Cricket for all age groups.

Posted by Tony Hutton

Problems with the car over the last week or so rather restricted our travelling and we were unable to make planned journeys to Riverside for Durham's Royal London Cup semi-final with Surrey and this week's under 15 county game between Yorkshire and Lancashire at Todmorden. However we did manage to fit in several games close to home including two days at Savile Park, Castleford, a re-arranged league match in the Aire/Wharfe League on Sunday and a semi-final of the Grey Fox Trophy at New Rover on the same day.

Savile Park, Castleford.

Wednesday 18th August brought an unexpected visit to Castleford. This was day two of one of a series of games between two sides labelled Yorkshire Futures and Lancashire Development XI. Although the Lancashire side was said to be under 18s, I think both sides were a mixture of ages, many of whom have been regulars since the age of 10 or 11. Lancashire had batted first on day one and scored 226-9 in their allotted 75 overs. Yorkshire had lost two early wickets overnight but were soon in the runs on day two.

Duncan Brown celebrates his century.

Hero of the day was Duncan Brown, who we learned was of South African origin but playing league cricket for Scarborough this season.  He dominated the days proceedings with an innings of 135 which included fifteen fours. Isaac Light, the young Harrogate wicket keeper went for a duck, to leave the score 70-4, but a good solid partnership between Brown and Jawad Akhtar, who had impressed us earlier in the season, put on 181 for the fifth wicket. This enabled Yorkshire to take a commanding lead as their innings finished on 306-9 in 75 overs, Akhtar playing a confident innings of 60.

Akhtar and Brown undefeated at lunchtime.

Lancashire batted again but with no early breakthrough there was no chance of a Yorkshire victory and the visitors batted out time, making 158-3 with 50 not out from Shetty and 41 from Tom Grundy.  The pick of the Yorkshire bowlers was leg spinner Joshua Hoyle with 2-45 (more of him later).

Sunday 22nd August brought a couple of unexpected games. The North Leeds v Rawdon Aire Wharfe league game had been called off due to covid earlier in the season and was replayed on Sunday afternoon. However, in some ways fortunately for us, the game did not last long as Rawdon, fresh from their recent victory in the Waddilove Cup Final, dismissed the home side fairly rapidly for 81. This only possible thanks to a last wicket stand of 28 after they had slumped to 53-9.

Close to home again - North Leeds cricket club.

Rawdon's reply was short and sweet, despite a brief rain break, as they knocked them off in just 10.3 overs for the loss of two wickets. One of these was Ben Morley, who made a rapid 11 (1x6,1x4 and a single) before being caught off a huge skier. This was the man who, at the beginning of the month, scored 237 on the Saturday in a league match with Beckwithshaw and the following day in the Waddilove Cup Final against Pool in Wharfedale made another 199!

However the early finish gave us the opportunity to call in at New Rover cricket club again to see the one semi final of the Grey Fox Trophy, a competition for over 50s with the chance of playing the final at Scarborough. The first semi-final scheduled for that morning had been called off by the Men of Derwent, who had other commitments, so Bowling Old Lane from Bradford were already through to the final. The game at New Rover was between Helperby, perhaps known as Helperby the Aged, and the Silver Tykes a collection of players of different clubs and different ages. The number of club caps and sweaters on show was quite remarkable

Silver Tykes ready for action.

However Helperby, batting first, achieved a formidable total of 190-7 in their 30 overs. With batsmen having to retire having scored 35 they scored consistently as one would expect from a village side whose first eleven won the Nidderdale League top division last season. Good to see veteran bowler Nick Briggs in action for the Silver Tykes after enjoying his Zoom chat in our cricket reminiscence sessions. He has recently reached 2000 wickets in a long league cricket career and added to them again today with the simple philosophy of bowling straight. Veteran umpire Keith Dibb and New Rover stalwart Mel Reuben were other Zoom characters we were able to catch up with.

Nick Briggs - 2000 wickets and counting.

Sadly the Silver Tykes, despite a valiant effort, were unable to match the Helperby total, but they did well to reach 160-8, showing that there is still plenty of skill and determination in veterans cricket. Last time I saw Nick Briggs he was selling scorecards at Scarborough. What a shame he could not get through to the final to play on the hallowed turf of North Marine Road on September 12th.

Finally on Wednesday 25th August we were surprised to find another fixture at Castleford featuring the same teams as last week. This time round the teams were slightly different and perhaps slightly younger with a good sprinkling of under 14s and under 15s as well as some older ones. This was again day one of a two day match but this time the 75 over rule did not apply. Lancashire Development squad batted and built their first innings total around Luke Prescott from Prestwich cricket club who scored a workmanlike 120. This was proper cricket not the biff bang stuff we have been seeing on TV recently.

The Castleford pavilion.

One notable name in the Lancashire side this time round was Rocky Flintoff, very much a slim line version of his famous father, Andrew Flintoff. Rocky and his brother both play for the St Annes club but on this occasion he only just made it into double figures. No doubt greater things lie ahead for him.

Best bowler for Yorkshire Futures was again leg spinner Joshua Hoyle. His father proudly watching on in the Shepley cricket club cap from the Huddersfield League where young Hoyle is already well known. An all action cricketer he had apparently been out of action for six weeks with a broken finger but was keen to be back bowling lots of overs and expecting a wicket every ball. He finished the innings with 3-63 but was unlucky not to get more.

The following day Yorkshire got a first innings lead, scoring 285 with runs from Bennison of Ouseburn and Noah Kelly of Driffield. Then Lancashire collapsed to 50-8 in their second innings, with pace bowler Alexander Wade taking 3-5 and that man Hoyle again with 3-4. Not enough time left for Yorkshire to get the win but certainly a moral victory over the old enemy.