Cricket without controversy

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The recent publication of fixtures for Leeds/Bradford University's somewhat abbreviated season comes as a pleasant surprise for those of us who watch cricket at all levels and just look for something quiet and peaceful to pass the early days of the season. I say abbreviated as it looks very much as if the days of two or three day matches between the leading Universities, which ended with a Lord's Final, have gone for ever since the takeover by the ECB from the previously more enlightened MCC.

This presumably, although there does not seem to have been any announcement of the fact, seems to be in the same vein as the recent decision to cancel the long standing fixtures between Oxford and Cambridge and Eton and Harrow, which have been played at Lord's almost since time began.

However the Leeds/Bradford University side, which has produced many county cricketers over recent years, is still under the watchful eye of long serving South African coach Andrew Lawson. Two of their leading batsmen from last season Taylor Cornall and Josh de Caries now have contracts with Worcestershire and Middlesex respectively. 

Early season cricket at the University ground, Weetwood, Leeds.

Here is a list of the fixtures which have been announced, with all home games being played at the Weetwood ground in Leeds.

28th March - Leicestershire at Leicester in a three day game.

2nd April - Yorkshire at home in a three day game.

7th April - Lancashire seconds at home in a three day game.

12th April - Nottinghamshire seconds at home in a three day game.

19th April - Bristol University at home in a one day (50 over) game.

21st April - Oxford University at the Parks in a one day (50 over game.

22nd April - Cambridge University at Fenners in a one day (50 over) game.

24th April - Loughborough University away at Loughborough in a one day (50over game)

26th April - Worcestershire at Kidderminster in a three day game.

3rd May - Exeter University at home in a one day (50 over) game.

4th May - Cardiff University at home in a one day (50 over) game.

6th May - Durham University at Durham Racecourse in a one day (50 over) game.

13th May - Yorkshire at home in a T20 game.

26th May - MCC at home in a one day friendly game.