Surfeit of T20 cricket takes over

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Last Thursday saw the end of a complicated saga involving the county second eleven T20 competition. It does seem incredible that the finals day of this national contest should be held at almost the most southerly first class ground in the country. The long journey, and short notice following Durham's withdrawal, obviously did Yorkshire no favours. However Warwickshire's 155-7 in the first semi-final was enough to see them through to the final thanks to a top score of 66 from Matthew Montgomery, a former South African under 19 captain. Middlesex's strong looking batting line up were then bowled out for 137. Leading wicket taker was the forgotten, other Ryan Sidebottom, an Australian, with 4-28.

Yorkshire struggled in the second semi-final, making only 134-6 with Matt Revis top scoring with 40. Sussex fielding an impressive top three of Salt (58), Travis Head (66*) and Ravi Bopara, coasted home to win by nine wickets. Strangely the Sussex side for the final omitted these three to be replaced by younger, local lads which seems to me to be the purpose of this competition. However in reply to Warwickshire's 155-7, which again depended on Montgomery's 66, they collapsed to be bowled all out for 95.

George Garrett gets an lbw decision to win the match for Warwickshire.

Warwickshire's success was largely due to George Garrett, a largely unknown seam bowler outside Birmingham, with outstanding figures of  5-19. So perhaps in the end a deserved victory for the men from Edgbaston, even if they needed the assistance of two South Africans and an Australian. This does raise the question of the purpose of this competition and whether there should be some restriction on overseas players as well as regular first team members.

At first team level the T20 Blast lumbers on with matches coming thick and fast. Some producing exciting close finishes, notably the three tied matches involving Nottinghamshire, but many others rather more one sided which leaves little excitement for the viewers or the actual spectators at the grounds. This week's sight of hundreds of students celebrating end of term in typical fashion at both Edgbaston and the Riverside were not great adverts for the game or for the common sense of all those ignoring social distancing.

County second eleven T20 finals day update.

Posted by Tony Hutton

The confusing saga of the county second eleven T20 competition took another couple of unfortunate twists today before the two semi-finals to be played at Arundel Castle, Sussex on Thursday could finally be decided. 

Middlesex seconds whose final match was cancelled last week, due to transport problems getting both them and opponents Hampshire across the water to the Isle of Wight, were able to replay their match today at South Wiltshire cricket club, Salisbury. Obviously no suitable venue could be found in the whole county of Hampshire. Middlesex took advantage of the situation by playing about half of their first team players, who saw them home to a comfortable victory.

That seemed to mean that Yorkshire had lost out by one point, however it soon transpired that the North group winners Durham had actually withdrawn from the competition due to covid problems within their squad, having already cancelled two age group matches this week. This means that Yorkshire have been re-instated and will now play Sussex in the second semi-final on Thursday with Warwickshire playing Middlesex in the first semi-final.

Yorkshire have announced a thirteen man squad for the long journey south which includes three young Academy players in Will Luxton, Yash Vagadia and Ben Cliff together with overseas player Duanne Olivier.

Village Cup update

 posted by John Winn

With one exception, Horspath  (Oxon) v Ynystawe (Glamorgan), all 16 matches in yesterday's village cup round were completed, albeit in some cases by dint of a reduction from 40 overs. 

The results were as follows

Astwood Bank beat Colwall by 5 wickets

South Wingfield beat Fillongley by 136 runs

Clipstone and Bilsthorpe beat Loddington and Mawsley by 64 runs

Neyland beat Milford Hall by 3 wickets

Houghton Main beat Wolviston by 122 runs

Meigle beat Torrisholme by 1 wicket

Alvanley beat Woodhouses by 31 runs

Folkton and Flixton beat Patrington by 9 wickets

Calmore Sports beat Cookham Dene by 2 wickets

Goatacre beat Congresbury by 124 runs

Rockhampton beat Yelverton Bohemians by 9 wickets

Crowhurst Park beat Linton Park by 8 runs

Foxton beat Preston by 8 wickets

West Chiltington and Thakeham beat Valley End by 33 runs

Stoke Green beat Woolpit by 7 wickets. 

The draw for the next round, due to be played on Sunday July 4th, is as follows

Astwood Bank (Worcs) v South Wingfield (Derbys) 

Clipstone and Bilsthorpe (E Mids) v Neyland (Dyfed) 

Houghton Main (W and S Yorks) v Meigle (Scotland) 

Alvanley (Cheshire and Clwyd) v Folkton and Flixton (North Yorks N ) 

Calmore Sports (Hants) v. Goatacre (Dorset and Wilts)

Rockhampton (Glos) v Horspath/ Ynystawe

Crowhurst Park (E Sussex) v Foxton (Cambs and Norfolk)

West Chiltington and Thakeham (W Sussex) v Stoke Green (Bucks)

Calmore Sports CC (thanks to Tony for the photo)

Helperby stay top by a whisker

 posted by John Winn

Helperby CC

Having billed Helperby v Darley as 'match of the day' in the Nidderdale league the least I could do on a lovely afternoon yesterday was to pitch up at the attractive ground that is the home of Helperby CC, a few miles west of Easingwold. With a fine tree offering shade my deck chair was set up just as Darley took the field at 1:30.

Before the game the two teams occupied first and third places in Division 1 with Birstwith and a couple of points separating them. Helperby's openers began steadily, the first five overs were maidens, the pitch offering some help but gradually the shackles were loosened as openers Rees-Hughes and Corner began to find the boundary line. Corner led the way until he was caught behind for 46 which included nine fours and the total was 84 for 1. The run rate increased when Daniel Spink came in at the fall of the third wicket and his 39 which included three sixes helped Helperby reach 204 for 6 off their 45 overs.  

With Darley considered a better bowling than batting side this seemed a defendable total and so it proved for they fell 51 short but their last pair held out to deny Helperby maximum points. All Helperby's bowlers went for less than four an over and each took at least one wicket. Meanwhile Birstwith were rattling up nearly 300 against Harrogate III to win by 106 runs which enabled them to draw level with Helperby on points and separated only by the narrowest of run rates. Darley are third, 14 points behind. 

Still with club cricket the Voneus* Village Cup has reached round five with 32 teams still dreaming of  Lord's. The sixteen ties are scheduled for this afternoon and are spread across four regional groups. In the north which includes Scotland past winners Woodhouses, Folkton and Flixton and Houghton Main are still involved. Some familiar names are missing, these include Reed, three times winners and Woodhouse Grange (4x). In the south east which stretches from Buckinghamshire to the south coast two clubs in particular caught my eye and face each other today, Crowhurst Park (East Sussex) and Linton Park (Kent), two grounds on which I have played. Linton were victors in the 1978 final which was in the era when I played on their ground. Good luck to all teams involved, especially with the weather.

* the competition has lacked a headline sponsor for the last two years so credit to broadband provider Venous for stepping in. 

What happens when the boat does not come in?

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Thursday's blog suggested that we should know last night (Friday) whether Yorkshire seconds or Middlesex seconds had qualified for the T20 finals day at Arundel on the 24th June. This was dependant on the result of the game between Hampshire and Middlesex due to take place yesterday at the Newclose ground on the Isle of Wight. Initially the terse announcement that the game had been cancelled due to transport difficulties suggested that Yorkshire would qualify as it was assumed that Middlesex would only get one point from the cancelled game.

However not long afterwards the Middlesex website calmly announced that the game had been re-arranged for next Tuesday, without stating where it would be played. It then transpired that the transport difficulties involved a withdrawal of the ferry service between Southampton and Cowes due to ongoing technical problems, along with traffic gridlock on the island caused by the ferry problems, road works and a burst water main! All this prevented both teams from travelling to the island.

This all seems rather involved, to say the least, but the replayed fixture means that Yorkshire have to wait until Tuesday evening before knowing whether to set off for Arundel the following day for Thursday's finals. A win for Middlesex would see them through on run rate, but a win for Hampshire would see Yorkshire through. We await the conclusion of this ongoing soap opera next week.

Who will join Durham, Sussex and Warwickshire at Arundel next week?

Back to today's action and yet another Weetwood cliff hanger in the Yorkshire Premier league game between the Yorkshire Academy and Clifton Alliance. The Academy batted first and were soon in trouble. Prolific scorer Will Luxton was caught at slip for 9, quickly followed by Wharton, Allinson and Vagadia, to leave the home side in disarray at 44-4. Matthew Weston, a century maker a fortnight ago, again proved the backbone of the innings and together with James Mukherjee put on 66 valuable runs.. Weston was finally bowled by Scott Hopkinson for a fine 71 and the tail disappeared without trace without completing the fifty overs for 150 all out.

The visitors started confidently in reply and had taken the score to a comfortable 76-1 against the pacemen. The advent of the two left arm spinners Harry Sullivan and Sam Wisniewski turned the tide and despite the efforts of Andrew Simpson with 29 and Samuel Grant with top score of 35, wickets began to fall with regularity started by an outstanding catch by Sullivan. Wisniewski bowled his full allotment of overs to finish with 13-1-36-4. His spin twin, Harry Sullivan was even more economical with 13-4-16-2.

With the last pair together Alliance still required ten to win from the final over but when young spin bowler Tom Brown was run out for 16 from the penultimate ball of the match the Academy had snatched victory by just seven runs. A great fight back by the young Academy side.

There was also considerable drama elsewhere in the league with bottom club Harrogate securing their first win of the season by beating York. Castleford, even without their two star men David Wainwright and Chesney Hughes managed to beat Dunnington. Scarborough won a high scoring encounter with Sheriff Hutton Bridge and Acomb bowled out Woodhouse Grange for 49 to win easily by nine wickets.

The real drama came at Stamford Bridge where visitors Driffield started the last over of the game with the scores level on 159-9, the last pair requiring just one run to win. It appears that the first five deliveries were all dot balls and that number ten batsman Jordan Caley hit the last ball for six to win the match!

Tied Roses second XI T20 game.

Posted by Tony Hutton

This afternoon saw the last of this season's second eleven T20 games in the Northern Division, with Yorkshire taking on Lancashire at the Leeds University ground, Weetwood, Leeds. A good contingent of Lancashire followers turned up yet again to swell the modest crowd. The semi-finals and final of this competition take place at Arundel Castle, Sussex a week today on the 24th June. As I understand the rather complicated three division structure, the three group leaders Warwickshire, Durham and Sussex have already qualified for finals day. If Yorkshire had won today they would have been the best runner up. However as the game ended in a tie, Yorkshire only managed one point and if Middlesex beat Hampshire tomorrow they will be level on points with Yorkshire but with a superior run rate. I hope my interpretation is correct but no doubt all will be revealed later tomorrow.

Today's game started in hot sunshine and remained pleasant until the last few overs when heavy cloud contributed to a gloomy atmosphere which cannot have been easy for the players. Many of the games in this competition have been low scoring affairs and it soon looked as if this one might be another. Lancashire lost two early wickets but then a stand of forty between Bohannon and Jones took it on to 67-2 before things started to go wrong again.

Josh Sullivan (Yorkshire)

Bohannon went for 39 and was soon followed by the experienced Luke Wells, formerly with Sussex. Both batsmen dismissed by the tidy leg spin of Josh Sullivan who finished his four overs with excellent figures of 4-0-15-2. The procession continued with the Scotsman Shah, the young Academy player Bell and Cornall, who plays his cricket on this ground for Leeds/Bradford University, all falling for a total of nine runs between them. Two wickets for off spinner Shutt helping them on their way. Skipper Jones, who had been watching all this from the other end, went for top score of 41, caught behind by Tattersall off Coad. leaving Lancashire in a parlous state on106-8.

Yorkshire failed to press home their advantage and Liam Hurt, who likes to swing the bat, hit a rapid 19, including three valuable fours, to add 24 more runs in the final three overs with an end result of 130-8. Those few last runs might just have put the game beyond Yorkshire's rather fragile batting line up.

In no time at all (the third over to be precise) the Yorkshire innings looked to be in tatters with a score of 15-3, Birkhead, the newly promoted Luxton and Hill all being dismissed by the bowling of Balderson and Burrows. Luxton was somewhat unlucky after a confident start he square cut a ball from Balderson which travelled at great pace but straight to young Bell who had to hold on to it in self protection. Tattersall along with opener Revis brought some sanity to proceedings, but when he was bowled by Wells for 22 the writing was on the wall again.

Dominic Leech (Yorkshire)

Wharton and Sullivan supported Revis for a while but both fell to the slow left armer Morley, so that the game looked as good as over at 72-6. But enter Dominic Leech who decided on attack to quite some effect, hitting two huge leg side sixes and a four in an innings of 25. Yorkshire now needed thirty runs to win from the last three overs. Revis who had batted through the innings was the main hope but seemed to lose the strike at vital times. However the runs kept coming, mainly in singles but in the end two to win were required from the last ball of the match, following a rather generous wide in the last over.

Matthew Revis (Yorkshire)

Revis managed a single which took him to his fifty to tie the scores, but perhaps if he and Olivier had turned for an impossible second run, somebody might have dropped the ball or even conceded an overthrow. So easy to be wise after the event I know but a little more positive thinking might have seen Yorkshire through to the finals.

.

Gilbert Jessop - the legendary big hitter.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Last night  I just happened to watch the live streaming of Worcestershire v Yorkshire in the T20 Blast. Although the coverage was not of the best in terms of camera work and commentary, it was possible to see a remarkable innings by Johnny Bairstow, after suffering a severe ankle injury. Although hopping about on one leg with the services of a runner, who was not really required, he proceeded to hit the ball to all parts, dealing only in sixes and fours to reach a century. One of these sixes was reported to have been the biggest ever seen in the history of the ground at Worcester. It sailed over the stands, over a very busy main road and apparently landed somewhere in Cripplegate Park.

This brings me back to Gilbert Jessop, well known as the biggest hitter in the history of the game. I have recently been re-reading possibly my favourite cricket book entitled 'The Croucher', a biography of the great man written by Gerald Broadribb. The theme of the book is well set out by a quotation from C.B. Fry in the introduction. It reads as follows - 'No man has driven a cricket ball so hard, so high, and so often in so many different directions. No man has ever made cricket so dramatic an entertainment'.

The book relates many incidents from his long career with both Gloucestershire and England, but possibly the one which still catches my attention more than most was a famous match against Yorkshire at Bradford Park Avenue in July 1900 when Jessop pitted his wits against probably the greatest bowler of his time. This was another of my all time heroes, Wilfred Rhodes, who often received the severest of punishment from Jessop, but always backed himself to get him in the end.

Yorkshire were champions in 1900 and did not lose a match during the season, but they came near to losing this one. Yorkshire made 409 on the first day and in reply Gloucester started badly losing five wickets for 116. Jessop then took over and proceeded to make 104 out of 153 in just seventy minutes before being last man out. He hit Rhodes clean over the football stand for six, which in those days were only awarded for hits out of the ground, so that a hit deep into the crowd off Hirst only counted as four.

Gilbert Jessop.

Gloucester then dismissed Yorkshire for 187 leaving themselves 327 to win. Their hopes of victory soon rapidly faded and when Jessop came in again the score was 105-5. However he went onto the attack immediately hitting Rhodes over the football stand again for the biggest hit of the match. He continued in this vein hitting Rhodes over the Horton Park wall for another six and three more into the football ground to reach fifty in only 25 minutes. He reached his century in 59 minutes.

With his score on 106 he was given a life, but celebrated by hitting Haigh onto the football stand roof, which only counted as four. Gloucestershire were now closing the gap rapidly and even after the earlier hammering he had received Wilfred Rhodes returned to the attack with the score on 235, confident still that he could remove the great man. It proved to be the decisive over and went like this.

First ball - cut for four.

Second ball - a hit for six over the clock on the football stand.

Third ball - left alone.

Fourth ball - a hit deep into the spectators on the off side, one of whom caught the ball, but only four runs given.

Fifth ball - six over the football stand.

Sixth ball - another magnificent drive which was sailing over the long off boundary when Tunnicliffe, a giant of a man, ran a long way, leapt in the air, and caught the ball one handed.

No one else could have reached the ball and it would have been another boundary, but Jessop was out. He had scored 139 out of 182 in 95 minutes, of which ten minutes were spent in recovering the ball. Once Jessop was out the end came quickly and Yorkshire won by 40 runs. It was thought that three more overs of Jessop could have won the match and the great roar from the Yorkshire crowd when he was out said it all.

A special day at Atherton

By Mike Latham

Sometimes, quite by accident, you stumble across a cricket match that contains something special, an innings, bowling feat or other occurrence that will linger long in the memory. 

So it was for me last Saturday as I visited Atherton Cricket Club, for their Bolton League game against Darcy Lever.

I was in something of a melancholy mood as I arrived as it was ten years since my dad passed away and, though they say time is a healer I‘ve found it is not. I have a lot to thank him for, not least him passing on his love of cricket, football and rugby league and introducing me to all three sports at an early age with trips near and far.

My dad came from a long-established Atherton family and his funeral service was conducted at Howe Bridge Church, close to the Atherton CC ground. My mum is a Howe Bridger, too, born and raised just a few yards from the cricket ground, the house demolished to make way for Howe Bridge Leisure Centre in the 1970s.

My mum’s dad was a coal miner, as many men in Atherton were, and it was through the welfare section of the local miner’s institute, with help from the colliery owners, that the cricket club set up their beautiful ground, known as Higham Park.

The Leigh Chronicle archives have records of cricket in the Atherton area dating back to the 1860s and a reference from the newspaper of 9 November 1867 states that Atherton Collieries Cricket Club was formed in 1864.

The club joined the Bolton & District Association in 1921 and these days compete in the 15-team Bolton League, effectively a merger between the Association and the League after several clubs ‘defected’ to join the Greater Manchester Cricket League, as I mentioned in a recent blog.

For sentimental reasons I was glad to visit Atherton CC on a beautiful sunlit afternoon and, as usual, a good-sized crowd was watching the game attentively.

A sunlit early evening scene at Higham Park

Earlier Darcy Lever had posted 234, failing to bat out five of their 50 overs, with opener Chris Fenn agonisingly trapped leg before after hitting 99. Even so the visitors looked well in control as their eager bowling attack made inroads into the Atherton batting. Wickets fell at regular intervals with only the home professional, Zain Abbas, standing firm.

I’d heard good things about the ‘pro’ from fellow enthusiasts, and he’d had considerable experience of local league cricket. Neat and compact with a wide range of attacking shots, and beautiful timing, he looked a real class player, but you could sense his mounting frustration as his team-mates failed to give him the support he needed. In no time at all, it seemed, the game would be over as Atherton slipped to 95 for 7, then 110 for 8 despite the ‘pro’ having dominated the scoring and remaining steadfast, 70-odd not out.

Zain Abbas, aged 29, hails from Kabirwala in the Punjab province and has already represented Pakistan A. After heavy scoring in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy must be close to a full Test call-up.

He came to the notice of league clubs in England after a prolific season in the Bolton League with Little Lever in 2015, breaking the long-standing batting record of the Australian, Geoff Marsh, who hit 1,334 runs when club professional in 1984. A year or so later Marsh was winning the first of 50 Test caps and he also played in 117 ODIs. Zain Abbas then played for two seasons in the Lancashire League for Church and more recently has fought his way back to full fitness and form after a serious ankle injury.

Zain Abbas on the verge of his century

Finally, as the home spectators began to pack up their belongings and think about going home, tailender Ellis Mort began to give the kind of steadfast support that was needed. Mort looked comfortable at the crease, unleashed a couple of superb on-driven fours and hung around long enough for the ‘pro’ to complete his hundred, consolation at least we thought, for a superb individual innings, the total then 157-8.

But then came the slow, dawning realisation that we might be seeing something special. Abbas continued to unleash some spectacular shots all around the ground, while Mort continued to bat sensibly and the target whittled down. The ‘pro’ passed 150, to generous applause, and Darcy Lever’s bowlers began to flag.

Zain Abbas hits out

Atherton still had 8.5 overs in hand when Abbas hit the winning boundary, finishing a magnificent 174 not out, with 21 fours and five sixes. Mort was undefeated on 16 and both players deservedly were greeted with great applause as they returned to the pavilion from members and opponents alike after transforming the game and providing the spectators with a game to savour.

After reaching his hundred, Zain Abbas had scored 71 out of the remaining 81 runs towards the victory target, Mort contributing six with four extras.

A record-breaking day

Atherton CC later revealed through their social media that Zain Abbas’s score and the undefeated ninth wicket partnership of 118 were both club records. And I was there.

The mid-1970s saw three hugely talented Pakistan cricketers make their mark in local cricket circles before going on to forge great Test careers, Javed Miandad at Daisy Hill, Mudassar Nazar at Little Hulton and Mohsin Khan at Astley & Tyldesley. Wouldn’t it be great if Zain Abbas, fortified by a season or two at Atherton, did the same.

Zain Abbas and Ellis Mort after their match-winning partnership

Read All About It

 posted by John Winn

Two local weekly newspapers last week obliged with some interesting and informative news of  league and cup cricket in their areas. A trip to Upper Teesdale, possibly the only place in the country famous for its eye tests,  offered the chance to buy 'Teesdale Mercury', a bargain at 95 pence and needing some change for a parking meter I shelled out almost twice that, £1:80 for the Harrogate Advertiser.

The Mercury even had cricket on its front page, 'Barney CC's win over rivals', which is  enlarged to 'Barney edge last ball cup thriller' in the sport section whose two pages are dominated by our national summer game. There is a full report on Barnard Castle's exciting win over not too distant, and oldest, rivals Richmond in the second round of the National Cup which was not settled until the final ball of the day's eighty overs when 'Rob West swished a four through the slips' to seal a three wicket win. A full scorecard of the match was provided and the same was the case for 'Barney's' NYSD League win over Great Ayton by 135 runs. 

Blacker and larger type heralded a report on Evenwood CC, members of the Durham and North East league and in particular their young West Indies U19 professional, Joshua James who has been scoring lots of runs before his scheduled return to the Caribbean where he will play for Jamaica Tawallahs in the CPL T20 competition. Over the Bank Holiday weekend he helped himself to 150 against Hunwick and 131 against Murton. I note that Josh came down to earth last Saturday when scoring only30 against Peterlee, albeit aat a run a ball.

Turning to the Darlington and District League attention focuses on Raby Castle CC who until last Saturday were sitting on top of Division A but slipped to third place after a defeat at the hands of my father's old club, Haughton CC. The previous week Raby had been without a game because opponents West Park CC conceded. Mention of West Park reminded me of a piece I wrote about them five years ago when I saw them in action in a Division C match against Aldborough St John II, their first season of league cricket having been formed during the previous winter. They were top of the division at that time and in due course arrived in Division A in 2018 where they have finished 9th, 8th, 7th, in the last three years. Steady progress but it would appear that like Icarus they have flown too close to the sun for they have conceded at least two matches in recent weeks and the league table implies that they have now resigned. 

The Harrogate Advertiser previews 'Gate's game with Yorkshire Academy which both Tony and I attended last Saturday and which resulted in a comfortable win for The Academy. St George's Road continues to attract good crowds on Saturday afternoons although for some of those attending bar and bbq are more relevant than bat and ball. Harrogate find themselves bottom of Yorkshire Premier North and they might not be relishing the visit of York this Saturday for the visitors had a resounding win over Acomb last week. The table is headed by Castleford with Dunnington second and Woodhouse Grange third.

The Advertiser has good coverage of the Nidderdale and Aire Wharfe leagues with lots of photographs. Helperby despite losing their undefeated record the previous week, remain top but only by one point from Birstwith. Darley complete the top trio, a further point behind. Helperby entertain Darley on Saturday in 'match of the day'.  Aire Wharfe coverage centres on local outfit Bilton who have started the season in convincing fashion but still find themselves trailing in Saltaire's wake.

Finally I must give. a mention to an article about seventeen year old Emma Marlow, a pupil at Harrogate Grammar School who has been selected for the Northern Diamonds Academy squad. Nearly a full page is given over to Emma, who learned her cricket at Beckwithshaw CC. Well done Emma and well done The Advertiser for four pages of cricket. 

                                       

                                        Emma in action

  

Yorkshire County cricket at all levels.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The last few days of continuing fine weather have given us the chance to see all three Yorkshire cricket sides in action. The first team of course have been playing Sussex at Headingley, the Second eleven played Durham at Leeds University in two T20s on Thursday and the Academy side entertained Sheriff Hutton Bridge at the same Weetwood venue on Saturday.

The first team somehow managed a hard earned innings victory late this afternoon after many, including ourselves, had written the game off as a certain draw at the tea interval. Of course one of the joys of cricket is it's unpredictability and as wickets began to tumble in the final session we were able to tune in to see the final stages on the admirable live streaming.

Without wishing to pour cold water on a fine victory for the home side, it should perhaps be pointed out that the Sussex side, as mentioned in my previous blog, was not very experienced and contained a good number of youngsters, two of whom Ibrahim and Orr were making their first class debuts. Both distinguished themselves with half centuries and another youngster Atkins, the opening bowler, had good figures of 5-98.

Alastair Orr batting for Sussex on the last day at Headingley.

Many people will be unaware that one of Yorkshire's latest young hopefuls was on the field for much of the final day as a substitute fielder. This was the current Academy captain Will Luxton, who has had a fine run of form recently culminating in two centuries this week, one against Durham Academy at Morpeth last Thursday and the other on Saturday in the Yorkshire League North match with Sheriff Hutton Bridge at Weetwood.

Will Luxton (Yorkshire Academy)

The outstanding feature of Saturday's game was a partnership of 208 for the second wicket between Luxton and team mate Matthew Weston, after losing a wicket to the first ball of the match. We had seen Luxton make runs before, but I think this was the first time Weston had passed fifty, although he has always looked to have a correct technique. This is a very new intake of Academy players and they have already made an excellent impression in games against much more senior opposition. Both players reached the century mark and celebrated appropriately.

Will Luxton celebrates his century.

Matthew Weston follows suit.

So far then good news on both fronts, but after half a day at Headingley on Thursday we made our way to Weetwood where Yorkshire Second eleven were in action with two T20 games against Durham seconds. Durham had already won the first game during the morning and we saw the second match during the afternoon. Unfortunately it did not last long and one wonders about the benefits of this type of cricket in developing young players. Apparently there has been some debate about playing two games in one day and many of this season's second team fixtures have only a one game per day format, which again seems a pointless exercise often involving long journies.

The Durham dressing room at Weetwood.

In game two Yorkshire quickly bowled out Durham for just 83, although Paul Coughlin had to retire hurt with an injured hand and could not continue. The Durham batsmen appeared to show little interest and Yorkshire's bowlers all took cheap wickets. In reply Yorkshire won by seven wickets, their innings of 9.4 overs taking just 37 minutes to knock off the runs.

One note of defiance as Trevaskis hits a six for Durham.

Sadly the whole occasion looked like a waste of time and certainly did little or nothing to enhance any of the players' reputations. Surely our young cricketers should be encouraged to play more long format games to gain experience of 'proper cricket', although of course you can see that many of them will be tempted by the financial rewards available to those who succeed in the shorter form.

Apple Carts upset

 posted by John Winn

When the new format for the county championship was unveiled last November I saw it very much as a temporary measure which would see us through another summer's cricket before things could return to normal in 2022. To my surprise, but I know I am not the only one, I very quickly grew to like it and it would be my wish, if the ECB ever thought of consulting county members, that it continue next year. 

Today marks the last day of play before the competition draws breath, quite why I am not sure, to allow T20 to begin with three matches on Wednesday. The red ball will be put away until the final two rounds of phase one are played in July but despite this interruption there will be plenty to look forward to when it resumes on Independence Day with eight matches. In Group 3 Northamptonshire v Yorkshire has already provided us with an historic finish when, at the end of April the white rose triumphed by a solitary run and the two will meet again next month at Wantage Road. It is hard to see Northants getting anything more than a draw from today's play at Canterbury for this match has been more rain affected than any other in this round and Kent who have had a pretty miserable season probably surprised even their most ardent followers by rattling up 330 for 5 yesterday. 

A week ago following their victory in the Roses match Lancashire were the only unbeaten team in the country but were brought down to earth in a low scoring match in Cardiff. They will remain top of the  group whatever the outcome at Headingley today but Sussex will need to bat until after tea to avoid defeat and a win for Yorkshire will go a long way towards insuring qualification for the top six when the competition enters its next stage at the end of August. Yorkshire entertain Lancashire at Scarborough in the last round of matches beginning on July 11th. The ticketing arrangements for this match were a popular topic of conversation at Headingley on Thursday and Friday with rumours that Scarborough CC have already sold 1200 tickets which if current limits on attendance remain in force will not leave that many for the rest of us. 

Turning to Group 1 it seems to be a case of two into four won't go. Warwickshire have a nine point lead over Durham and a further four point advantage over Essex. Durham will have enjoyed their journey home from Worcester last night but they will return to the West Midlands on July 4th when they are due at Edgbaston. Essex are in action today and are still 113 runs behind Notts' first innings with seven wickets down. Will Notts gamble and go for the win? A match to keep an eye on via radio or the excellent streaming service which has generated so much interest in this year's competition. 

In Group 2 it is Gloucestershire who have hit a sticky patch. They had the worst of the rain ruined game at Bristol last month, got hammered at The Oval and yesterday provided Leicestershire with their second win of the campaign. Their last two games, against Middlesex and Hants are at Cheltenham which should improve their prospects of getting back to their early season form. Somerset v Hampshire enters its fourth day at Taunton this morning with Somerset in a strong position. A lead of 372 suggests an overnight declaration and another intriguing day in store. 

A new generation of Sussex cricketers

Posted by Tony Hutton

As spectators returned to Headingley's historic cricket ground on Thursday, after a long absence due to the pandemic, I could not help think back to my first sighting of the visiting side, Sussex, which took place some seventy one years ago. In the middle of my school holidays in August 1950, along with a couple of friends, I took the long bus journey from south Staffordshire via Birmingham for my first ever visit to the county ground Worcester to see the second day of a three day game between Worcestershire and Sussex.

Looking back at the scorecard from that day the Sussex side contained some very long serving players, notably the two Langridge brothers, opening bat John and all rounder James (who was the captain). The Oakes brothers, Charlie and Jack, both all rounders, and George Cox, sometime professional footballer, were also mainstays of the side. Being August three University players were added to the team. They were David Sheppard and Gilbert Doggart from Cambridge, both of whom later played for England and Chris Winn from Oxford who played rugby for England.

The side was completed by three younger men the opening bowlers Ted James and left armer Jim Wood, together with wicketkeeper Rupert Webb, who much later in life found fame as a bit part film actor. The first day had been interrupted by rain and obviously I remember little of the action after all these years but I did see George Cox and Charlie Oakes score fifties in a total of 261 and Worcester reduced to 158-5 by the close. This included a rare first class wicket for Gilbert Doggart who removed the eminent Worcester captain R.E.S. Wyatt.

More memorable was the then rural setting of the ground and the friendly and relaxed atmosphere of county cricket as it was in the nineteen fifties. However to return to this week's events it was good to greet so many friends after a long absence and to actually meet up with new friends made during Zoom events in the past months, even though some were heavily disguised by their masks. Yorkshire were greeted with a welcoming round of applause from the good crowd, still limited in numbers of course, but well segregated by the efficient seating arrangements.

Spectators return to Headingley

Sussex, having been put into bat, were soon in trouble. They fielded what looked like a very young side, somewhat lacking in experience, although reinforced by the Australian Travis Head who spent a brief period with Yorkshire in 2016 and the South African veteran Stiaan Van Zyl. Opener Tom Haines, who has been in the runs this season, was the first to go, followed fairly rapidly by Van Zyl. The other opener Alastair Orr, making his first class debut, stuck around for an hour and a half but only made 15.

Early wickets for Yorkshire.

Jordan Thompson took his second wicket to dismiss the danger man, Travis Head, and at 68-4 Yorkshire could be happy with their morning's work. However Aaron Thomason, recruited from Warwickshire, got his head down in no uncertain manner and skipper Ben Brown, so often a thorn in Yorkshire's side took over the scoring role, looking in fine form. These two proceeded to put on a century partnership and even when the obdurate Thomason was out, the second debutant Dan Ibrahim certainly put his mark on proceedings.

The Emerald Stand at Headingley.

We discovered that Ibrahim is only sixteen years old and although born in Lancashire went to school in Sussex and is a product of the county's age group system. He plays for the Preston Nomads club at a lovely ground set in the Sussex Downs which I visited a few years ago. After giving centurion Brown good support on day one, he proceeded to a confident half century on day two, thus becoming the youngest player ever to reach this milestone in county championship cricket. Quite an achievement.

Ibrahim brings up his fifty.

Dan Ibrahim 

Once the young man was out the tail rather subsided and Yorkshire were somewhat relieved to finish Sussex off for 313, which was much more than expected after the first morning. However the visitors attack opened by youngsters Henry Crocombe and James Atkins posed little threat and with only Stuart Meaker, once of Surrey, having much experience, their bowling attack looked decidedly thin. Young Ibrahim showed his all round talent by taking his first wicket, that of Kohler-Cadmore for 25 and Atkins produced a beauty to bowl Adam Lyth for 48.

The floodlights were on for much of the cloudy day one.

After that it was very much one way traffic as the experience of Malan and Ballance proved too much for the largely teenage attack. Sussex of course are suffering from the loss of not only Archer, through injury and Test calls but their most regular wicket taker, Ollie Robinson, is also performing for England. Add to that the fact that Jordan, Luke Wright and Bopara are apparently all 'white ball' cricketers only, the lack of experience in championship cricket is considerable. Yorkshire should progress to a substantial total today and ought to finish them off tomorrow. One can only hope that Sussex's band of youngsters will all progress to match the deeds of their famous predecessors.

 

Another early finish at Gargrave

By Mike Latham

On a glorious late May Saturday afternoon, I took in several grounds in the Skipton area, among them fulfilling a long-held ambition to visit Gargrave.

I’d seen Craven & District League soccer there during past groundhopping days, though it was sad to find out that the club folded during the summer of 2016, citing lack of players. I found the football ground, with its small main stand, covered by caravans and motorhomes of all descriptions, shapes and sizes as tourists enjoyed a taste of freedom after the long days of lockdown.

The football field covered by touring campervans and motorhomes

The adjacent cricket ground, nearer the main A65 road that runs from Skipton towards Settle, looked resplendent and a good number of people were watching the action intently.

This was the Craven & District League division two (second tier) and having gathered my camera and acquainted myself with the surroundings, I quickly gathered that although it was still early afternoon, albeit my fifth ground visit of the day, that the game was quickly nearing a conclusion.

Visitors Skipton Church Institute had been rolled out for 46 in 22.4 overs and the home side were nearing their modest victory target, albeit not without difficulty. I saw Azhar Iqbal take two wickets in successive balls on his way to the remarkable analysis of five for nine in a losing cause, before the winning runs were hit with Gargrave six wickets down.

Scores tied at Gargrave- one to win for the home side

Gargrave CC has a distinctive stone pavilion with tiered seats and further research found that this was constructed in 1956. That was a momentous year from Gargrave CC when Mrs JB Coulthurst and the Coulthurst Trust not only secured the ground for the village with an outright purchase from the previous landowner, away from potential building speculators, but also funded the new pavilion construction for the joint use of the cricket and football teams.

The Gargrave CC badge

Gargrave CC claim 1852 as their formation year, making the club one of the oldest in Yorkshire. By the 18909s they employed a cricket professional who was also responsible for the upkeep of the ground. Opponents included Earby, Silsden, Ingrow, Settle, Cowling, Bolton Abbey, Barnoldswick, Steeton, Bradford Midland Railway Employees and Leeds Clergy. The Gargrave ground was also home to the Craven Gentlemen’s Club.

Twice the ground was used by Yorkshire for second eleven fixtures in the Minor Counties Championship.

In June 1961 Yorkshire defeated Durham by an innings in a low-scoring, two-day game that finished just after noon on the second day. Durham fared better than Skipton Church Institute, but only just, 67 and 84 all out, with Yorkshire making 178, a young John Hampshire top scorer with 73. Geoff Boycott, still to make his first-class debut (that came in 1962) batted number 4 and scored 25. Then a promising young leg-spinner, Peter Kippax took nine wickets in the game at a cost of 42 runs.

The following year Yorkshire Seconds entertained Cumberland, Boycott opening the innings and hitting an unbeaten 126 in 75.2 overs out of his side’s 236-6 declared.

Cumberland, who finished with the wooden spoon that year, closed the first day 93-7 and finished 95 all out, Tony Nicholson taking 5-24. In their second innings Cumberland, following on, just mustered enough runs to make the hosts bat again, Roly Higginbottom, batting at nine, hitting 63 in his side’s 152. Boycott got another ‘red-inker’ finishing 11 not out in his side’s victory by ten wickets and a few weeks later was to make his Yorkshire first team debut, against the touring Pakistanis at Bradford.

An early finish at Gargrave- not for the first time

Eventful Bank Holiday weekend for Yorkshire League North.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

While we were travelling home from Riverside early on Saturday evening an exciting game was going on in the Yorkshire Premier League North at Acomb in the city of York. The home side were league leaders going into the weekend and restricted their visitors, the Yorkshire Academy, to a total of 199-8. Despite in-form Academy skipper Will Luxton falling for a duck, Harry Allinson held the innings together with 66 not out. The young Academy bowlers were not fazed and both the pace bowlers James Mukherjee and Ben Cliff took an early wicket to leave Acomb struggling on 16-2.

After a 92 partnership between Wade and D'Silva, taking the score to 92-2, enter left arm spinner Harry Sullivan. He managed to take the next seven wickets, despite taking some punishment, to leave Acomb needing eleven more runs to win when the last man James Tindall came to the wicket. In partnership with wicketkeeper Joe Schofield they managed to level the scores before Sullivan started the last over of the game.

Off the second ball of this last over number eleven Tindall went for glory with a big hit, but was brilliantly caught one handed by Ed Booth on the distant boundary to end the match as a tie. Sullivan finishing with the wonderful figures of 12.2-1-52-8. So another cliff hanger to go with the exciting finish we saw a few weeks ago when Acomb narrowly beat Stamford Bridge.

York batting in perfect conditions at Weetwood.

Another full programme of matches followed on Monday and this time we were in place at Weetwood to see the Academy take on York, perhaps not quite as strong as they were a few seasons ago but still very much a force to be reckoned with. On another perfect summer's day York batted and the conditions suggested a big score was in prospect. However at 35-2 when Harry Sullivan bowled former Academy colleague Finlay Bean for a duck, York looked in trouble.

 

Harry Sullivan bowling at Weetwood.

Two experienced hands in Duncan Snell and Ryan McKendry steadied the ship before Snell was bowled by Ed Booth for a well made 60. McKendry than watched from the non-striker's end when Booth removed Guy Darwin, caught behind, then Charlie Elliot first ball with a perfect yorker. So York were then 139-5 and soon afterwards a real tragedy struck the visitors when McKendry took a hard fall in completing a run and was obviously in pain with a serious injury. It later transpired that McKendry had pulled a hamstring and will be out for the rest of the season.

Spectators basking in the sunshine.

York were still well able to fight back and a partnership between wicketkeeper Tom Brooks and Oliver Needham of sixty runs, which included seventeen from the last over of the innings, took them somewhere near par score of 217-6 in fifty overs. The Academy reply started with a good partnership of 45 between Yash Vagadia and Matthew Weston . Although Weston made only 25 he showed a good technique and played some very nice shots, certainly a good prospect for the future.

The pavilion at Weetwood.

With both openers gone it was time for skipper Will Luxton and the somewhat more experienced James Wharton to come to the party. They certainly did that with a partnership of 135 which had the home side confidently coasting towards an easy victory. York of course missed the bowling of their absent skipper, which had Simon Lambert unusually bowling a full stint of thirteen overs.

Spinner Tom Forsdike (who finished with 4-54) managed to dismiss Wharton for 59 and soon afterwards Luxton played his first false stroke and was lbw to Lambert for 75. So two new batsmen at the crease and twenty two runs still needed for victory. York suddenly came to life again in the field and another wicket went down when Saturday's hero Allinson went for four. However no nerves from Daniel Ford and James Mukherjee who calmly saw the Academy home to a five wicket victory with a boundary each to end the game.

Ford and Mukherjee lead the players in at the end of the game.

Fist bumps all round at the end, with coaches Richard Damms (Academy) and Jim Love (York), together with Alex Kaye, the Academy wicketkeeper and the injured York skipper Ryan McKendry.

News soon came in to show that Castleford had beaten Acomb and now replace them at the top of the league table. The good news from Weetwood being that this very young Academy side are growing in confidence and now show signs of being able to stand up against the best teams in the league.