Second eleven Roses match at Scarborough

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Watching four days of a second eleven championship game at Scarborough was as ever a pleasurable experience. The weather stayed dry for the most part and the temperatures varied with some unexpected sunshine along the way. Although the poor attendances never got above fifty people a day, which is a sad reflection on the local populace, the peace and quiet generated was very much to our liking. The ability to browse the photographs in the pavilion and to watch from the pavilion balcony, when it got a bit cold, were particular bonuses. The tea room on the other side of the ground was open throughout and deserved to do a much better trade, but somehow cricket in Scarborough does not have the same appeal for the locals as it does for the handful of travelling diehards.

The unchanging scene at North Marine Road.

  

The players take the field.

Yorkshire batted on Monday and after losing two early wickets looked very comfortable with fifties from Will Luxton, Jonathan Tattersall, who scored 190 for York at the weekend, and young Academy lad Yash Vagadia. After that the innings somehow subsided and 230-5 suddenly turned into 259 all out. Opening bowlers Liam Hurt, who always looks pretty quick, and Jack Blatherwick, formerly with Notts, both took three wickets. A brief appearance from an Australian, Joe Mennie, who bowled only three overs, and two more unknown seamers in Johnson and Birkman completed the Lancashire pace attack. There were only fleeting appearances from the two left arm spinners Morley and Hartley.

The view from the pavilion.

Yorkshire's England under 19 pace bowler Ben Cliff took the early wicket of Walkden, but then J.J. Fielding and wicketkeeper and captain George Lavelle took over with a partnership of 163. Fielding stayed for three hours before being surprisingly caught from the bowling of Vagadia for 75. Lavelle, now well supported by another England under 19 player in George Bell, went on to an excellent century and at the close of day two Lancashire were 317-2, with Lavelle 157 not out and Bell 74 not out.

One mystery man appeared in the Yorkshire ranks, which is often the case in second eleven cricket. This turned out to be A.W.G. Jones, who fortunately was listed in the second eleven yearbook, having turned out for Leicestershire seconds last year as a pace bowler. It was easy to spot him wearing a Durham University shirt and cap. He bowled a tidy spell early on, but suffered a little later on when Lavelle and Bell were in full flow.

Yorkshire's mystery man in full Durham University regalia.

Early on day three Matthew Waite, now one of the more experienced second team players, bowled a good spell to get rid of both batsmen Lavelle for 162 and the very youthful looking Bell for 81. The admirable NV play website told us that Blatherwick had been replaced by the Scarborough overseas player Breidyn Schaper. Lancashire however continued to pile on the runs and tail ender Jack Morley was on the verge of a fifty when bad light caused a delay. He made 45 not out with seven fours and a six, urged on by his vociferous team mates. When play resumed Lancashire declared on 486-8, but after only three overs rain brought a premature end to proceedings.

Bell and Lavelle both unbeaten at tea on day two.

So on the final day Yorkshire were faced with the task of batting all day to save the game. The early loss of Wharton and Luxton to the pace of Hurt, made this seem unlikely. Tattersall continued his good form of the first innings with another fifty and after Fraine was out for 37 Waite came to the crease in determined fashion. Usually known for his aggressive hitting he played a most disciplined innings, content to occupy the crease. 

Liam Hurt bowling early in Yorkshire's second innings.

When Allison and Vagadia fell cheaply with the score only 148-6 a Lancashire victory seemed imminent. However Waite was joined by Noah Priestley, a young all rounder from Todmorden and despite both left arm spinners Hartley and Morley bowling additional overs before the tea interval - a most unusual occurrence - the pair managed to stay together throughout the final session of play to salvage a draw for Yorkshire. Waite finishing on 82 not out in four hours with only four boundaries and Priestley an admirable 55 not out at the close.

Noah Priestley who played a major part in saving the game for Yorkshire.

The lasting impression of the game however was the batting of three young men for Lancashire, who should be the mainstays of the county's run scoring for many years to come. Remember those names J.J. Fielding, George Lavelle and George Bell, who looks much like the young Joe Root when he started with the Yorkshire Academy, i.e. much too young to be playing with adults!