Dramatic win for Yorkshire over 50s.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The keenly contested over fifties county championship has reached the play off stage and sixteen teams were in action on Sunday with a place in the quarter finals at stake. Yorkshire, previous winners on several occasions and always serious contenders, were in action at the Al-Murad Stadium. To the uninitiated, which no doubt included the visiting Surrey team, this is not the Middle East somewhere, but in fact the home of Elsecar cricket club in South Yorkshire.

Light rain during the morning and an annoyingly persistent drizzle meant that the scheduled 1 p.m. start had to be put back a couple of hours and the original 45 over game was reduced to 30 overs per side. This however gave us the opportunity to explore not only the neighbouring parkland, but the fascinating Elsecar Heritage centre which was the site of a coalmine and iron works many years ago.

Play gets underway at Elsecar.

When play did eventually get underway Yorkshire won the toss and put Surrey into bat, obviously believing that knowing their target to win would be an advantage. The visitors got off to a brisk start putting on 73 for the first wicket until Khawar Saleem was unfortunately run out backing up when the ball brushed the bowler's fingers before demolishing the wicket. He had made a useful 37. His partner Keith Fisher was now joined by Jonathan Wileman, who in the past had played for Nottinghamshire as well as Lincolnshire in the Minor Counties.

Surrey finding runs hard to get.

Wileman soon showed aggressive tendencies and hit a six into the pavilion seats. However he only made nine before being bowled by Jason Meadows. This seemed to slow the Surrey effort down somewhat and the loss of three more wickets, all to Stuart Hudson, including Keith Fisher after a valiant 54, seemed to have given Yorkshire the advantage. They bowled the last few overs very tightly and restricted Surrey to 165-5, which seemed a little below par.

Haider Jahangir bowling for Yorkshire.

Yorkshire's openers Nick Gaywood and Iqbal Khan also put on a good partnership but at a rather pedestrian pace, meaning the home side were behind the rate when both were out for the same score 31 each. Fortunately Bandula Ranjith and skipper Steve Foster accelerated the rate somewhat but when they were both out, the game was back in the melting pot.

Wicketkeeper Paul Fenn was now joined by Pudsey Congs legend Barbar Butt and surely they would see Yorkshire safely home as only eleven runs were needed from the two final overs. The penultimate over (the 29th), bowled by Cliff Hill, seemed to change that completely. After two dot balls, Fenn managed a single off the third. Barbar Butt then failed to score from the remaining three balls. So ten to win off the final over.

Barbar Butt - always the man for a crisis.

Tim Knight was entrusted with the task of bowling the vital final over. His first ball produced a single for Fenn, the second produced a mighty six from Barbar Butt (always the man for a crisis!). Now just three to win from four balls. Butt got another single, but then tragedy as he was run out by the bowler on the fourth ball. So three to win off two balls and Fenn somehow managed to produce a four from the penultimate ball to settle the argument once and for all.

 

Under 18s county cricket gets underway

 Posted by Tony Hutton

This week saw the start of three day under 18s cricket which is a regional competition initially, running alongside a 50 over cup competition which is already well underway. The Northern group consists of six teams - Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire. All  of them were in action this week and Durham, with an outstanding victory over Lancashire, lead the way. Their positive attitude was an example to the Durham senior side, who yet again delayed a declaration after half a day was lost to rain, to ensure yet another high scoring draw with Middlesex.

Perhaps Durham's senior side might have declared when Michael Jones was out for a well made 206.

However, let us concentrate on the youngsters. Durham batted first at Southport and compiled a rapid 456-9 declared in only 88.3 overs. The outstanding innings of the day came from Ross Whitfield, a 17 year old from Sunderland cricket club, who made an amazing 270, which included 34 fours and 6 sixes. Durham, who had been well represented at the ECB Super 4s competition at Loughborough the previous week, then bowled Lancashire out for 242, with the wickets well shared amongst the nine bowlers used.

Ross Whitfield (Durham)

Durham did not enforce the follow on, but batted again to make a rapid 226-7 declared in only 34 overs. Top scorer this time was skipper Ben McKinney, from the Hetton Lyons club, with 83. This time Lancashire put up some resistance, particularly from the lower order with 40 from Corey Flintoff, son of a famous father, and 53 from Harry Birkman. Durham kept chipping away and finally took the last wicket late on the third day to dismiss the home side for 284 to achieve a notable victory by 156 runs. Again the wickets were shared with three each for Jack Scott and Callum Gaffney.

Meanwhile at Weetwood, Leeds - Yorkshire under 18s entertained Leicestershire. Here some time was lost to the weather, but Yorkshire appeared to have the upper hand when they had the visitors struggling at 117-6, after early wickets from Noah Priestley. However the seventh wicket pair of Sam Wood (87) and Fred Fallows (85) put on 162 before Priestley returned to dismiss them both. Leicester were eventually all out for 330, with Priestley taking an admirable 6-51. 

Yorkshire then slumped to 100-6, only Yash Vagadia (44) making a significant contribution in the top order, but fortunately Priestley was again the hero with an innings of 96 from only 89 balls. Yorkshire all out 255. Leicestershire's second innings started badly and they were reduced to 57-4 before a partnership between highly rated leg spinner Reheem Ahmed and skipper Vikai Kelley, formerly with Warwickshire, got them out of trouble.

Kelley and Ahmed run a short single.

Vikai Kelley on his way to a century at Weetwood.

Unfortunately the morning session of the last day was lost to rain and these two almost batted out the day, with obviously no thoughts of a declaration. Ahmed surprisingly ran out of patience on 88 when he was caught off a skier from left arm spinner Clarke Doughney. Kelley went on to complete a fine century and was 104 not out from a total of 251-5, when the players shook hands on a draw at five o'clock.

Kelley seems surprised by his achievement at the end of the game, accompanied by Sam Wood.

In the third match in this group Nottinghamshire entertained neighbours Derbyshire at Worksop College. Derbyshire 325-9 declared were matched by the home side's 310-7 declared and although Derby were dismissed cheaply for 157 in the second innings, the home side did not have enough time to force victory and the match was drawn with Notts on 78-5.

So Durham are currently top of the table with maximum 24 points, Nottinghamshire have 13, Derbyshire and Yorkshire 12 each, Leicestershire 10 and Lancashire 6. The next round of matches start on Tuesday next 2nd August and we hope to be present at Park Drive, Hartlepool for the game between Durham and Yorkshire. Derbyshire meet Lancashire at Belper and Leicestershire play Nottinghamshire at Uppingham School.

Finally in the quarter finals of the knock out cup Yorkshire under 18s will entertain Lancashire at Castleford cricket club on Sunday 7th August, 11 a.m.

A green oasis in Westleigh

 By Mike Latham

Twenty20 games offer the cricketing enthusiast many opportunities to visit grounds that might not be on their agenda for a Saturday league game.

That was the case for me when I visited Westleigh CC for the GMCL Championship T20 quarter final against Micklehurst on Tuesday 26 July.

Westleigh CC have quietly established themselves in the Greater Manchester Cricket League since becoming founder members in 2016, after leaving the Bolton & District Association. Their First XI currently competes in the Championship, which is level three of the league’s structure.

Long time members of the now defunct Saddleworth League, Micklehurst joined the GMCL after brief stays in the now defunct Pennine League, and the Huddersfield League.

It was a remarkable effort by the visitors to get to Leigh in rush hour traffic from Saddleworth in time for a 6pm start.

The Westleigh ground is known as the Pingot and is approached via a narrow track off Firs Lane close to the main Atherleigh by-pass in Leigh, just half a mile or so from Leigh Sports Village.

Behind the far end of the ground the banking rises sharply and behind the fence is the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

The Leeds Liverpool Canal runs behind the Westleigh ground

The ground is a green oasis in the midst of a built-up area and obviously lovingly kept, as it was in immaculate condition on a sunny evening.

Though Leigh Cricket Club are the premier club in the town, with a great set-up and a First XI that competes in the Premier Division of the Liverpool & District Competition, Westleigh CC have obviously made great strides as well.

The GMCL has grown considerably since its formation and has attracted many clubs from a wide geographical area. Next season they will be further strengthened by two of the Bolton League’s most established clubs, Horwich RMI and Westhoughton who will both doubtless soon be competing for major honours.

Not so long ago there were two strong leagues in the Bolton area, the League and the Association, which merged in time for the 2016 season when they had 21 member clubs. Now that number is down to around 11 or 12. Greenmount are in the Lancashire League after a brief stay in the GMCL, Standish joined the Palace Shield and the others the GMCL.

The GMCL has adopted a CricHQ system for league administration and results rather than the Play Cricket app that most leagues have. Though it takes some getting used to, it’s a very informative system and live scoring throughout the quarterfinal added to the enjoyment for the spectator.

Westleigh, batting first, relied upon a remarkable performance by their opening bat Nadeera Adhikari for setting a competitive total of 137. He carried his bat for an unbeaten 84 off 54 balls, with the next highest score being 8. Micklehurst bowled and fielded tightly but the left-handed Adhikari escaped the shackles to hit eight fours and five huge sixes.

Nadeera Adhikari hits one of his five sixes

The visitors had a big hitting left hander of their own in Rizwan Hussain who looked capable of winning the game on his own. He had smashed his way to 53 off 27 balls including seven fours and three sixes when he chanced his arm once too many times and was caught in the deep.

Westleigh’s bowling and fielding stepped up a notch or two in the tense closing stages and they finally prevailed by just three runs when the visitors’ innings closed on 134 for 8 in the gloaming just after twenty past nine.

A glorious sunny evening at the Pingot

One of their outstanding fielders was the ex-Leigh Centurions halfback Josh Ward, who now concentrates on cricket and recently scored 171 in a second team game.

Josh became one of the youngest players in Leigh’s history when he made his debut against Avignon in 2012, 14 days short of his 17^th birthday. He later spent two seasons with Barrow, played for Gloucestershire All Golds, in the National Conference for Leigh Miners and spent three years playing country rugby in Australia.

He kept his nerve off the game’s penultimate ball, brilliantly fielding what looked like a nailed on shot for four right on the boundary and restricting the visitors to a single.

Josh Ward (number 5) celebrates Westleigh’s win with his teammates

It was a compelling game to watch that kept interest to the last ball, and both sides are to be commended for the competitive but sporting nature of the contest, watched intently by the spectators gathered in front of the club house.

As you can probably tell, I greatly enjoyed my evening in Westleigh and shall follow their progress keenly.

Eggborough Power Station and their current ground

By Mike Latham

In recent weeks I’ve extended my regular cricket watching into the Pontefract and District Cricket League. With new grounds to explore and new teams and players to watch, it’s been an enjoyable experience.

The PDL covers a wide geographical area including many of the old coal-mining areas of West and South Yorkshire. Games are played based on 46 overs per side.

The league has lost some of its top clubs to the Yorkshire Premier League system in recent years with Fairburn joining the North section and Ackworth the South. Ackworth was a regular host for the league’s cup finals and their departure must have been a big blow.

Ackworth CC

With several grounds in proximity, it’s possible to call in at a few games during a Saturday afternoon, especially as most are covered live on Play Cricket. Hence, one can estimate how much cricket is likely to be left in a particular game and whether the journey is worthwhile.

These days, unless there’s someone that I know who’s playing, or I have a particular interest in the match, I find it hard to watch a game right through if there’s the possibility of visiting another new ground nearby. And after all, with only 22 Saturdays or thereabouts in a season, you can’t afford to waste a day, especially after a long journey by car. That’s my excuse anyway, but then I’ve long been a groundhopper.

One ground I really enjoyed visiting- and where I received a very warm welcome- was Eggborough Power Station CC, located just off the A19 towards Selby from the M62 motorway.

Just as at fellow league member Ferrybridge Power Station, the cooling towers – such a dominant sight on the skyline of the area- have been demolished in recent years. What a sight they must have been close.

I did visit Ferrybridge in 2017 before demolition for a game pictured below.

Ferrybridge Power Station CC in 2017

And on my return this year the backdrop was entirely different (see below).

Ferrybridge Power Station CC in 2022

Unfortunately, at Eggborough Power Station, I didn’t get a ‘before’ photo, but I was able to visit in what I understand is the club’s final season on their current ground. If you look closely, by the way, there's a pun in there.

Eggborough Power Station CC in 2013 (Tony Hutton)

But Tony Hutton kindly provided a photo that he took on a visit in 2013.

As part of the site’s redevelopment under new owners the club will be accommodated on a new cricket ground a few hundred yards away from the current site, from as early as next season.

The club captain, who was missing the game because of injury, explained this would give the club fresh impetus and enable them to build an infrastructure.

Hirst Courtney CC in 2006 (Tony Hutton)

Currently they run only one team, but they have recruited several new members of late, after neighbouring club Hirst Courtney’s Saturday team folded. And they had a successful junior training night which gives the potential to build up a junior set-up such was the interest.

Eggborough Power Station CC

The game I saw was quite a way down the PDL pyramid, being a division five encounter against Wakefield Thornes thirds.

After the recent dry weather, the outfield was dry and parched, resembling something approaching what you imagine club cricket must be like on the sub-continent.

The last remnants of the power station still stand and provide a rather eerie backdrop to the play. It must have been some sight when the power station was in full operation.

Eggborough Power Station CC in the field

With plenty of parking and a pleasant treeline surrounding I found it a most enjoyable ground to spend a couple of hours. A good number of enthusiasts lined the boundary, mostly reclining in deck chairs, and the cricket was hard fought, with not a quarter asked or given, as you expect in Yorkshire.

The league secretary, I was told, was umpiring and it reminded me of just how organised this league is. Most games I’ve visited have had two umpires, smartly attired, which isn’t often the case in many other leagues where players often are required to stand at square leg or sometimes officiate at both ends.

To the club’s huge credit, the game was also covered with live scoring on their Play Cricket app. The scorers really are the unsung heroes of club cricket.

With half a dozen players absent through injury the home side had low expectations from this game- and they weren’t disappointed.

The remnants of the power station

Bowled out for 96, they fought hard in the field- but the visitors prevailed for the loss of only two wickets.

Some cricket-watching friends of mine, who exist on a diet of county and international cricket- wouldn’t countenance watching club cricket, especially a game so low down the pyramid.

On the other hand, there are many cricket watchers, such as me, who far prefer club cricket these days and have little or no interest in watching any other form of the game.

The scorecard may show a mundane encounter, but my visit to Eggborough was most enjoyable- and I wish the club every success at their new ground.

Yorkshire seconds top the table.

Posted by Tony Hutton

With so many fixtures in the north of England overlapping this week, we were fortunate to be able to fit in a day at Queens Park, Chesterfield for day three of the second eleven championship match between Derbyshire seconds and Yorkshire seconds. Another of my favourite grounds, dating back to the time I lived in the county during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Nothing much has changed really, although the famous crooked spire is now almost hidden by the growth of all the trees which surround the ground. The miniature railway still toots its way round the lake, populated as ever by ducks and geese.

The pavilion at Queens Park, Chesterfield.

With a predictably small crowd of real enthusiasts, with so much else going on in the county championship, it was a really pleasant day in the sunshine despite the ever present breeze. Derbyshire had secured a first innings lead by scoring 331 to which Yorkshire replied with 287, with Garry Ballance scoring his second century since his recent return to the game against the county he started with briefly as a teenager.

A stern warning notice in the nearby park cafe.

We saw Derbyshire's second innings which revolved around the opening batsman Harry Came who arrived at the county from Hampshire last season. He batted for almost five hours in making 117, with 14 fours to provide the backbone of the innings. Initially he saw off an opening spell from Ben Coad, returning to action following a long injury break and also dealt with the pace bowling of two recent trialists, J.A. Gunn from Doncaster and Mike Finan, a left armer from Cheshire. 

The view from the boundary at Chesterfield.

It was not until late afternoon, after a good half century from Matty McKiernan, that the Yorkshire left arm spinner Harry Sullivan began to work his way through the tail. 208-4 became 231-8 and it was only the return to the crease of opener Wagstaff, who had retired on the previous evening, that brought about some respectability to the final score of 286 all out. Sullivan had excellent figures of 4-48 and the man from Cheshire, Mike Finan, showed good pace with 3-79. Tom Loten also bowled an accurate spell with little reward, but his role in the game was still to come.

Plenty of room in the shade at Chesterfield.

On the final day of this game, a rare day off from live cricket for us, we were following events around the country by live streaming or live scores. As the day progressed events at Chesterfield became even more riveting than those at Riverside and Scarborough. Yorkshire seconds were chasing an unlikely 331 to win, although they had managed something similar last week against Essex.

The chase started badly with Yorkshire losing Bean and Vagadia early on, but the young opener Weston stuck around for a patient 34. With Ballance delaying his appearance to number seven the momentum seemed to have been lost at 137-5 with two wickets each for Potts and Funnell. Ballance made only a swift 20 in partnership with Tom Loten, who had come in at number six.

Loten it was who played the match winning innings, first in a 94 partnership with Ben Coad who made 43 and then after Sullivan went for a duck, with Jack Shutt who contributed a useful 23, with five fours. When he was out at 312-9, with nineteen runs still required it was down to Mike Finan, on his first appearance for Yorkshire to stay with Loten, by now well past his fifty.

This he did with good measure, making 11 not out, while Loten finished on 88 not out as Yorkshire ended the match victors by one wicket at around 5.15 p.m. on the last day of this four day match. A result which took them to the top of the second eleven table. Soon afterwards Yorkshire's first team went down to defeat against Surrey at Scarborough, where the live stream locked just before the crucial last over was bowled!

Durham's next generation.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

After our relaxing day at Cleethorpes it was off further north yet again, avoiding the crowded atmosphere of Scarborough for the more enjoyable delights of Durham county cricket club at the Riverside. It may recently have become the 'Seat Unique Riverside' but to us simple folk it will remain just the Riverside. We saw the first two days of the championship game with Derbyshire in a game which promised a great future for some of the next generation of local cricketers.

Riverside, Chester-le-Street.

Durham second eleven had the better of a game with Lancashire at Crosby last week and despite an innings of 187 from twenty year old Jonathan Bushnell, who has already done well in the first team, there was no place for him in today's side. However two other youngsters,  products of the Durham Academy, in Tomas Mackintosh and Stan McAlindon, both only eighteen, were given their first team debut. 

Tom Mackintosh (Durham)

Mackintosh, a batsman/wicketkeeper, although born in Madrid, was brought up in Edinburgh and has played junior cricket in Scotland before joining the Durham Academy. He made a second eleven century against Kent last season and looks the real deal as a potential successor to Ned Eckersley behind the stumps for Durham. Stan McAlindon is an opening bowler from Carlisle, as is Liam Trevaskis, continuing the Cumbrian connection started by Ben Stokes.

Stan McAlindon (Durham)

The match began on Chris Rushworth's 36th birthday. Durham's all time record wicket taker has not been having the best of seasons so far, but day one was the day it all came right again. In his first spell he dismissed both Derbyshire openers, Reece and Godleman, caught behind by Mackintosh, then returning later  to clean bowl Guest and new Australian recruit Cartwright first ball. Derbyshire were then in trouble at 85-5 but South African Leus Du Plooy and the much improved Anuj Dal swung the game back in their favour with a partnership of 166 for the sixth wicket. Du Plooy batted through to the end of the innings finishing on 122, but Dal was out just ten runs short of the three figure mark.

Leus Du Plooy (Derbyshire)

Rushworth came back not only to break the partnership by having Dal caught behind, but then dismissed Thomson first ball in the same fashion. He had then taken two wickets with the last two balls of an over twice, but each time just missed out on a hat-trick. However next man Aitchison was soon clean bowled and just before the end of the day Stan McAlindon got in on the act by dismissing the last two batsmen. Rushworth finished with the remarkable figures of 21-6-44-7. Derbyshire all out for 283.

Chris Rushworth (Durham)

Durham took the unusual step of opening with a night watchman, Salisbury, to accompany Lees for the one over bowled before the close. Both went early on the second day and Durham were soon in the same trouble as their opponents at 38-4. The two overseas players Maddinson and Bedingham improved the position slightly, but then the wickets began to fall quickly again and Durham were really struggling on 209-8 despite 45 from Bedingham and 36 from Raine. However the two young men then came to the fore.

Mackintosh, looking confident from the start, stayed in for two hours, scoring a maiden fifty in the process and then McAlindon, after a slow start played second fiddle in a last wicket stand with Rushworth which put on a further 51 runs and took Durham into the lead. They were all out for 296, McAlindon 26 not out and number 11 Rushworth a remarkable 33 to add to his bowling triumph.

Rushworth and Mackintosh had not finished. The young wicketkeeper hanging on to two more catches as the great man saw off Godleman and night watchman Conners to leave Derbyshire on 19-2 at the close of day two.

After our departure the game swung back Derbyshire's way on day three following another big partnership. This time between Brooke Guest (116) and Du Plooy, with a second century of the match (134), putting on 248 for the fifth wicket. This was followed by a brisk 71 from Cartwright before Derbyshire declared on 398-8 setting Durham an unlikely last day target of 386. They started briskly with Lees and Jones, but after that the innings declined and it was left to Trevaskis, with a backs to the wall innings, making 19 not out in two and a half hours to secure the draw.

The two youngsters also had a say towards the end with Mackintosh making 28 and McAlindon there with Trevaskis when the game finished on 18 not out. Much more to come from these two I am sure.

Cricket at the seaside

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The current round of county championship matches has seen some extraordinary high scores, most of which seem to have taken place at the seaside. In the north, the games at Scarborough and Southport have seen scores in excess of 500, including over 300 for Keaton Jennings of Lancashire. Whereas on the South Coast at Hove Sussex and Leicestershire have produced absurdly high scores, including a record partnership for Leicestershire, between two South Africans who both scored double centuries.

Cricket at Southport

A summer's day at Scarborough.

However with the National Counties in three day action, my own choice was between Barrow on the West Coast, for Cumbria against Cambridgeshire, or Cleethorpes on the East Coast for Lincolnshire against Staffordshire. Heading east, with less weekend traffic, was the decision with all day sunshine tempered somewhat by cooling sea breezes. One reason for this choice could have been very distant memories of my first ever Minor Counties match. A little research showed that in August 1951 I saw Staffordshire take on Yorkshire seconds at Walsall cricket club's Gorway ground. This was in the days of two day games and memorably Yorkshire seconds won on the last ball of the game.

Cricket at Cleethorpes in the past.

Back to the present and Staffordshire, having won the toss, decided to bat. Alex Mellor, who had a brief career with Warwickshire as a batsman/wicketkeeper led the way with the bat with good support from Matthew Morris, putting on seventy three for the second wicket. Lincolnshire's opening bowling was in the hands of Mark Footitt, a left arm seamer who has been round the block in county cricket with Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Surrey, and Curtis Free, one time Yorkshire Academy player.

However the hero of the day, as the crowd built up during the afternoon, turned out to be Michael Hill, a left hander who had previously been with the Derbyshire Academy and Herefordshire. He scored a hard earned century, which held the Staffordshire innings together and enabled them to declare shortly before the ninety overs limit on 326-8. With the help of some late wickets Footitt returned the best bowling figures with 4-64.

After we had moved on to pastures new on day two, Lincolnshire's first innings was a solid affair, with Jordan Cook, from Appleby Frodingham, top scoring with 71 not out in a a total of 282 all out.  Staffordshire then built on their lead with yet another century from Hill and more useful contributions from Morris and skipper Peter Wilshaw. However Wilshaw's declaration on 306-5 left Lincolnshire the stiff target of 351 to chase. In retrospect he might have declared earlier as Lincolnshire had little trouble in batting out time for a draw on 196-5. A fifty partnership between Nic Keast and Drew Sylvester seeing the home side to safety.

As it turned out the game on the other side of the country at Barrow cricket club produced a similar challenge and very nearly a dramatic victory for the home side Cumbria, despite being bowled out for 98 in their first innings.. Cambridgeshire had set them 359 to win and thanks to Matthew Sempill with a magnificent 129, they very nearly got there, losing by just 34 runs. The run chase featured a stand of 98 for the eighth wicket between Sempill and wicketkeeper Drew Postlethwaite (57) and a ninth wicket partnership with Josh Stirling of 71. Sadly last man Matthew Siddall, who had earlier taken ten wickets in the match, including 5-35 in the first innings, perished first ball and the game was over.

Initial causes of complaint

Posted by Tony Hutton

We try very hard on this blog to restrict our comments to action on the field of play, but inevitably events off the field cause great concern and lead to a good old fashioned rant from time to time. Being of advanced years my own complaints go back as far as coloured clothing and black sightscreens, which I know we have to put up with. More recently the trend for organisations to be known by sets of initials really sets me off. Of course we have the M.C.C, the E.C.B. and Y.C.C.C, all regular causes of complaint. The latest on the block returned to proper cricket action this last weekend and prompted a visit to Alderley Edge to see Cheshire take on Oxfordshire in what is now known as the N.C.C.A.

This of course is what was known for many years as the Minor Counties, but some politically correct administrator at the E.C.B. thought the word Minor would not sell anything, so re-wrote history and had it removed. To do this and move rapidly towards endless one day cricket by terminating the long standing championship competition of three day matches into a four match lottery, large financial incentives had the move approved without question by the counties in question.

However the choice of N.C.C.A. as the new title is not without problems. In my endless search for information on the new competition on the internet I first came up with 'The National Carpet Cleaners Association', subsequently followed by the possibly more appropriate 'National Centre for Circus Arts'. This week's search however wins first prize with 'National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology'.

Of course what it really means is the National Counties Cricket Association which promotes T20 and a 50 over knock out competition, in contrast to a major three day competition over the whole season. There are financial inducements for bringing on young home grown players, which may well be a good thing, but at the expense of including former county players who used to give added experience and wisdom to the youngsters. I can think off hand of people like Derek Randall, Devon Malcolm, Paul Newman and Ashley Metcalfe who all gave excellent service to Minor Counties in the past.

Alderley Edge on a previous visit.

However, having got all that off my chest, let us return to the pleasant ground of Alderley Edge where Cheshire entertained last year's champions Oxfordshire in day one of a rare three day game. Always interesting to see who turns up to play in these games. The excellent scorecard not only listed all the players, but their clubs as well. Cheshire included professional David Wainwright, once of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, but now at Castleford cricket club, together with home grown product Ben Gibbons, now with Worcestershire.

Oxfordshire, who won the championship last season for the first time in over thirty years, have no really well known players, but make up for that with the splendidly named Marcus Campopiano and Maxamillian Mannering. Cheshire batted and the cornerstone of their innings was provided by captain and wicketkeeper Rob Sehmi, from the Oulton Park club. He made an excellent 91, just missing out on a century. After a middle order collapse, provoked by the off spin of the said Mr Mannering (5-67), tailender Barnard's 38 at number ten helped take the total to 246, perhaps slightly below par.

The Alderley Edge pavilion on a previous visit.

The constant westerly wind rather spoilt proceedings on day one and led to a tea time exit, but we followed the fortunes of the game for the remaining two days with Cheshire apparently favourites for much of the time. They bowled Oxfordshire out for 189 in the first innings with four wickets for Wainwright and three for Barnard, to give them a lead of 57. Cheshire's rather modest second innings of 199 had skipper Sehmi to thank again with 41, together with a fifty from Wainwright.

The last day target of 259, requiring the highest total of the match, perhaps made Cheshire favourites, but Oxfordshire showed why they are champions thanks mainly to skipper Harry Smith, who batted throughout the innings for 134 not out. He was ably assisted by number nine Prav Chahal who made 55 not out in a partnership of 97 to win the match for the visitors by four wickets.

Essex seconds venture north.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

As previously indicated Second eleven county cricket is always full of surprises. Having seen Kent seconds go even further north to face Durham at Richmond, it seemed a while since Essex seconds had been seen in Yorkshire. However, here they were at Weetwood Sports Ground, Leeds for a game with Yorkshire seconds that we were able to see most of for the whole four days. As happened when Yorkshire recently visited Durham, four players in the original line up were removed from the game from day two onwards to attend Yorkshire's T20 quarter final at the Oval on Wednesday. The replacements were two batsmen and two bowlers.

The four who went were all batsmen, so it seemed strange that they did not have chance of batting practice on day one, as Yorkshire won the toss and asked Essex to bat. Essex fielded a team of youngsters apart from the two opening bats, regular first teamer Nick Browne and South African Grant Roelofsen. The big news for Yorkshire was the re-appearance, after a long absence, of Gary Ballance. Good to see him back in action.

Gary Ballance, back in action for Yorkshire.

Yorkshire got off to a fine start with Tom Loten taking two quick wickets, first bowling Brown for five and then having skipper Rymell caught in the slips by Luxton first ball. Khushi survived the hat trick ball and he, in company with Roelofsen, put on 149 for the third wicket. The South African was eventually dismissed by Noah Priestley for 75 and Khushi was on the verge of a century when left arm spinner Clarke Doughney had him caught by Ballance for 95.

Weetwood regulars enjoy the sunshine.

Richards soon followed, bowled by Doughney, and at 207-5 Yorkshire must have thought they had broken the back of the Essex innings. Not so, as first Luc Benkenstein, 17 year old son of Dale Benkenstein, who after a notable career with Durham is now the Gloucestershire coach, ably assisted by a very capable number eight, began to turn things back Essex's way. Benkenstein went for thirty six but the number eight, with an almost unpronounceable name, Nikhil Gorantla, proved to be a boy wonder from Perse School, Cambridge. Now just turned nineteen, he first appeared for Cambridgeshire in the Minor Counties at the age of fifteen, scoring fifty runs on debut. He has played for Durham University this season.

Nikhil Gorantla (Essex)

After tea on day one, he really went to town, going to fifty in 56 balls and then to his century in 90 balls with fourteen fours and three sixes. From 133 not out overnight, he slowed down somewhat on day two, but still managed to put on 187 in partnership with wicketkeeper McKenna. He completed a magnificent double century just before lunch when Essex declared on 518-8. Apparently Gorantla made his debut century in last week's second eleven game with Hampshire, again in quick time, and certainly looks like one to watch for in the future.

Gorantla celebrates his double century.

and takes the applause on his return to the pavilion.

Yorkshire, without Wharton, Luxton, Fraine and Loten, who had disappeared without trace, must have felt they faced a mountain to climb. After the early loss of Allinson, (one of the replacements), Finlay Bean, after his marathon innings last week, and Gary Ballance began to pile up the runs with a partnership of 95. Bean was tempted by the first ball he faced from leg spinner Benkenstein, to be caught on the boundary edge for 74 and Ballance followed for a well made 61. Harry Duke, the first team wicketkeeper, who had taken over the captaincy seemed like Yorkshire's last hope. He was still there at the close on 284-5 with 64 not out.

Harry Duke, batting for Yorkshire.

After a fine, sunny day for much of day two, the fierce westerly wind returned for day three but Yorkshire's weakened batting side somehow not only avoided the follow on, but after Duke's dismissal for 88, the unlikely last pair of Jack Shutt and young seamer Charlie McMurran, from Methley, managed to put on a century partnership for the last wicket, taking Yorkshire to an all out score of  437, just 81 behind. Essex batted again and started well with a partnership of 88 for the first wicket, both Brown and Roelofsen making half centuries. By the end of day three Essex had extended their lead to 242 with an overnight score of 161-3.

Day four produced heatwave conditions with the handful of spectators trying hard to find the shade. Essex initially prospered with seventy from skipper Rymell, but with thoughts turning to a possible declaration before lunch, the tail rather disintegrated against the spin of Sullivan and Shutt. Essex were all out for 258 leaving Yorkshire a challenging target of 340 in 76 overs. With the absence of four leading batsman, of whom only one actually played at the Oval last night, it was perhaps a tall order.

Heatwave conditions at Weetwood.

 This certainly looked the case when both openers Finlay Bean and Harry Allison were dismissed by opening bowler Prideaux, with the total 18-2. However, enter Gary Ballance the former England batsman, who proceeded to give a master class to the many youngsters on both sides. Scoring most of his runs in boundaries he progressed steadily to a century in just 97 balls, hitting fifteen fours and three sixes - one of which took him to his century.

Gary Ballance hits the six which took him to his century.

When Ballance departed, with the score 167-3, there was still much work to be done. Acting skipper Harry Duke, after two centuries last week and 88 in the first innings, made another workmanlike half century. Noah Priestley soon followed and at 227-5 Essex were certainly back in the game. However the unlikely teenage pairing of Yash Vagadia and Harry Sullivan, not previously known for his batting,  then stayed together to win the match with just seven overs remaining, with an unbeaten partnership of 113.

Sullivan and Vagadia return to the pavilion.

Vagadia, now playing for Hartlepool on Saturdays, led the way with an innings of 87 not out which included ten fours and one six. Just before the end Harry Sullivan went to his maiden half century at this level, also having hit ten fours in his 50 not out. A wonderful victory for the young Yorkshire side, obviously with much to thank veteran Ballance for, but highly encouraging for the future.

The defeated Essex side played a full part in a great game of cricket.