Posted by Tony Hutton
With no cricket being played at our regular summer base of Weetwood, Leeds in this much shortened season, we have been grateful to Harrogate cricket club for providing not only a succession of Premier League games, but ladies cricket and over 60s cricket too. The icing on the cake has been the admirable facilities in the newly managed Balcony Bar which has been able to conform with all the necessary restrictions while providing excellent service.
Sadly the cricket on the field has not provided the best of results for the home club and after Saturday's defeat by Acomb they finished the season bottom of the league with only one victory to show for their considerable efforts. This very young side will no doubt do better next season, which everyone hopes will be able to have a full programme of matches.
Yesterday, after losing an early wicket, the home side showed much promise with a partnership of 103 for the second wicket between Harry Allinson and William Bates. Allinson fresh from his fifty for Yorkshire under 18s last weekend, scored another half century in partnership with Bates who did so well at York last week. However when 105-1 soon became 105-3 the usual middle order collapse set in and the run rate failed to accelerate towards the end of the innings. Harrogate finished the forty overs on a rather meagre 158-7.
Acomb's reply can best be described as a stroll in the park. William Wade, in the process of become the league's leading run scorer, made 60 not out in a partnership of 134 with fellow opener Matthew Dale, who made 71. Harrogate used seven bowlers who all failed to make much impression until a late spell from Cooper Smith slowed things down somewhat with figures of 5.5-0-15-1.
The sun shone throughout despite a stiff breeze and the crowd, including a good following of away supporters, enjoyed the end of season leisurely atmosphere. The admirable league website was updated early in the evening with all today's results, a final league table and best performances for batsmen, bowlers and fielders.
Dunnington, whose game did not start until 1 p.m., whereas all the others started at mid-day, came from behind with a victory to pip Stamford Bridge for the league title by the narrow margin of three points. As previously mentioned William Wade of Acomb was the leading run scorer with 494 runs as well as the top average of 70.57 which just beat Christopher Bilton of Woodhouse Grange with an average of 70.40. The top bowler was Tom Forsdike of York with twenty four wickets.
Some slight consolation for Harrogate came with the news that skipper Harry Stothard had made the highest score of the season with his 116 not out against Driffield. Of course the big news of the day locally was Harrogate Town's first match in the Football League, which they won 4-0 away to Southend United and probably to their surprise find themselves, if only briefly, top of the Second Division table!
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