Cricket in January

Posted by Michael Bourne

Sunday 9th January was a fine, bright day for the annual winter game between the cricketing hardmen from the Malhamdale and Appletreewick cricket clubs.

There were just four travelling spectators from afar this year: myself and colleagues
Brian Senior from Leeds and Peter Mann from Burley, and, of course the ubiquitous Ian from Lancaster. Regular follower Tony Hutton, still suffering a bit from flu, unfortunately missed out this time.

As we drew into Malham, wickets were just being pitched in the middle of the field across the road from the showground where the game was played two years ago. (There are not many clubs around that have a choice of grounds to play on). A strip, fairly flat and free of molehills and sheep muck, had been picked out.

The visitors, having won the toss, chose to bat first so as to get the best use of the pitch. They were all out for 32. However, I'm not really sure how many wickets fell or whether the allotted 16 overs had been completed. Ian thought that the runs were all singles apart from a couple of twos. As far as I could tell (it being mayhem out in the middle, at times) nearly all the wickets were clean bowled or run outs - often the product of desperate efforts to hit the ball a distance or suicidal attempts to scramble or slither a run. There were hardly any extras in either innings, and to the credit of the bowlers most of the bowling was remarkably on line even though quite a few balls needed a few bounces to get to the other end.

When ACC went out to field, I counted 18 people on the field at one time, although one of these I think, was a drinks man wandering from player to player; the bottle of port he carried was additional to the bottle behind the stumps.

The MCC took only eight overs to pass the target, with the openers hitting at least three fours and a six, before one of them was clean bowled. Three others also had a bit of a bat and then retired, but I was told by Chris Wildman that the final MCC score was nearer 37, and that a few extra overs had been bowled after the target had been reached. Perhaps this was to give others a bat or let a few more players have a bowl.

I didn't trouble for any details the young woman who scored throughout the game - and without gloves. She had had enough problems trying to identify players and get names.

Man of the match was the MCC extrovert dressed up as 'Banana Man'. Early in the game he ran in a dozen or more yards from the mid-wicket boundary to take a superb catch - but illegally! He was wearing yellow gloves! But nobody on the ACC side objected. When batting, he struck a few of the boundaries before being bowled with feet stuck in the mud. But his most embarrassing moment was in the first innings when he tried to bowl. As he ran up, his yellow cape, fluttering in the breeze, became entangled with his bowling arm each time he brought it over to deliver the ball. He ended up bowling from a standing postion.

All in all, it was the usual scenario and script for this annual event but with unrehearsed, impromptu sketches to keep the spectators entertained and glued to the action - everyone, that is, except those still consuming rabbit pie *. There were two umpires this year, but with neither wearing white coats it was difficult, at times, to make out who was an umpire and who was a player.

The afternoon had produced one magic moment, but this had occurred before we had arrived and before the game had actually started. The field of play had been marked out with one of the most perfect of boundary lines that I have ever seen. Not only that, all was completed apparently, in less than thirty seconds. A Land Rover had been driven round just inside the extremities of the wet field to leave a distinct set of tyre marks, although I am not sure whether it was the inner or the outer line of tyre marks that denoted the boundary.

Throughout the afternoon, an icy cold wind blew across the field. On the other hand, there had been a very warm welcome and handshakes for visitors - a welcome, however, delayed a while for two of the visiting crowd.

* On getting to Malham, Brian and Peter insisted on calling at the Buck Inn for a drink, but then decided to stay there for a rabbit pie dinner. As a result, they missed the whole of the first innings and some overs of the second. Poor show!

(Watch out on the Malhamdale CC website for news of an evening friendly game in June or July this year. A team from a group of 200 limbless servicemen from the armed forces, who will be walking the Pennines for charity, has challenged MCC to a game. A big crowd is expected).

Northern Cricket Society - January meeting

Posted by Tony Hutton

The January meeting of the Northern Cricket Society will be held in the Long Room, Headingley cricket ground on Tuesday 11th January at 7.45 p.m.

The speaker will be Charlie French, cricket bat maker and brother of former Notts and England wicketkeeper Bruce French.

A good attendance is anticipated following the cancellation of the December meeting due to the bad weather. New members are always welcome and should make themselves known to the secretary, Harry Jackson.

Boxing Day cricket match

Posted by Tony Hutton

The 61st consecutive Boxing Day cricket match took place on Monday at North Leeds cricket club. The game started promptly at 11 a.m. despite persistent snowfall, which obviously affected the initial attendance, although the crowd did increase as the morning went on when the snow stopped.

The Northern Cricket Society, represented by a side drawn from the Wetherby and District league, looked resplendent in their yellow caps and tee shirts presented by St Gemma's Hospice. The proceeds of the well supported raffle do of course go to St Gemma's.

Batting conditions were very difficult at the start with falling snow on the artificial wicket and a covering of snow over the rest of the ground. However the visitors made the best of it and despite losing early wickets, captain Richard Grogan top scored with 26 out of a total of 82-9 in 30 overs,against a varied North Leeds attach in which J. Morley took 4-21, veteran Steve Wales 2-8 and West Indian Harwood Williams 3-13.

The home side made easy work of their target and repeated last season's 10 wicket victory. As I had left by this time I have conflicting reports of who got most of the winning runs. According to the official scorecard Tim Hollis 33 not out and M. Akhtar 51 not out were the openers who knocked off the runs in only 9.3. overs.

However two reliable eye witnesses claim that it was Harwood Williams and not Akhtar who got the 50 not out. More research necessary I think ! Without doubt Harwood Williams did receive the Man of the Match award presented by NCS Chairman Andrew Mawson, but again according to the scorecard, for the catch of the year.

So it was all over very quickly and the players and spectators were able to retire to the bar for warmth and sustenance. As ever a welcome chance for cricket lovers to renew acquaintances with their summer companions and it was a great pleasure to see Peter Davies again after his recent illness. We wish him well for the New Year.

The next cricket event of the winter is on Sunday 9th January with the traditional Malhamdale v Appletreewick game at Malham. Again more of a social event than a cricket match, all players and spectators are asked to meet at the Buck Inn, Malham at 1.30, but what time the match will actually start is open to question. They played in deep snow last year at Appletreewick so very little chance of the game being called off.

Best wishes for the New Year to all our readers.

Boxing Day cricket

Posted by Tony Hutton

Despite the recent bad weather, with more to come, which has led to the cancellation of several meetings and Christmas functions, we are able to bring you some good news.

The Northern Cricket Society's annual Boxing Day game at North Leeds cricket club has taken place for over 60 years, whatever the weather, but this year the game looked in jeopardy due to difficulties in raising a team.

However I am pleased to report that the NCS secretary Harry Jackson has been able to obtain a Wetherby cricket league eleven to represent the Society. The team will be captained by Richard Grogan, former captain of Church Fenton CC who has recently moved to Shadwell CC.

Please note that the game this year is being played on MONDAY 27th DECEMBER starting at 11 a.m. The North Leeds ground is at the Homestead,Old Park Road,Roundhay,Leeds.
Refreshments will be available and the bar will be open for what is an excellent social occasion for all cricket lovers.

Compliments of the season to all our readers.

Cricket Research Centre

Posted by Tony Hutton

The winter season of talks organised by the Cricket Research Centre at th University of Huddersfield begins next Thursday 28th October at 5.15 p.m. in Room JMG/01 at the University.

The speaker will be Andrew Hignell, scorer and archivist of Glamorgan county cricket club, who has visited Huddersfield on several occasions and is an excellent and very knowledgeable speaker, as well as a prolific author of cricket books. The main topic of his talk will be cricket in Cardiff in the late 19th century.

All are welcome to this free event.

Northern Cricket Society

Posted by Tony Hutton

Tuesday 12th October 2010

The first meeting of the winter season took place in the Long Room at Headingley, once someone had managed to find the keys. Before the meeting all the members stood for a minutes silence in memory of John Ellison, a long standing and popular member of the Society, who died recently.

The annual general meeting re-elected all the existing officers for the coming year, with the proviso that the long serving secretary and treasurer, Harry Jackson and John Rex will be retiring at the end of the year. Any possible candidates will be welcomed with open arms and will hopefully receive 'on the job' training during the current session.

Our speaker's programme got off to an excellent start. The Reverend Canon Alan Haydock, who is a member of the Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club committee, was an unknown quantity to most of his audience. However his very humorous talk ranging from his schooldays to his present position as Honarary Canon of Southwell Minster kept us all royally entertained. His stories took in experiences such as keeping wicket in league cricket and diocesan matches in the Church Times cup, working in some of the less salubrious areas of Nottinghamshire and his support of Notinghamshire county cricket and Notts County football club.

John Rex, in his excellent vote of thanks, revealed that Canon Haydock has over many years donated more then £50,000 to various church and sporting charities from his speaking fees.

The next meeting will be in the Headingley Long Room on Tuesday 2nd November at 7.45 p.m., when the speaker will be Ismail Dawood, former Yorkshire wicketkeeper and now hoping to become a first class umpire.

A sad farewell to the cricket season

Posted by Tony Hutton

Sunday 10th October 2010 - Arthington v Hawksworth

After both Arthington games last weekend had been cancelled due to the wet weather, they did manage to play in cold and chilly conditions yesterday on a very wet wicket.

However today's last match of the season against Hawksworth took place in bright sunshine for much of the day. The biggest suprise for the very healthy crowd was the presence of two Sky Sports vans, complete with huge dishes and a cameraman and presenter for Sky Sports News.

Obviously word had got around that this was probably the last cricket match to be played anywhere in England this season. However on talking to the cameraman he thought they might be inundated by e-mails from clubs who play even later tomorrow morning. We await developments with interest.

The game itself was nothing to write home about. Hawksworth started badly and were 33-4 at one stage, so Arthington decided to transfer their star guest of the day, Mark McEneaney the prolific Blubberhouses batsman, to the opposition. This proved a masterstroke in prolonging the game as he made a rapid 56, including several sixes, which brought a respectable all out score of 157.

Main interest centred around the Sky interviews with luminaries Reg Parker, Brian Senior and Stephen Bindman. We hope to eventually see repeats of this on Sky Sports News or to obtain a DVD of their coverage.

Arthington's run chase started well, with Geoff Barker looking in good form and likely to play a long innings. However the rot set in following some good fielding by Hawksworth and some direct hits for run outs. The target was never in danger and the last few overs of the season were very quiet indeed with few runs being scored and Arthington ended on 98-8.

So a sad end for the spectators as they said their goodbyes and a presentation to groundsman Brian Meredith for all his sterling work and it was all over.

The other very sad note was the news of the recent death of John Ellison, who together with his wife Jennifer, was a very good friend to most of the cricket watchers present today. They were both regulars at all Yorkshire Academy and Second XI matches and great cricket enthusiasts. John was a real gentleman and all cricket watchers will miss his cheerful presence next season.