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!