That's entertainment- but with a Government Health Warning

 By Mike Latham

There was something magical about the John Player League in the early 1970s. Sundays back then were not the sport-filled days that followed, too many regulations and restrictions on pub opening hours, shopping a no-go.

The 40-over league, one match televised live and uninterrupted on BBC2, introduced by Peter West, commentary by Jim Laker and John Arlott was a highlight of the week for many cricket badgers like me.

Back then, largely as a result of watching the Sunday League on tv, that’s if you didn’t manage to attend a game, you could quickly name each County XI, recognise virtually every cricketer. I certainly couldn’t do that now, not even with Lancashire, my own county, or Derbyshire, who I followed avidly back in the day.

Another good thing was that counties took games to out-grounds, creating a real sense of occasion and excitement.

Yorkshire, a case in point, taking games back to Fartown in Huddersfield, often rewarded by their highest crowd and day receipts of the season. Last a first-class venue in 1955, Yorkshire played Sussex there in 1969 in the John Player League, then returned each year from 1974 until 1982, most of which I attended.

Long one of my favourite Rugby League grounds, the rugby pitch to the north, a shared doubled-sided grandstand in-between- since the ground was transformed in 1891- having previously overlapped with the cricket.

Fartown in 2020- a depressing sight and site

Pre-Lockdown a year or so ago I re-visited Fartown while researching a rugby league article I was writing. It was heart-breaking to see the dereliction to the site, the famous clock tower monument to the trio of Huddersfield-born cricketers, Schofield Haigh, Wilfred Rhodes and George Hirst forlorn. Why on earth hasn’t this iconic memorial been re-located to a friendlier location? It should be a designated as a national treasure.

The famous clock tower

I thought back to the first day I saw cricket at Fartown. Yorkshire v Northamptonshire, John Player League, 2 June 1974.

There was a five-figure crowd, the ground, decaying but still capable of staging such an auspicious game, a huge sense of occasion.

Yorkshire batted first, only captain Geoff Boycott making much of the Northants bowling. A decent attack too- Sarfraz Nawaz, a highly respected Pakistan Test cricketer, John Dye, left arm opener, ex-Kent, the great Colin Milburn, in what proved his final season in the first-class game with fellow Durham lad Alan Hodgson, David Steele, soon to be an England hero and the redoubtable captain, Jim Watts.

John Player the sponsors. Each packet carries a Government Health warning, so the scorecard read. But you can still sponsor us. Different times, different values.

The scorecard for the Yorkshire innings

Boycott, my scorebook tells me, was missed off difficult chances at 15 and 89. After a lean spell he had scored two centuries in the Test trial at Worcester the week before- remember those games?

Boycott reached his second John Player League hundred- the first an unbeaten 104 against Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay the year before- in the 39^th over. He finished unbeaten on 108. At first, I thought, scoring, it was 110, but the last ball, an apparent six off Sarfraz, was later confirmed as a four, the last of 14 he hit off 118 balls.

Richard Lumb and Phil Sharpe were the next highest scorers, 18 apiece, Colin Johnson with 10 the only other to reach double figures.

Each Packet carries a Government Health Warning. But you can still sponsor us.

Northants’ reply was dismal. In no time at all they were 46 for 7, two wickets for Tony Nicholson, three for Arthur Robinson.

Milburn, batting at six, received a warm reception from the Yorkshire faithful. After hitting three fours he was caught by Nicholson off left-armer Bore.

Wayne Larkins was then aged 20, struggling to adjust to first-class cricket. Northants showed great patience with him, obviously seeing his potential, later realised with 13 Tests for England, 25 ODIs. Batting no7 he hit 45, seven fours, one six, his highest one-day score to date. He went on to hit 26 one day centuries, a further 59 in the first-class game.

Wicketkeeper George Sharp, another Durham born lad, hit three sixes in an eighth wicket stand of 48 that helped Northants creep over the hundred-mark.

The scorecard for the Northants innings

They finished 127 all out, a win for Yorkshire by 59 runs. Robinson 3-22, footballer Arnie Sidebottom, fresh off a relegation season with Manchester United, 3-34.

Start at 2pm, over by 6-17pm. 25 minutes for tea in-between.  Local joy unconfined. That’s entertainment.