Another nail biting Headingley final.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 18th September produced yet another nail biting Yorkshire champions cup final at Headingley. Castleford, champions of Yorkshire League North, faced Woodlands champions of the Bradford League. No competition last season but in 2019 Woodlands were defeated by Sheriff Hutton Bridge by just two runs in a last ball finish. In 2017 Hanging Heaton beat Wakefield Thornes by three runs in a similar situation.

Today's final promised a similar close contest and attracted a reasonable crowd which built up during the day after an early 10.30 start. Unfortunately this was another occasion where the hosts, Yorkshire County Cricket Club, shot themselves in the foot yet again. All the spectators were restricted to the East stand in front of the Long Room with no thought of social distancing or allowing spectators to select their own spot. Everyone was in the shade at the start of proceedings, when many could have been basking in the sunshine.

Spectators packed in at Headingley.

Later in the day when the sun became very strong, many would have then preferred to move into the shade but were prevented from doing so by the zealous stewards. Another public relations fiasco. However the match itself proved to be a fascinating contest. Castleford batted and got off to an excellent start with Chesney Hughes, whose last innings here produced 279 runs for Derbyshire, and Liam Hyde putting on a century opening partnership.

Chesney Hughes batting at Headingley.

The advent of the two veteran spinners, Chris Brice and Kez Ahmed did slow things down somewhat and Brice it was who dismissed both Hyde (43) and Hughes (61) to make it 108-2. Enter Castleford's skipper David Wainwright, who missed last week's semi-final. He was not his usual fluent self and was run out going for a second run, by a good throw from Sam Frankland, for a useful 29. Brayden Clarke made 34 and Christopher Briggs 25 but the tail rather fell away against the spinners, who each bowled the maximum allocation of fifteen overs.

Andrew Bourke, Castleford's longest serving player, was bowled by Ahmed for 10 in his final appearance for the club before retirement, but at least a memorable setting for his last innings. 241-9 was the final Castleford total, which had initially promised to be quite a few more. Brice had figures of 4-59 and Ahmed 2-66. With Castleford so reliant on their four spinners the feeling at the interval was that Woodlands were still in the game with a good chance of victory.

However it was their one and only paceman, Matt Rees, who struck the first blow having opener Sam Frankland caught behind for only eight. Jackson, Garner and Collins, all reached the thirties, but then got themselves out. David Wainwright looked out of sorts and bowled a series of short spells without taking a wicket and it was the youngest spinner Jack Young, who began to turn the screw as the middle order batsmen could not get beyond the teens. Woodlands certainly missed their New Zealand batting star Brad Schmullian, who had returned home.

Three wickets for Young, one for Morrison and then Muhammad Bilal after a couple of big hits was caught and bowled by Connor Hyde to leave Woodlands seemingly out of it at 159-7. Then a stand between wicket keeper Greg Finn and Elliot Richardson, who looked much better than a number nine, began to turn the tide back Woodlands way. The scoring rate increased and the scoreboard showed the gap between the teams narrowing by the minute.

Close finish coming up.

The pair had put on 64 valuable runs and the score became 223-7 just nineteen runs short of victory when Jack Young managed to dismiss both of them in quick succession to make it 225-9. Richardson had top scored with 40. Still some hope for Woodlands when surprisingly Chesney Hughes was brought on to bowl at the end of the innings rather than Wainwright. Kez Ahmed hit a couple of boundaries but in a breathless last over Brice could not get Hughes away and Woodlands fell just short by six runs. Victory to Castleford and the celebrations could begin.

Colson Smith, Coronation Street actor and Castleford's Director of cricket at the front.