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!