A tour of middle England.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Combining a visit to my grandson at Cambridge University with a daily dose of cricket watching, by breaking the journey in each direction, proved an interesting experience in logistics. However all worked out well, despite a great variation in temperatures along the way. Our first port of call was at Kibworth cricket club in Leicestershire, a pleasant ground we had visited before, when Harry Brook made his maiden century for Yorkshire second eleven. By the end of the week we would have seen him on the way to his highest ever first class score of 194.

Leicester seconds in the field at Kibworth.

Monday's game was day one of a four day second eleven championship game between Leicestershire and Northants second elevens. The visitors batted and made rather slow progress during the rather overcast morning conditions. Three wickets fell with the total on only 66 to the battery of Leicester seam bowlers, including that of the third Curran brother. The experienced Thurston, who captained the side, soon looked comfortable in partnership with James Sales, son of that wonderful Northants batsman, David Sales.

Welcome to Kibworth.    

Sales junior did well for England Under 19s in the West Indies during the winter and looks a promising all rounder. He fell lbw to Greg Mike for only 17, but after we had left by mid-afternoon, it was no surprise to learn that Thurston had progressed to a century. His innings with good support from the tail gave Northants a first innings total of 362 and sent them well on their way to victory on day four by 267 runs.

The Kibworth pavilion.

Next day we were at Fenner's in Cambridge for a one day game between the University and the United Kingdom Armed Forces Cricket Association, which is a modern version of the old Combined Services side. The only name in the Services side we were familiar with was the skipper Flight Lieutenant A. M. Fisher, known to us as  Adam Mark Fisher, not only captain of Sheriff Hutton Bridge cricket club in the Yorkshire League North, but also the elder brother of Matthew Fisher, now of both Yorkshire and England.

A close contest ensued in front of a handful of spectators, Cambridge making 217-8 in 50 overs thanks to 64 from their captain A.J. Moen, yet another product of Tonbridge School, and 57 from opening bat N.J. Taylor. The excellent scorecard told us that the best bowler for the Services was Sergeant Denson Narayan of the Royal Logistics Corps, no less, with 3-37.

The gateway to Fenner's.

The services brisk reply was led by Corporal V. Bali of the King's Royal Hussars who top scored with 71 before becoming the fifth man out with the total on 149. The run chase continued with skipper Fisher making 25 and fellow R.A.F. man Corporal Adam Sutcliffe 24 not out. However with the tail-enders unable to give sufficient support, the Services side were all out for 208 in the 47th over, leaving the University the winners by just nine runs.

The following day, after formal dinner at my grandson's college, we were back at Fenner's  for a BUCS fifty overs match with Loughborough University, who are still one of the stronger University sides, something which sadly cannot be said of Cambridge these days. Still for people with long memories, like myself, always fascinating to see the famous names on the board in the pavilion from the sides of the 1940s and 1950s.

Cambridge teams from the past.

Loughborough fielders patrol the boundary at Fenner's.

Cambridge batted, but lost two early wickets, and it was left to opener Taylor and Fernandes to put runs on the board with 34 and 37 respectively. After that there was something of a mid innings collapse until Dryden, at number seven, held things together until the end of the innings with some good hitting in his 48 not out which included two fours and three sixes. Cambridge all out for 195. Loughborough's spinner George Tait had the best figures of 3-41 with Northants' slow left armer Freddie Heldreich taking 2-30.

Cambridge batting against Loughborough.

Loughborough made easy work of their target with 79 from Tom Hinley from Sussex, 31 from Ajay Khunti, who has played for Leicester seconds and 39 not out from Nils Priestley, their captain who has played for Derbyshire. A slight hiccup in losing four wickets near the end, but Loughborough comfortable winners by three wickets with ten overs to spare.

The Loughborough team leave the field after bowling Cambridge out.

During the game with Loughborough news filtered in from another match being played across the City at the Fitzwilliam College ground. Cambridge University women had made an incredible score of 296-5 in only thirty overs against University of Warwick ladies (a fine distinction that!). To make things even worse for the visitors they were bowled all out for just 24. Was their journey really necessary?

Next day on our journey home we visited Trent Bridge for day one of the championship game between Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire. The headlines were all expected to be about the return to action of England hero Stuart Broad. However after he took the first wicket of the Worcester innings, it was Dane Paterson the South African bowler who took the next eight wickets in succession to finish with career best figures of 8-52. Getting some difficult lift from a length at the pavilion end Paterson had four wickets caught behind and Worcester, all out 159 had no answer.

Dane Paterson on his way to career best figures.

Dane Paterson bowling from the pavilion end.

Due to the cold temperatures, we left by mid afternoon to make our way home. Despite a rear-guard action from Ed Barnard with 163 in the second innings Notts were winners by five wickets on day three. By this time we had exchanged the cold of Nottingham for the warmth of Headingley on day two of Yorkshire's game with Kent. Here after a desperately slow start to the Yorkshire innings, we were royally entertained by a huge partnership of 269 between two centurions Dawid Malan and Harry Brook for the fourth wicket. Brook in particular found the gaps in the field brilliantly and scored most of his runs in boundaries.

This game continues as I write, but all in all a memorable week of cricket at all levels.

An interesting afternoon of league cricket.

 posted by John Winn

My first opportunity to see league cricket in 2022 without travelling too far took me on a familiar drive across the Ure to the village of Sessay a few miles south of Thirsk. The pandemic has restricted my visits to this attractive ground since 2019 but it looked as well maintained as ever when I arrived there on Saturday. As my picture shows the sky was blue and the sun shining but the stiff easterly breeze which has been a feature of the weather in the Lower Ure Valley for a few days now made sitting still a poor option. 

Visitors to Sessay were York based Clifton Alliance who were in the field. Arriving with about half an hour's cricket played I found  Sessay had lost a wicket but made good progress before Mark Jackson was caught and bowled at 65 for 2. This brought Afghani test player, Nasir Jamal, to the crease. He stayed just under an hour but might have been run out twice in the first few minutes between which two incidents he came close to running out his partner as well. Jamal soon revealed some wristy shots as he and Craig Ross added 58 for the fourth wicket. This was key in helping Sessay to total 196 for 9 off their fifty overs, a score 15 runs too much for Clifton who were all out for 181. Sessay's weekend was not all joy however for yesterday they were eliminated from the National Club Championship when they lost to County Durham outfit Hetton Lyons by six wickets. 

Taking the alternative route over the Aldwark toll bridge I came back 'over the water' to Great Ouseburn and the Lightmire Lane ground of Ouseburn CC. Relegated from Division One last year Ouseburn faced Thornton Watlass who in 2014 were playing in Division Five. Watlass were batting and had recovered from 80 for 8 to 130 for 9. Enter Jonty Moorhouse who with his first and only ball of the match had Ned Hillsborough brilliantly caught in the deep by Will Bennison for 75. 

The 131 target proved something of a breeze for OCC largely through the efforts of that man Bennison who hit 80 off 69 balls, fifteen fours and one six. Will is very much part of Yorkshire's plans but will be missing from his local side's line up for a few week while his school St Peter's York has first claims on his talents. With the runs knocked off in 26 overs the game was over by 6:00 but it had been good to see so many old friends undeterred by the easterly breeze. 

A somewhat chastened Thornton Watlass leave the field on Saturday

Early season wanderings.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Early season wanderings have so far largely involved watching cricket in Durham and West Yorkshire, with almost sunshine all the way, apart from some instances of a rather piercing easterly breeze. This was much in evidence at the Emirates Riverside as Durham rather underperformed against Nottinghamshire.

Spectators enjoy the sunshine at Emirates Riverside.

We saw the first two days with Nottinghamshire always in control, but were sad to hear of Durham's collapse on the third day, showing very little resistance as they plunged to an innings defeat. The first day was notable for the appearance of endless varieties of the Patterson or Peterson clan from points around the world. However it was a local lad, Sunderland born would you believe, in Liam Patterson-White, who took the headlines with 5-54 as Durham were all out for 230.

Durham made a reasonable start against Patterson and Pattinson.

Dickson and Jones, both in good form last week added 66 for the first wicket and Dickson top scored with 54, but thereafter only the efforts of Eckersley and Raine took them to some sort of respectability. Unfortunately Trevaskis was twice hit on the helmet and had to retire for a concussion review. It was decided he could not return and George Drissell, the young spinner recruited from the West Country, took his place as a concussion substitute.

George Drissell on the field as concussion substitute

Nottinghamshire's batsmen made hay in the sunshine of the second day in which they lost only three wickets, all to Potts, who was Durham's bowling hero last week. A century for Ben Slater, the former Derbyshire man, who we remember as one of the early recruits of Leeds/Bradford University many years ago, was followed by a maiden century from Lyndon James. With Evison having already done likewise earlier in the season perhaps a message to Notts that they should not ignore local talent, as they seem to have done in the recent past.

A week or so earlier we had briefly re-visited Bradford Park Avenue to see Yorkshire seconds take on Northants seconds. Although the playing area looks in excellent condition, the seating and facilities for spectators leave a lot to be desired and it is hard to see this wonderful old ground ever being restored to it's former glories. Highlight of our visit was a century for Matthew Waite, perhaps somewhat forgotten in the long queue of local talent available to the club, despite all the overseas recruits still arriving endlessly.

Bradford Park Avenue.

Other grounds visited include Adel, for a pre-season friendly with Kirkstall and also in Leeds to New Rover for a Heavy Woollen Cup game with Yorkshire champions Castleford, who progressed rather easily as expected. In addition Leeds/Bradford University took on Bristol at Weetwood, with Jack Timby unfortunately out caught and bowled for 99. Also a visit to Pudsey Congs where Leeds Beckett University were in action against Manchester University.

Leeds Beckett v Manchester University at Pudsey Congs.

During our trips to Durham we also called in at Brandon, for a pre-season friendly with near neighbours Durham City, where former Durham man Gordon Muchall scored a century for the home side. Then to Darlington Railway Athletic to see the final stages of their first league game with victory over Guisborough. Also a brief visit to Durham Racecourse ground where the University had an easy victory over Cambridge University.

Cricket at Brandon.

Evening sunshine at Darlington Railway Athletic.

Durham University at the Racecourse ground.

However two highlights of the week took place yesterday, which gave us great pleasure. Two young men we have watched over several years, both scored maiden first class centuries. Matty McKiernan, who started with Lancashire, before developing with Cumbria, scored a century for Derbyshire and George Hill, who we had seen score centuries for Sedbergh School, Yorkshire Under 17s and Yorkshire Academy did likewise for Yorkshire at Northampton. Congratulations to them both!

George Hill in his days with Yorkshire Academy at Weetwood.

Championship provides some exciting cricket

 posted by John Winn

This Thursday, April 21st, all counties will be in action in the championship, a competition although seemingly under sentence of death in anything like its present form has in its first two rounds provided some excellent fare for its followers. We have seen some remarkable batting with centuries aplenty, double hundreds and big partnerships which have sent the scene for enthralling last day finishes. The second round, completed on Saturday saw second division favourites Notts beaten at Trent Bridge by Glamorgan, a contest at Bristol won by Yorkshire just after five o'clock, rearguard actions at The Riverside where Leicester lost only two wickets on the final day and at Hove where Sussex, 339 behind on first innings, lost only three more wickets in the match and Haines and Pujara added 351 for the third wicket. To my surprise this did not set a new record for the Sussex third wicket, that still stands to Michael Yardy and Murray Goodwin who put on an unbroken 385 at Hove v Warwickshire in 2006.

Of course matches do not have to go into the final twenty overs on the fourth day to capture one's attention. On Saturday at Taunton Essex 3 for 1 over night but chasing only 89 for victory were 4 for 4, 28 for 6, and 60 for 8 until Rossington and Snater took the score to 83 before the latter became Craig Overton's sixth victim only for four leg byes got Essex over the line. What a splendid couple of hours entertainment that provided on live stream. Twelve counties have now played two matches but none have recorded two victories. Surrey top Division 1 with Essex second and in Division 2 Glamorgan lead with Durham second. Only Somerset have lost two matches and that makes it six championship defeats in a row, their worst run in over sixty years. 

My watching has been limited to a shortened day at The Riverside where I saw centuries from Dickson and Beddingham. Of equal importance I saw several old friends some, like Our Hartlepool Correspondent, who I had not seen since 2019. I will be back on Thursday when Notts cross the River Wear. Club cricket in my area does not start until this coming Saturday when my local club, Ouseburn, relegated to Div 2 of The Nidderdale League face Thornton Watlass at Lighthouse Lane. The withdrawal of Yorkshire Academy from Yorkshire Premier (North) leaves Harrogate without a game. York travel to Sheriff Hutton Bridge so I may cut my teeth on a trip to Sessay who take on Clifton Alliance. 

Not Darlington FC's latest attempt to shore up their back four which leaked four goals in 25 minutes yesterday but a tribute to those members who donated their membership fees in 2020 despite the absence of cricket through covid. 

Durham v Leicestershire at Riverside.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

After a drawn game with Glamorgan at Cardiff last week, mainly due to weather interruptions, Durham faced Leicestershire in their first home game of the new season. The forecast looked good for the four days and a reasonable crowd attended on the first morning, with the pleasure of renewing friendships from last season and in some cases even longer ago.

The players line up before the start

A few new faces in the two sides as they lined up for a minute's respectful silence before the start. Perhaps the most notable being Keegan Peterson, recently in action for South Africa in a Test Match with Bangladesh, who was fresh off the plane only yesterday. He replaced Alex Lees suffering with a back injury after his big century last week. Another newcomer for Durham was promising all rounder Oliver Gibson making his first class debut, as was Nick Welsh for Leicester, a Zimbabwean born batsman who is yet another product of Loughborough University. A strange decision by Leicester was to leave slow left armer Callum Parkinson out of the side, which they may have regretted later in the game.

The game gets underway.

Leicestershire won the toss and asked the home side to bat first. This decision initially seemed to have paid off, when Jones, Petersen and Borthwick were all back in the pavilion with the score 34-3. Soon afterwards however Leicestershire's most experienced bowler, Chris Wright, had to leave the field with an injury problem. The fourth wicket pair of David Bedingham and Sean Dickson set about the depleted attack and were still together at tea, with Bedingham already past the century mark and Dickson poised on 99 not out.

Dickson and Bedingham leave the field at tea time.

Sun shining on Lumley Castle.

Dickson duly went to his first century for Durham with the first ball after the interval. Not quite a new experience for him as he once scored over three hundred for Kent. The partnership had put on 231 before the hard working Ed Barnes, formerly with Yorkshire, took his second wicket by having Dickson lbw for 120. Bedingham was still there at close of play on 184 not out, with the total a healthy 356-6.

Two centurions on the board.

After the run feast, the second day was one of hard graft. Unfortunately Bedingham fell just short of his double century when he was caught and bowled by fellow South African Beuran Hendricks for191. This seemed to slow things down somewhat and Durham progressed at a leisurely pace which seemed to do little to advance the game. Raine and Potts put together a partnership of 61, but one felt they could have gone a bit quicker with so many runs already on the board.

12th man duties for Callum Parkinson, who could have been bowling.

Durham might have declared once the 400 mark was passed, having just missed out on another batting point, but plodded on to 428 all out. This left Ben Raine 51 not out, which had taken almost two and a half hours. Valuable runs nevertheless. Leicestershire's reply was in the same vein, with Azad, fresh from his match saving century last week against Worcestershire, dropping anchor after the early loss of Evans and Rhodes. At the close of day two Azad was 65 not out, with skipper Ackermann a little more adventurous on58 not out. Leicester 159-2 overnight from 67 overs. A day of attrition you might say.

Day three was memorable initially for a fine bowling performance from Matt Potts, the young Durham seam bowler, with a career best performance of 6-58. He dismissed the limpet like Azad, caught behind for 66, before running through the middle order. The only real resistance came from Ackermann with a dogged 81, made in three hours forty minutes, and some late runs from Swindells and Hendricks. Wright came into bat with a runner at last man and it took spinner Trevaskis to get rid of him. Leicestershire all out 273.

A day to remember for Matthew Potts.

The injured batsman, Chris Wright, stands at square leg.

By now Leicester were without the services of both opening bowlers, Wright and Hendricks, with injuries and Durham were able to go to town with a vengeance against the weakened attack. Jones and Dickson put on a rapid first wicket partnership of 152, making good use of the short pavilion side boundary. Dickson went for 84, but Jones continued to achieve his first county championship century for Durham, both batsmen hitting three sixes. Again most people seemed to think Durham should have declared before the close in an effort to get a wicket or two, but they batted on to 239-2 before declaring the next morning, leaving Leicestershire 395 to win.

We did not stay for the final day, which proved to be just as well, as the rather unhelpful wicket made it difficult to dislodge the Leicestershire batsmen, who obviously had no hope of chasing the victory target. Opener Sam Evans led the way of this backs to the wall exercise with a marathon 77 not out in an innings of five hours. The only small ray of sunshine for Durham was Olly Gibson's first wicket when he dismissed Rhodes caught behind from what someone described as his worst ball of the day!

Still some plus points from Durham, with what could be described as their second winning draw, which leaves them with some selection problems if Lees is fit again to face Nottinghamshire at the Riverside next Thursday. All the batsmen are making runs.

Strange behaviour by Lancashire

Posted by Tony Hutton

The small band of cricket enthusiasts who watch cricket at the home of Leeds/Bradford University at Weetwood in Leeds, having already been robbed of their Saturday afternoons of Yorkshire Academy cricket by the late decision to remove them from the Yorkshire Premier League North, had further grounds for complaint last week by the behaviour of Lancashire County Cricket club.

A three day friendly game between the University side and Lancashire second eleven was scheduled to start on Thursday 7th April and the Lancashire website proudly stated that a strong 13 man squad including skipper Dane Vilas, Matt Parkinson, newcomer Phil Salt and others would take part. Parkinson in particular must have been looking forward to actually playing cricket, after a long winter trailing round Australia and the West Indies as a permanent spare part in the England squad.

However it appears that Lancashire did not travel on the first day, presumably due to a overnight rain which affected the outfield. However hopes were high for two days cricket on the Friday and Saturday with a good forecast, bright sunshine from early morning and the excellent field ready for play. I gather that Lancashire did travel on Friday, arriving before 10 a.m., but for some reason decided that they did not want to play and quickly disappeared back to Manchester having called the whole game off.  

The outfield may have still been a little damp and I gather the home side offered to field first in order to placate their highly paid and valuable visitors. However to no avail and the University lads were left high and dry to spend the day at net practice. The worst aspect of this sad saga seems to be that Lancashire were well on their way home before second eleven coach Karl Krikken took the trouble to phone the hard working Weetwood groundsman, Richard Robinson, to tell him that the game had been called off.

The ground had been played on the previous week by Yorkshire County Cricket club for two full days during which the county side totted up a total exceeding 400, with two century makers, so nothing much wrong with the wicket. With Lancashire not playing in the first round of Championship matches it would appear that two days cricket against a strong University side would have been ideal preparation for them.

As it is Lancashire's reputation on this side of the Pennines has now reached an all time low and, at a time when county cricket needs all the friends it can get, has left a very poor impression of the game. An e-mail to Lancashire asking for reasons behind the decision was acknowledged, but not replied to. All that has appeared on the county's website is the two words 'Match Abandoned'. Not good enough Lancashire.

Good news and bad news.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The good news for professional cricket watchers is that cricket got underway both at county and league level over the last weekend, with various friendlies going on. Unfortunately the three day game between Leeds/Bradford University and Yorkshire county cricket club lost the first day on Saturday due to a wet outfield, following quite a heavy snow fall earlier in the week. However for the dedicated enthusiasts relief was at hand, just across the road, where New Rover cricket club took on near neighbours Adel in a pre-season friendly.

New Rover batting with Adel in the field.

Here we were greeted by former Headingley groundsman, Keith Boyce, long time resident at the immaculate New Rover ground. Keith took pity on two elderly spectators by opening up the scorebox, so that we could watch in relative comfort protected from the cold wind. How to start your season in style was like watching cricket from the Royal Box!

The view from the 'Royal Box'.

The following day, with little change in the conditions, play did get underway at Weetwood with Yorkshire getting off to a poor start, losing both openers, Lyth and Hill, very quickly in the cool wind. So a wicket each for the University opening bowlers Sam Ellis, originally from Shropshire but now with Kent and Kurtis Watson from Lancashire. Malan and Brook, fresh from cricket around the world during the winter, both looked in good form and soon put Yorkshire well on top.

The season gets underway at Weetwood.

From 7-2 the score progressed to 104-3 when Malan was bowled by Ben Parker from Worcestershire for 46. Harry Brook continued on his merry way, watched as ever by his grandmother newly returned from watching in the West Indies, and completed his century with the aid of seventeen fours. He was almost immediately caught and bowled by Joe Pocklington, a left arm spinner from Sussex.

Harry Brook on his way to a century.

It continued to be hard work for the bowlers for the rest of the day as Will Fraine also completed a century with thirteen fours and two sixes, finishing on 122 not out, as with the help of 85 from Dom Bess he took the Yorkshire total to 402-7 at the end of the day.  Watson came back with two late wickets for the University, to finish with respectable figures of 3-59.

Winter headwear a necessity at Weetwood.

On Monday, when the conditions were even colder, only the hardiest of enthusiasts turned up to watch. It was here that we learned of the bad news. It was confirmed that the Yorkshire Academy team had been removed from the Yorkshire Premier League North, despite the fixtures having been published over two months ago, giving a full programme for them. These had already found their way into our diaries as they had for several other enthusiasts we spoke to.

No announcement from the new Yorkshire management team, but one can imagine that not only the Yorkshire League are none to pleased about this. The Academy have produced an endless flow of both county and Test cricketers over the last twenty odd years and for those of us who have enjoyed seeing them all develop, this is a complete kick in the teeth. If finance is one of the reasons behind this decision how odd it seems that a virtual procession of overseas signings continue to arrive at Headingley.

Nevertheless the game continues and interest surrounded the appearance of two sons of famous cricketers in the University ranks. First we saw Ibtasam ul Haq, son of none other the Inzaman ul Haq, who famously appeared briefly for Yorkshire in 2007, in similar wintry conditions at Scarborough. His son has recently come to Leeds University, but made only a fleeting appearance as opener before gloving a catch to Harry Duke from Thompson's bowling. Enter another son of a famous father in Josh de Caires, son of Mike Atherton, who made a century against Yorkshire last season.

Josh de Caries plays a straight bat, just like his father.

He again provided the backbone of the University batting with a fine 51, including seven fours and one huge six to the long mid-wicket boundary. His only real support came from wicketkeeper Tom Keast, brother of skipper Nick, with 35. The innings stuttered to the close with a total of 152-8. Thompson was the pick of the bowlers with 3-16, although Tom Loten picked up two cheap wickets near the end with 2-10. Good to see Ben Coad back in action and hopes are high that he will be fit enough for the first Championship game at Bristol on April 14th.

Good to see many friends and acquaintances, some of whom we had not seen since last season. However the overriding feeling was one of great disappointment that we will no longer be spending Saturday afternoons watching the Academy in action at Weetwood. A great shame all round.

Heyday? Hardly.

posted by John Winn

On January 21st I wrote in this medium

'Social media, the press and broadcasting outlets continue to express their anguish at England's recent four nil defeat in Australia.' 

Delete the last five words and substitute 'one nil defeat in the West Indies' and little has changed except the anguish has perhaps got deeper. Comments on twitter and in facebook, at least from those I follow, increasingly express a concern for the future of the county championship and at their most pessimistic foresee its abolition and replacement by franchises or radical changes to its format which would create a super division of six and a second division of twelve counties. 

Amongst the hundreds of comments on this issue a few weeks ago there was a photo of championship cricket being played in the ninety seventies and in the accompanying description the author went as far as to say that this was the 'heyday' of county cricket ie 'the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, activity or vigour.' Really? The 1970s when championship cricket was already competing with the counter attractions of The Gillette Cup, introduced in 1963, John Player League, 40 over Sunday afternoon, from 1969, and from 1972 the Benson and Hedges cup which divided the counties, minor counties (North and South) and Cambridge University into four zones of five, the members of which played each other once before quarter finals, semi finals and a final at Lord's. 

The first of these, The Gillette, came in response to the constant complaints about the slow play in first class cricket and the accompanying requests and promises to provide 'brighter cricket' which were a feature of cricket writing in the fifties. Wisden's 'Notes by the Editor' touched upon the topic on an annual basis from the middle of the decade onwards. In 1961 MCC appointed a committee of twenty under the chairmanship of Colonel RS Rait Kerr to consider the 'state of first class cricket' which followed similar enquiries in 1937, 1944, and 1957. All this long before the supposed 'heyday' in the 1970s. In its 1956 edition Wisden devoted 15 pages to an article by Bill Bowes  on the 'Growing Pains of Cricket' in which the celebrated former Yorkshire and England bowler sought the opinions of 16 of the most famous players of the first half of the twentieth century. Mostly it centred on discussion of changes to the lbw law introduced in 1937 which a majority of the pundits felt had contributed to the increasing dullness of the game.  Let us imagine that following Bowes' article the law had reverted to its pre 1937 position. Would the thousands  who had given up watching championship cricket after its post second WWII boom suddenly return to their nearest county ground with a spring in their step and a smile on their faces in response to a change in one of cricket's laws. Hardly.

Measuring something's heyday is not an easy thing but if we use attendances then the decline in cricket's popularity as a spectator sport is easily seen. In 1947 total attendance, exclusive of members, at county matches was 2,300,910 and by 1960 the corresponding figure was a little over 1 million, a decline of over 50%. Slow play undoubtedly contributed to this decline along with the counter attractions of television, family cars, etc. So how far do we have to go back to find a time when Wisden was happy? How about this from the 1888 edition? 

County Cricket by The Editor (Charles F Pardon). 

'I am happy that this year we have been able to make room for a very full and exhaustive summary of county cricket of the season 1887. Not only has every match played by the leading clubs been commented upon but the best engagements of the minor counties are recorded. County cricket is now so important and the spirit of rivalry so keen that, interesting as the Australian visit will doubtless be, the competition among the great clubs will lose none of its excitement."

Although there was no official championship, Surrey, after a gap of 23 years, 'regained first position' and nothing illustrates better the popularity of the game than  the attendances for their match with arch rivals Notts at Kennington*  Oval over the August Bank Holiday weekend, Monday Tuesday, Wednesday 1st to 3rd of August. 24,450 on the first day, 16,943 on the second and 10, 243 on the third, grand total 51,607 and as these represent 'persons who paid' probably do not include members. Admission was 6d, 2.5 pence in today's money. Not all passed off smoothly however for the Surrey club, not having anticipated such attendances had 'not secured sufficient body of police' and there were 'incidents of bottle throwing and other playful (sic) eccentricities indulged in by some of the holiday people.' 

* a district of London, not a sponsor. 

Surrey's 'long season' began on May 16th and ended on August 31st. Their counterparts, 135 years later, will be in championship action on April 7th, snow permitting, and the scheduled fourth day of the last match is on September 29th.