When WG Grace came to Bolton

 By Mike Latham

There are few sadder sights for a cricketing enthusiast than to see a cricket ground lay idle, with just the ghosts of the past to play on the greensward.

It is even sadder when the ground is of rich historical importance, having staged some prestigious matches involving some of the great names of the game.

That’s the case if you visit Green Lane, Bolton, a few hundred yards from Farnworth CC.

Green Lane in 2021, looking towards the club’s pavilion

Green Lane was the long-standing home of Bolton Cricket Club, formed in 1846 who ceased playing in 2016 after a season in the newly formed Greater Manchester Cricket League.

Prior to that Bolton CC had for over a century shied away from league cricket, securing many distinguished opponents for friendly games, particularly in their earlier years. There is no doubt that the club, long the premier cricket organisation in the town, played a huge part in the development of the game in the famous cotton mill town.

Bolton CC did play for five years, between 1977 and 1981 in the Bolton & District Association, had a long stint in the Manchester Association and briefly played also in the Liverpool & District Competition.

The pavilion and outfield remain and are now, I understand, primarily used for ladies’ rounders, which is a highly popular game in the Bolton area.

Another view of the Green Lane ground, the pavilion on the right of the picture

Bolton CC moved to Green Lane in Great Lever during the 1875 season, inaugurating the ground with a fixture against Manchester on 10 July of that year. The game had originally been fixed for the previous Saturday but was rained-off and Manchester kindly consented to rearrange. A ‘very large number of spectators, often standing four-deep on the popular side’ saw Bolton score 193 only for rain to interrupt Manchester’s reply as soon as it began.

The opening of the new Bolton CC ground

Originally secured from the Earl of Bradford on a 14-year lease, the Green Lane ground was quickly ready for cricket, club officials and volunteers organising the moving and refit of the scorebox and pavilion from their previous ground which was known as Back-o’th’-Bank and located on Tonge Moor.

Bolton CC advertise for a professional, 1866

The Bolton CC officials lacked nothing in enterprise, employing two cricket professionals and attracting prestigious opposition including Warrington, Huddersfield, Castleton, Sefton, Preston, Liverpool, Lytham, Wigan, Stockport, Bury and Oldham.

In 1878 the club hosted a three-day game between 18 of Bolton & District and the United South of England XI, featuring WG Grace and four other current or future Test match cricketers; WG’s brother Fred, Billy Midwinter, James Southerton and Henry Charlwood.

Requiring good weather to attract sufficient crowds to discharge the large financial guarantee the club’s gamble paid off.  The game was played Thursday to Saturday and blessed by warm and sunny weather, attracting the biggest crowds ever to watch a game in Bolton. The town’s MP, JK Cross Esq and many of the ‘elite’ of the area were present. The brass band of the Fifth Dragoon Guards was present each day.

An advert for the big game

WG was box office and didn’t disappoint, even though the game, by today’s standards was low scoring. He cut the first ball of the game for four and made 51 in his side’s 136, then took 12-87 as the home team earned a first innings lead of one run, to loud applause.

The United South were dismissed for 120 in their second innings on the Friday, WG ‘cheered to the echo on taking up his position at the wicket’ given out caught behind after reaching 22, ‘much to the astonishment of himself and the spectators.’

Requiring 120 to win, the 18 men of Bolton were 16-2 overnight, but succumbed to the combination of Grace (8-43) and Southerton (7-48), bowled out for 98.

WG Grace, popular in Bolton

As the Saturday had attracted a huge crowd WG agreed to play an extra one innings game, 11-a-side, and delighted the spectators with a string of boundaries before departing to catch the 5pm train back to Bristol.

Green Lane has also staged several Minor Counties and county second eleven games over the years, the last in 2000 when Durham Seconds defeated Lancashire Seconds by 84 runs in a Trophy game. Jimmy Daley hit 106 in Durham’s 297-4 and a 17-year-old bowler from Burnley, James Anderson took 1-56 off ten overs for Lancashire. Future Test match umpire Michael Gough was also in the Durham side.

During the second world war Lancashire played an Empire XI at Green Lane, with West Indian Test cricketers Learie Constantine, Ellis Achong, Manny Martindale and Edwin St Hill among the participants.

With such a history it would be comforting to hope that one day cricket will return to Green Lane, but sadly at present that looks a forlorn hope.

Durham pick up an unwanted record

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Durham county cricket club welcomed back spectators to the Riverside ground last week for the first time since the pandemic and a splendid job they did of it. In contrast to certain other counties, who seem to have been unduly obstructive and non-communicative, everything was welcoming and well organised with members free to wander around the whole ground, as long as wearing face masks when not seated. The table service in the long room seemed to work well, although there was understandably something of a queue at lunchtime.

Spectators back at the Riverside, but these people had a long distance view with the wicket far away.

Unfortunately the cricket was not quite so straightforward. Plenty of early season rain, together with the re-laying of the square, produced a pitch on which batting was never really easy, except for two or three individuals on the visiting side who were able to cope with the unpredictable low bounce. This phenomenon, to the delight of the BBC local radio commentators, almost equalled a world record being one short of the most lbw decisions in a first class match ever. However it did set a record for county cricket in England with no less than nineteen.

On Thursday morning Durham won the toss and put Essex into bat. Chris Rushworth once again did not disappoint in his opening spell, taking the valued wicket of Alastair Cook for only two, to become the first lbw victim of the match. Matty Potts then bowled Browne and Ben Raine had Westley lbw to leave Essex struggling on 40-3. However it was some considerable time before Rushworth was to take his second wicket.

Better view from the Castle Stand with Rushworth bowling and Alastair Cook the non-striker.

A partnership of 64 for the fourth wicket then followed between two tall batsman, Paul Walter slightly more experience and ready to celebrate his 27th birthday the following day, and Michael Pepper from Cambridge with a first class highest score of only 22. Walter played the minor role until he was out for 28 but Pepper, playing with growing confidence, fell just eight runs short of his maiden century when the returning Rushworth got another lbw decision with the score on 179-6.

Pepper reaches the nervous nineties.

Then reluctantly leaves the crease another lbw victim for 92.

The Essex tail then disintegrated totally. Skipper Borthwick had already had the senior man Ryan ten Doeschate lbw with what looked like a googly and then Raine and Rushworth finished off the rest with only three more runs added. Essex all out for 182 and Durham probably quite happy at that stage. As so often however the Durham innings got off to a poor start against the accurate three man pace attack of Porter, Sam Cook and Australian Peter Siddle. By close of play their innings was in tatters at 58-6.

Close of play day one.

On Friday morning with yet another fine sunny day in prospect there was a short temporary respite while Eckersley and Carse put on a stand of 21. but it did not last and the home side were all out for 99, a deficit of 83 on first innings. Porter 3-27, Sam Cook 4-38 and Siddle 3-29 all bowled accurately and took advantage of the conditions with six more lbws, after the six in the Essex innings. We were already thinking of an early finish to the game and our plans for a three day visit looked on the generous side.

Even more so when Essex, lost Browne early on, then Alastair Cook again to Rushworth (3rd time this season) and then Westley to make it 15-3. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse for the visitors but from 53-5 we saw a match winning partnership of 125 between former skipper Ryan ten Doeschate and wicketkeeper Adam Wheater, who made top score of the innings with 81. So at the close of day two Essex had taken their score to 263-8 and had extended their lead to a formidable 346.

Chris Rushworth returns to his fielding position after yet another over.

The players take the field on day three.

A rare appearance of Ben Stokes at Riverside, after a session in the nets.

Another hot sunny day on Saturday, with not so many spectators, some with other plans no doubt and others reconciled to another Durham defeat. Essex batted on and made it look a much easier proposition than earlier in the game. Harmer made 47 not out and the total reached 301 when they were all out, making a target of 385 an extremely daunting prospect for the home side. The omens were not good when Bancroft had two of his stumps removed by Porter early on. Alex Lees needed to play a big innings if Durham were to get a draw at best. He started slowly but got his head down and began to look good.

Backs to the wall for Durham.

Durham's captain, Scott Borthwick, however departed another lbw victim to the persistent Sam Cook, who always makes me think of the long ago Gloucester left arm spinner of the same name, bowling over after over in tandem with his partner in crime the splendid Tom Goddard. Simon Harmer the South African spinner who did not bowl in the first innings did get a  bowl but ended the match wicket-less after suffering the indignity of being hit for six by Lees. The Yorkshireman then fell to the three card trick from part time bowler ten Doeschate, playing too soon and spooning the easiest of catches into the offside. Jones, the Lancastrian, who arrived via Scotland, settled in to play a useful innings before he went the same way as Borthwick.

The writing was well and truly on the wall by the tea interval when we decided to set off for home down the A1 south, while hordes of Bank holidaymakers were making their way north. We got home in quick time to see the last rites on the live steaming, as Matt Potts had his stumps demolished by the admirable Porter, who finished with 4-31. So a somewhat easy win for champions Essex in the end, but nothing could take away our delight of three days championship cricket in wonderful weather after a very long wait.

Heavy Bails and Bailing Out at Nevil Road

 posted by John Winn

• 

At 10:55 last Thursday as the umpires and players appeared on the balcony of the pavilion at the County Ground, Bristol for the first time in 602 days, a few spots of rain arrived to greet them. Umpire Baldwin held out his hand to check the intensity of the rain and at that moment I thought that the one ball I needed to tick off Gloucestershire v Somerset might not be bowled. Fortunately the rain was not that heavy and the officials, closely followed by the Gloucestershire fielders and the Somerset openers, took the field to rapturous applause, so closely that by the time 'play' was called the large digital clock on the pavilion showed only 10:58. 

Cross County trains had transported me suitably socially distanced from York to Bristol on Wednesday and on Thursday morning a 73 bus took me from the city centre to the ground in time to see the players warming up, the pitch being rolled and some blue sky over the Bristol Channel, the last of which suggested that the weather forecast I had seen that morning on Points West was accurate and that we might get a decent amount of play. Very strong winds sent the clouds scudding along and one presumed Messrs Baldwin and O'Shaugnessy would be carrying heavy bails. 

The openers were soon parted when  a smart piece of fielding by Ian Cockbain, whose throw hit the only stump on offer, sent Lammonby on his way. Enter skipper Able who was still there on 132 when the innings was declared closed at 300 for 8, by which time I was watching Ouseburn v West Tanfield in the Nidderdale league having spent a night in my own bed. Gloucestershire skipper Dent had sent in Somerset into bat and conditions were right for his seam attack. Byrom and Able weathered the opening overs before bad light sent the players off the field just after noon. Planning restrictions apply to the floodlights at Nevil Road so they were not in use but the delay was a short one until rain arrived at 12:30, after 20 overs and 2 balls. 

Time to seek shelter and chat with a couple of home supporters one of whom had travelled from Gloucester which seemed to surprise the other, very much a Bristol man, and a man who took a pace backwards when I said I had travelled from York. Sensing he already thought I was slightly crackers I did not try to explain the reason for my journey. After an hour of watching it rain which included a fruitless search for a scorecard,'gone digital' I was told, I decided to return to my hotel close to Bristol Cathedral in the knowledge that I could get back to the ground in half an hour in the unlikely event of more play. At four o'clock play was called off for the day and with Friday's forecast including gales and almost constant rain I. decided to cash in my chips and return to York as soon as possible. Thus it was that I caught the 10:33 from Brunel's historic Temple Meads station next morning arriving in York a minute before 14:30. 

Had I not seen any play, and under my rules just one ball counts, this posting could have been devoted to a litany of grumbles about Gloucestershire CCC but a refund for lost time already paid into my bank account has softened the blow. Play did resume of course and had I been prepared to extend my stay to include Saturday I would have seen almost a full day's play. But ifs and ands butter no parsnips and friends with whom I have been in contact and who understand my 'mission' seem genuinely pleased that I saw any cricket at all. They can stop reading now for they know only too well that to see every county play every other county in championship cricket entails 153 matches and that Gloucestershire v Somerset was 152 on the list. Just one to go, Somerset v Leicestershire at the beginning of July and tickets and accommodation are booked. Here's opening for better weather. 

A nice idea and handy when it rains

Roe Green CC: a little green oasis with a rich cricketing tradition

By Mike Latham

Hidden away a few hundred yards from one of the busiest motorway sections in Western Europe is a little green oasis and a beautiful village cricket ground.

Close to the newly developed RHS Bridgewater Garden in Worsley, Roe Green CC play at the Beesley Green ground, their roots traced back to the 1880s when the club was set up for the villagers.

Roe Green CC

Lord Ellesmere gifted the club their present ground in 1902, in exchange for a nominal rent of one shilling yearly, and he also paid for the enclosing of the site. In later years, the club was able to buy the ground from Bridgewater Estates and in the late 1960s obtain a licence for the club house. Prior to that there was a reluctance to do that as Roe Green was a Methodist village, its most famous son, JT Tyldesley a teetotaller.

Over the years the club has overcome problems with drainage and subsidence as five pit and air shafts exist in the immediate area. The air shafts date back to the construction of the underground canal at Worsley.

League cricket came late to Roe Green, as the club played friendlies only until joining the Bolton & District Association in the early 1950s. More recently they became founder members of the Greater Manchester Cricket League and play in the Premier Division.

 

Horses graze as Roe Green bat first against Walsden

Horses grazed behind the bowler’s arm at one end as Roe Green entertained Walsden, from the Lancashire League, in the first round of the LCB Lancashire Knock-Out Cup, a tranquil scene disturbed only by the constant buzz of motorway traffic from the M60 in the near distance and the occasional shouts of the players.

With heavy rain forecast for later in the afternoon it was always unlikely the game would reach an uninterrupted conclusion and so it proved. Roe Green, invited to bat, mustered 102 and the visitors were 51 for 5 when play was brought to a halt. I consulted the handy Duckworth Lewis calculator on the Bolton League website which showed that Roe Green were victors by a narrow margin.

The Duckworth Lewis calculator on the Bolton League site

The club is renowned in cricket circles as the home of the famous Tyldesley brothers. Johnny and Ernest Tyldesley both played for Roe Green, Lancashire and England and fellow siblings Frank, Austin and Jesse also played for the club.

JT Tyldesley

Johnny (JT) Tyldesley was born at Roe Green in 1873 and at the time of his death at the age of 57 was rated in obituary notices as ‘the most famous professional batsman Lancashire has ever produced.’

He hit an unbeaten 152 against Warwickshire in only his second first-class match in 1895 and went on to score nearly 38,000 runs at an average of over 40, including 86 centuries. He played 507 matches for the county.

He scored three Test centuries against the Australians in this country, but critics reckoned he was not at his best in the Test arena. In 31 Tests he scored 1,661 runs at a shade over 30, a relatively modest record for someone of his ability. He recorded 1,000 runs in 19 consecutive seasons, surpassing 3,000 runs (3,041) in the 1901 season.

‘JT’ was a brisk scorer of runs, displaying quickness, great footwork and a wide variety of stroke play, particularly favouring the square and late cut and off drive. There were few more attractive batsmen to watch, and he was also an excellent fielder and a particular favourite of the cricket writer, Neville Cardus.

He later became Lancashire coach and was in partnership in a famous sports’ outfitters in Manchester, Tyldesley and Holbrook. Described as a ‘Lancastrian to the core’ during his playing days, but extremely modest, it was said that ‘he spoke through his bat.’

Ernest Tyldesley

Ernest was born in 1889, made his Lancashire debut in 1909, and after the first world war emerged as a batsman of the front rank. An exceptional exponent of the hook shot, also renowned for the way he mastered the late cut, he was admired for the extreme courtesy he showed on and off the field.

Emulating his brother in surpassing 3,000 runs in a season (3,024 in 1928), he amassed 102 centuries in scoring 38,874 first-class runs at an average of over 45 and hit three Test hundreds, scoring 990 runs at an average of 55 in 14 Tests.

The Tyldesley brothers featured in the Athletic News, 1913

Ernest’s final first-class season was in 1936, when he was called up for the Roses match at Headingley after ‘assisting the Roe Green club’ and then playing the last of 573 matches for Lancashire against Surrey at Old Trafford. He remains the most prolific Lancashire batsman in terms of first-class runs scored in a county career (34,222 at 45.20). JT is second in the list (31,949 runs at 41.38).

With three senior teams, a girls and women’s section and a strong junior set-up there may well be more players at Roe Green waiting to be unearthed to follow in that great tradition of the Tyldesley brothers.

A visit to this beautiful and historic cricket ground comes highly recommended.

 

A Westmorland League derby on the first ‘near normal’ Saturday

By Mike Latham

The first Saturday of being able to watch cricket as a spectator, without partaking of ‘hospitality’ provided many opportunities, even though two days of often heavy rain cast doubt on whether games would take place.

In the event Saturday in the North-West was mostly dry, though a chill wind made watching for long spells uncomfortable, the spells of sunshine welcome after the dreadful weather of late.

I plumped for action in the Westmorland League, starting off at one of my favourite grounds, Carnforth, with plenty of ‘Plan Bs’ in reserve should the game end early.

My planning paid off as an early finish enabled me to take in two enjoyable hours up the road at Milnthorpe, which I shall write about later.

Lodge Quarry- resplendent

Carnorth’s Lodge Quarry ground, located at the end of Albert Street just south of the town centre, off the main A6 road north of Lancaster, was resplendent as ever, a tribute to the master groundsman, Peter Robinson. Over the winter the playing members have teamed up to do one hundred and one jobs to the clubhouse which now looks in great condition.

A cricket club at the heart of the community, Carnforth run three senior sides, a women’s team and several junior teams and have healthy attendances of local youngsters at their ‘All Stars’ sessions.

It was a local derby, Warton the visitors but Carnforth, reigning champions expected to prevail. As usual there was a good-sized crowd of local enthusiasts with many second team players, idle as their game was scheduled for Sunday, lending their support.

Another wide-angle view of Lodge Quarry

Warton, until recently a dominant force in the league, have seemingly fallen on evil times and a dedicated band of volunteers and playing members are now actively trying to revive their fortunes. Ten years or so ago the club, I was informed, decided to wind down their junior section and now the club has just one senior team.

Warton’s ground off Borwick Lane now hosts cricket only every other week and it is to be hoped that the club soon finds its way back, if nothing else to preserve the legacy of the long-serving and much- loved club official Colin Bolton who sadly passed away last year. Having devoted much of his life to local cricket and his village club.

Tom Parkinson bowling from the pavilion end

The Westmorland League is played over 90 overs and the team batting first may declare and take advantage of the extra overs. The team batting first has to bowl out their opponents to claim a win and the full 15pts; the team winning batting second can only earn 12pts maximum.

The League has two new teams this year, Sedbergh School Second and Third XIs joining the top two divisions. They play only the first half of the season, all at home.

Carnforth have several players nursing injuries, including their captain, Brad Hoyle, and his understudy, Alex Benson elected to invite Warton to bat on winning the toss.

The excellence of the Lodge Quarry pitches makes it hard to bowl out the opposition at times and so Benson settled for the 12-pt prize.

Darren Nelson bowling, Warton Crag in the distance

In the event, he need not have worried. Warton provided little resistance and subsided to a dismal 70 all out against Carnforth’s four-pronged seam attack. The home side fielded with ten players after Archie Rich aggravated a back injury in the warm-up and Tom Parkinson claimed four of the wickets bowling from the pavilion end. Darren Nelson, Jack Thompson and young Will Mead chipped in, the last wicket falling to a run out.

Carnforth's fielders ready for the chance

The Carnforth openers Chris Parry and Ryan Nelson, Darren’s nephew, knocked off the runs in quick time and the match, which began at the standard Westmorland League time of 2pm, was under in less than three hours of playing time.

Ryan Nelson, an elegant and gifted left-handed batter, was once in the same Cumbria junior side as Ben Stokes. Though he played once for Cumberland in the Minor Counties and was a consistent run scorer in Northern League cricket he has settled for enjoying his cricket at this level, playing with and against his friends, as he spent several years at Warton. Who can blame him, especially after the stressful year or so we have all endured?

Nelson’s unbeaten 37 took his run tally in the league to 329 so far this season for once out.

Ryan Nelson makes runs through the offside

Parry’s league average by comparison is ‘only’ 127 this year. Another outstanding left-handed batter, I once saw compile an unbeaten stand of 260 for Netherfield against Leyland in the Northern League with a fledgling young Australian named Callum Ferguson, who went on to play international cricket for his country.

Parry lost nothing by comparison that day 13 years ago and his class again shone through, while his sharp slip catch, to dismiss the Warton opener Ali Matthews reminded us that in the winter months he is the long-serving goalkeeper for Carnforth Rangers.

 

 

Yorkshire Academy win the battle of the Roses.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Tuesday 18th May and back to our regular stamping ground of Leeds University's Weetwood Sports Park for a junior battle of the Roses between Yorkshire Academy and their Lancashire counterparts. No restrictions on spectators here and plenty from the wrong side of the Pennines to support their team. Not just parents and grandparents but famous players from the past in John Abrahams, now in charge of Shropshire's National County side and Paul Allott, now director of cricket at Lancashire, together with Bob Dearden one of the great servants of Lancashire youth cricket.

A library picture of the Weetwood pavilion. Good taste prevented me taking pictures of two teams in dark outfits against a background of black sightscreens.

Lancashire won the toss and batted in this friendly 50 overs per side contest. Little was known of the Lancashire side other than Cian Dickinson, who had already appeared on the ground earlier in the season for Scarborough in the Yorkshire League North. Apparently he is a student at Scarborough College. The visitors put on an excellent opening partnership between H. Singh and Luke Young who added 65 until the introduction of left arm spinner Clark Doughney, from York cricket club, saw Singh lbw for 27. Skipper Tom Aspinwall joined Young and at 77-1 Lancashire looked set for a good score.

Yorkshire's captain Sam Wisniewski then bowled Young for 35 which rather surprisingly proved to be the visitors' top score. The middle order batsman all made good starts but could not build on them and Yorkshire's spinners took control. Doughney taking three wickets and opening bat Yash Vagadia two, before the later batsmen Arav Shetty and Ben Walkden added an unbroken partnership of 41 for the eighth wicket at the end of the innings. Lancashire 206-7 which didn't really seem enough.

Yorkshire lost an early wicket when Dan Ford went for nine, but Yash Vagadia, from Middlesborough, continued to show good form and held the innings together in fine style. Leo Johnson, current captain of Sedbergh School, following in the footsteps of Harry Brook, Matt Revis and George Hill made only six but then Harry Allinson from Harrogate joined Vagadia in a partnership of 112 which turned the match back in Yorkshire's favour.

Allinson was eventually dismissed for 43 by Lancashire's best bowler, Josh Boyden, who took 3-32 but by then Vagadia looked to be heading for a century only to be stumped for 81, which included six fours and one six on a very big ground. However Noah Priestley and Ed Booth saw Yorkshire home to a five wicket victory with two and a half overs to spare.

Good to meet up with old friends again and to see so many people watching the cricket.

Sort of a welcome back for spectators

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Monday 16th May was the day when, in theory at least, spectators were allowed back into watch cricket matches. As we have learned to expect in recent times nothing is straightforward. It depends what sort of cricket you want to watch. Certainly nobody seems to have thought it through in respect of county second eleven games, which have always been played in front of very modest crowds, although not quite as small as the mythical two men and a dog.

Yorkshire county cricket club's second XI game against Nottinghamshire second XI was scheduled to take place at York cricket club for four days. No information whatsoever about the game appeared on the county website, so off we went on Monday morning with our picnic chairs and packed lunch ready to renew acquaintance with the handful of regulars who attend such games.

On entry to the pavilion we were greeted by the staff with a fine 'welcome back to York Sports Club', asking us to take a seat, complete the track and trace procedure and take advantage of the waiter service for morning coffee and refreshments if required. It was then announced that this was a private event and spectators were not admitted unless seated in the hospitality area in front of the pavilion and taking advantage of the food and drink readily available. We were not allowed to use our own seats or to consume our own food on the premises. 

View of the hospitality area at Clifton Park, York.

After an hour's delay due to the weather play finally got underway at mid-day and we were delighted to have front row seats (benches only) to actually watch some cricket. So our first county second eleven cricket since 2019 actually took place. Yorkshire batted in far from perfect conditions and their fairly youthful line up faced some experienced bowling in the shape of Brett Hutton and Zac Chappell. James Wharton was the first to go caught behind by Schadendorf, not as you might think from Germany but from Zimbabwe.

Yorkshire batting against a scenic background at Clifton Park, York.

Will Fraine stayed in for an hour making 34 before being caught at slip off change bowler Pettman, from Oxford University, just before lunch.  This brought together the two former Sedbergh School boys, Matt Revis and George Hill. It proved to be slow going against some accurate bowling which remained the theme for the rest of the day against the all seam attack, with Evison and Hayes completing a full set of pace bowlers. Hutton dismissed Revis for 20 and eventually Hill for a hard earned 47 in almost three hours.

The sun did shine for good parts of the match but the rain clouds were never far away.

Tom Loten who was rather thrown in at the deep end as number three in the first team at the start of the season, has been out of form, but from the beginning of his innings he got his head down and was determined to stay at the crease. Rain interrupted proceedings for an hour and twenty minutes around tea time and then called an end to the day with Yorkshire on 162-5 with Loten having grafted his way to 28. On day two, when we were elsewhere, Loten carried on his marathon innings to be last out for 92 which had taken him five hours and 20 minutes and Yorkshire finished on 296 all out.

Pillans and Hill resume the Yorkshire innings after lunch on day three.

We were surprised to learn that Yorkshire, despite looking short of bowlers, managed to bowl out Notts for a total of 115 on day two and although they lost 2 wickets for 27 at the end of the day were well ahead when we turned up again for more hospitality on day three. Yorkshire ground out a considerable lead thanks again to George Hill with an epic innings of almost four hours, scoring 77 in the process and putting on a partnership of 71 with the elder Sullivan brother for the ninth wicket. Yorkshire 201 all out setting Notts a daunting target of 382.

Yorkshire batting at lunch on day three.

Needless to say the weather had the final say on day four (Thursday), when Notts had reached 125-5 and the game was abandoned as a draw with Yorkshire robbed of victory by more rain.

A shortened day at Bristol

 posted by John Winn

On Thursday Gloucestershire will entertain Somerset in a championship match at Bristol and with any luck I will be there and with even more luck there will be some play. It will be only my second visit to Ashley Down Road and the first since 1982. Until last month the west country rivals had not met in championship cricket since 2007 and with them holding the top two spots in Division 2 much rides on the game. 

The subject of today's posting recalls a match at Bristol that had something of a farcical ending, a match that took place on June 21, 22, 23 1961, and was the benefit match for a representative of that now extinct breed of sportsman good enough to play football and cricket for their countries, Arthur Milton. In a roundabout way I am indebted to fellow blogger Tony for the idea for this posting for many years ago now he introduced me to the quirky writings of Nico Craven who from the seventies onwards self-published on an annual basis 34 books covering his travels in Cumberland and Gloucestershire watching village and county cricket. I recently added to my collection with the purchase of Playing a Supporting Role which covers the 1980 season in which Nico recalls a conversation he had at Bristol with somebody who was present at Milton's Benefit match.

Gloucestershire's opponents sixty years ago were Yorkshire who batted first and were bowled out for 155, skipper Vic Wilson top scored with 53. Gloucestershire built up a first innings lead of 96 and second time around Yorkshire's batting failed, mainly against the spin of David Allen. Gloucestershire claimed the extra half hour and after Mel Ryan bowled Allen 0,18 of the 30 minutes playing time were left during which Yorkshire bowled eight overs and captured two wickets, the second of which was that of Barrie Meyer, bowled Bainbridge 0, this off what would have been the penultimate ball of the day but with a wicket falling at this point, the bails were removed. Craven's version was that the delivery was a full toss bowled to make it easy for Meyer to close proceedings. He missed and 'those most closely concerned had to return on the third and final morning'. (Craven)

One ball sufficed next day which was hit for four by Bernard whose name had been drawn out of a hat to decide who should bat, and Yorkshire could begin their journey to Middlesbrough where they were due to take on Northants the next day. Legend has it that the third day's play was so brief that the pavilion clock had not finished striking eleven before the players had left the field. A nice footnote is that despite this bizarre ending Milton's benefit, which was heavily reliant on the proceeds of this match, raised £3235, enough to pay off the mortgage on the house where he lived for the rest of his life. 

Yorkshire finished the season second to Hampshire in the championship table, it was Hampshire's first ever title. Gloucestershire finished a very respectable fifth. 

Beating the rain - but only just

Posted by Tony Hutton

After last Saturday's weather decimated the league cricket programme in Yorkshire, this week's prospects looked equally difficult with rain forecast in most areas throughout the afternoon. Ever the optimists we set off for Harrogate, who were due to entertain Scarborough in the Yorkshire Premier League North. On arrival the covers were on and the ground almost deserted. Despite the conditions not looking too bad,  the ever present problem with the slope on the Harrogate ground which brings water down onto the square meant that the game had been abandoned.

Not too disheartened we decided to go east, where historically the drier weather usually exists. Heading for York we soon arrived in a dry area which improved as we neared the city. Low and behold York's Clifton Park ground was just preparing for action, following a half hour delay, and the game between York and next door neighbours Clifton Alliance got underway at 12.30. Two experienced batsmen in the shape of Duncan Snell and Simon Lambert soon had the scoreboard ticking over nicely.

York get underway against Clifton Alliance.

The pair had put on 50 in good time when Snell was bowled by David Friend for 20 and Lambert was joined by former Yorkshire Academy batsman Finlay Bean, who soon looked in good touch. However  after Lambert was also bowled by Friend for 29, the heavens opened and the players left the field. We had already done a circuit of the Clifton Park complex and seen two other games also going on. On York's second ground the fourth eleven were playing Acomb seconds. The visitors were batting and one of the openers was just short of his fifty.

Acomb seconds batsman on his way to 50 against York fourths.

New pavilion on York's second ground which backs onto Clifton Alliance.

Over the fence the Clifton Alliance seconds were playing Sessay seconds and looked to be piling on the runs in a good opening partnership. The ground as usual looks very attractive, with the addition of a new groundsman's storage building and of course the usual array of tents and gazebos for the players who are still unable to use the changing rooms. So having seen part of three games when the rains arrived and a cold breeze blowing across the grounds we decided to move towards home.

Clifton Alliance seconds pile up the runs against Sessay seconds.

New facilities on the Clifton Alliance ground.

We did not get very far as passing near the Acomb ground, still within York, we decided to call in having seen that visitors Stamford Bridge had been losing wickets rapidly. The covers were still on, but the rain soon stopped and the home side set off in pursuit of Stamford Bridge's modest 82 not out. The visitors have a much changed side this season, with regulars like Dominic Rhodes and Ryan Gibson having moved on to Cottingham and Marske respectively.

The Acomb Pavilion.

The Bridge have had a connection with Leeds/Bradford University in recent years and this season have four members of the side we watch regularly at Weetwood. They are Jack Timby, batsman and wicketkeeper, Ben Pearson who captains the side, James Keast an all rounder and pace bowler William Robertson. In addition they have recruited an all rounder from New Zealand in Fletcher Coutts, who has had experience in the Huddersfield League.

Fletcher Coutts, who took 5-39 for Stamford Bridge.

Coutts and Robertson opened the bowling and the New Zealander ripped into the Acomb batting line up in no uncertain manner taking the first five wickets to leave them in disarray at 34-5. The small crowd of locals continued to swell in numbers, most of them arriving by bike. We were spotted as strangers, but made most welcome and told that in normal circumstances they would have offered us a cup of tea, sadly not available in current circumstances. The game by now was boiling up into a real cliff hanger but the black clouds were circling and threatened to end the contest.

Acomb begin their run chase.

The scoreboard tells the story of the dramatic collapse.

The Bridge turned to spin in the form of James Keast, but he proved a bit expensive when Darcy O'Connor hit him for six on his way to top score of 27, which also included four valuable boundaries. Robertson then returned for a second spell and had O'Connor caught behind, closely followed by the next two batsman who both went in similar fashion. Drama indeed now, with the black clouds getting even nearer. The score was then 68-8, with just fifteen required for victory.  

The black clouds gather as the game nears it's finish.

Now it was up to wicketkeeper Joe Schofield and opening bowler Charlie Marshall. They managed to stand firm, each of them hitting a valuable boundary in the gathering gloom and then a final single to clinch victory by two wickets. The rain began to fall just as the players left the field and the torrential downpour continued for our entire journey back to Leeds. What a finish to a remarkable day when we saw bits of four games when most matches had been washed out completely. Acomb by the way remain top of the Yorkshire Premier League North jointly with Dunnington.

On returning home just in time for the Cup Final, which was rather pushed into the background by Yorkshire's game at Cardiff, we learned that Joe Root had been dismissed for 99, just as former colleague Alex Lees had been for Durham the day before. However the icing on the cake was seeing Jordan Thompson dismiss Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne for a duck with a beauty.

Having perused the scorecards of each game, all three at Clifton Park were abandoned as draws, but I did notice that the man appoaching 50 on the second ground had reached a century. He was the Acomb seconds captain Andrew Tute. On searching my archives I later discovered that my last visit to the Acomb ground was back in 2006. They easily beat Beverley and guess what - the same Andrew Tute bowled them out for 51, taking 6-22, including a hat trick!

Women's cricket - the next generation

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Spent two days this week watching Women's cricket, both games being played at the Leeds University sports complex at Weetwood, Leeds. On Wednesday we saw Leeds/Bradford University women taking on Loughborough University women. The home side had an easy victory over Sheffield last week but today was a very different story. Loughborough, who once scored over 500 in a limited overs match against Leeds University on this ground, have been top dogs in women's university cricket for many years.

This time they made it look very easy by bowling out Leeds/Bradford for just 76 in 33 overs and then knocking of the runs very rapidly to win by nine wickets in no time at all. So not much of a contest. However on the following day a much more competitive 50 overs a side game took place, at the same venue, between the Northern Diamonds, preparing themselves for the forthcoming One Hundred competition, and the England Women's Cricket Academy, who included some of the brightest young prospects in the Women's game.

Shame about the dark outfits for both teams, not to mention the black sight screens.

Not much advance publicity, we only found out by talking to the groundsman earlier in the week, yet surprise, surprise the game was being shown on live streaming throughout the day. Hollie Armitage captained the Diamonds and opened the batting with Leah Dobson. Armitage was the first to go when she was lbw for 19 to a bowler with a wonderful cricketing name Emily Arlott from Worcestershire. Dobson and wicketkeeper Bess Heath pushed the score on rapidly to 67-1 after twelve overs and it looked as though a big score was on the cards, despite losing Heath for a rapid 30.

Live streaming of the match was available throughout the day.

However after Dobson and Ami Campbell had taken it to 94-2 after seventeen overs, wickets began to fall at regular intervals. All rounder Charlie Dean from Hampshire took a couple of wickets with her off breaks and the experienced Naomi Dattani, who has captained Middlesex, took 3-29. Hannah Baker, another from Worcestershire, also chipped in with a couple of wickets and despite top score of 31 from Beth Langston the Diamonds only managed a somewhat below par 176 when they were all out in the 44th over.

Morning sunshine at Weetwood before the rains came in the afternoon.

The young Academy side got off to the worst possible start when opener Maia Bouchier, from Hampshire, was bowled by Langston for a duck. Skipper Grace Scrivens, from Kent and Emma Lamb, from Surrey, then held things together with a fifty partnership. The weather which had provided warm sunshine during the morning session had clouded over and the first rain break brought a revised target of 175 in 45 overs. Then a period of heavier rain which took the players off for a full hour reduced it even further to 140 in 29 overs. 

At this stage the Diamonds looked set for a much bigger score.

Emma Lamb made a fairly rapid 38 but the match winner turned out to be Charlie Dean, despite wickets falling at the other end. Phoebe Graham picked up two quick wickets for the Diamonds, but Dean batted aggressively and went to 40 not out from 42 balls to win the match for the Academy by three wickets with just five balls of the final over remaining.

A good day's cricket, despite the rain, and very interesting to see so many of the young hopefuls. No doubt we will be hearing a good deal more about many of them in the years to come.