Two weeks of ground hopping.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Apart from my recent report from Richmond, the last two weeks have been filled by a sort of tour of the north of England, re-visiting some of my favourite cricket grounds and also ticking off one or two new ones. If we start back on Wednesday 15th June our local ground at Weetwood, Leeds saw Leeds University beat Cardiff Met. University in the semi-final of the University trophy. This is the second tier competition with Leeds/Bradford U.C.C.E. having already reached the top tier final.

Cricket at the Leeds University ground, Weetwood.

A week later Leeds/Bradford rather easily beat Loughborough University in their final at Kibworth, Leicestershire and the following day Leeds Beckett beat Leeds University in the trophy final at the same ground. Which all goes to show the strength of University cricket in the city of Leeds.

Thursday 16th June brought us to Kirkstall Educational cricket club, a favourite haunt for many years, just round the corner from the Headingley cricket ground. The Yorkshire Cricket College were taking on the north eastern branch of the Forty Club, who produced two centurions on the day in Imran Patel and Kevin Owens. The College put up a good fight finishing on 254-9 just 35 runs short. Only a handful of spectators on a hot, sunny day and, as ever, good to see top groundsman and club chairman Dave Hodgson.

The Forty Club batting at ' The Field of Dreams', Kirkstall.

The weekend brought a return to my old ground-hopping days, this time around the North Yorkshire coastal area. Starting off at Grosmont, once of the defunct Esk Valley League (now only an evening league) and currently in the Scarborough Beckett League. A pleasant spot in this busy village on the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway.

Grosmont batting at home to Ravenscar.

Then across towards the coast to Ravenscar, a high cliff top ground with distant views of Robin Hood's Bay. A second team match in progress with much time spent looking for lost balls in the surrounding long grass, but some enterprising batting from the visitors Forge Valley. 

Ravenscar, where the vegetation is not ideal for finding cricket balls.

Further down the coast to Scarborough Rugby club, whose cricket section appear to be the poor relations, with no pavilion or other facilities in comparison to the substantial premises of the rugby club next door. Here the main attraction was the distant view of Scarborough Castle. Visitors Flamborough claimed a rather easy victory.

Scarborough Rugby club (cricket section).

On the other side of Scarborough we found the attractive ground of Folkton and Flixton, who are past winners of the Village Trophy at Lord's. A fine pavilion and well kept ground, under the shadow of the Yorkshire Wolds, saw a high scoring encounter between the village seconds and Bridlington seconds. The home side's run chase got off to a remarkably speedy start, but unfortunately petered out.

Flixton and Folkton chasing runs against Bridlington.

We missed out on games at Scalby and Muston due to visiting sides having conceded, presumably unable to raise a team. Apparently, this ever increasing problem, brings a deduction of sixteen points in the Scarborough Beckett League. On to Filey cricket club on the coast, but sadly not an attractive ground. My previous visit here for a benefit game was shrouded in sea mist and little was seen of the action.

Filey cricket club pavilion.

Sunday 19th June saw us much nearer home at the pleasant ground of Bradford and Bingley cricket club of the Bradford League. The game was a Heavy Woollen Cup quarter final between the home side and New Farnley, league leaders with a wealth of talented players, many with first class experience. The visitors won, thanks to a century from Dan Hodgson, a former Yorkshire seconds player, but not before the youngsters in the Bingley tail put up stout resistance led by Jack Luxton, younger brother of Yorkshire's Will.

Bradford and Bingley's Wagon Lane ground.

Then on to Richmond, as already reported, before two more local games at Weetwood where the Northern Diamonds Women's side was surprisingly beaten by the boys from Yorkshire cricket college with the help of a century from G. Fisher from the Doncaster Town club. Then a brief visit to Woodhouse Grove School who managed to draw their annual game with M.C.C.

Woodhouse Grove School. The sight screens highlight the slope.

We then travelled to the Lake District for some league cricket on Saturday 25th June. First Keswick v Haverigg in the Cumbria League at Fitz Park, a lovely ground in a public park alongside the river and overlooked by the massive Skiddaw mountain. Another longstanding favourite ground, beautiful when the sun shines as it did that day, together with a century from Sri Lankan professional Risith Upamal.

Fitz Park, Keswick.

 Then just up the road for a brief visit to Threlkeld cricket club, certainly an all time favourite, with the unbelievable view of Blencathra in the background. Sadly Threlkeld of the Eden Valley League were all out for 95, losing to Lanercost by nine wickets.

The wonderful view at Threlkeld.

The following day Cumbria were due to play Northumberland in the National Counties Trophy for a place in the semi-finals. Sadly the rain, so prevalent in this area, returned for the day and it was soon obvious no play would be possible. However, we were happy to meet up in the pavilion with old friends with long connections with the Cumbria (formerly Cumberland) County Club, in Eric Carter and Gilbert Johnstone. Gilbert, despite his recent illness, was in full flow as usual and it was great to catch up with him again.

Gilbert Johnstone.

The day before the rains came to Keswick.

We headed back to Yorkshire and were soon out of the rain belt, back into the sunshine, and stopped off at the Olicanian ground in Ilkley where the Sunday third eleven league of the Aire/Wharfe competition was in full flow. We were delighted to visit the brand new pavilion, opened this season after the tragic fire which destroyed the old one. Yet another century this time from the home side's Louis Anderson with a flurry of sixes against Alwoodley.

Olicanian cricket club Ilkley, with brand new pavilion.

Next day we completed full circle, back to Richmond for yet another Durham seconds game this time against Kent. Would you believe it, yet another century, this time from South African David Bedingham, trying to regain his form after rather a difficult spell. We only saw the first day this time, but apparently the game was abandoned after a much shortened day three, with no play on the final day at all. However Bedingham's century took our total for the month of June to fifteen, so eat your heart out Mike Latham (another man who keeps a list of all the centuries he sees).

Delighted to see two Durham second eleven games at Richmond.

Obviously Yorkshire seconds game at Nottingham this week has hit the headlines with an amazing innings by Finlay Bean of York cricket club, making a record breaking second eleven score of 441 in a record total of 814-7. Quite an achievement for a young man who seemed to have been written off by the county not long ago.

Finlay Bean with his overnight score on Wednesday.

One final note, wishing fellow blogger John Winn a speedy recovery from his recent operation, which I understand went well. Hoping to see him back to cricket watching very soon.