th August, with the pavilion cordoned off and social distancing the rule of the day, the game started thirty minutes late after morning rain on the basis of forty overs per side, with as usual MCC batting first.Toby Drummond, an MCC regular for many years now, contributed fifty runs in fine style, sharing an opening partnership of 55 with David Cummings. Harry Stothard, captain of Harrogate, came in at number three but after his century on Saturday fell for only one run and MCC were 85-3 after 23 overs.

MCC get things moving.

Skipper Ryan Bradshaw then added some impetus to the innings with a fine fifty, which included five fours and two sixes. There was little other support and the innings rather fell away somewhat ending on 161-8. Best bowlers by some margin were Masham's Craig Broadley with figures of  8-1-16-4 and Darley's spinner Rob Nelson with 8-0-19-3.

First innings scoreboard.

After the tea interval for those who had remembered to bring their own refreshments, the league eleven set off in pursuit of a not too challenging target. However they came unstuck early on when opening bowler Groundwater took two early wickets and despite a valiant 36 from Whixley opening Jack Whitham, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as the spin of Ahmed, Jarvis and Stothard destroyed the middle order. Broadley again did well with a defiant 33 not out but the game ended with the last ball of the penultimate over and a final total of 138 all out. 

A splendid day's cricket in excellent surroundings complete with a large oak tree well inside the boundary and a corn field at one end with distant views of the countryside. We can look forward to a continuation of this grand tradition in hopefully a full season of cricket next year. Thanks are due to Ryan Bradshaw for providing the team picture and full scorecard of the match.