Honours almost even in University T20 at Weetwood

Posted by Tony Hutton

The annual MCCU T20 competition, for which there is a major prize for the winners in an overseas trip for the international universities Red Bull Trophy, got underway at Weetwood, Leeds on Thursday 3rd May. This was the first of two triangular competitions between Cardiff, Durham and Leeds Bradford, with the two top teams going through to finals day at Loughborough on 15th June.
The other round presumably to be played shortly will be between Oxford, Cambridge and Loughborough.

Today's first match saw Cardiff and Leeds/Bradford lock horns yet again. Cardiff's innings was given momentum again by Douthwaite coming in at number four after the loss of two early wickets. His fine 54 from just 32 balls, included four fours and three sixes. He was ably assisted by Evans whose 33 came off 22 balls and enabled Cardiff to post a respectable total of 171-7 in their twenty overs.

Leeds/Bradford in reply were never really in the hunt. Their innings centred on Batchelor, whose big hitting 63 contained two fours and four sixes but he was given little support other than 21 from Maciver. Two run outs near the end added to the confusion and the home side were well beaten coming up 24 runs short.

P.G. Tips! Durham coach Paul Grayson gives his men some advice.

The second game was between Durham and Cardiff  and provided something of a surprise as the men from Wales rather collapsed to a very much under par score of 126-8. This was due to some accurate bowling from Subramanyan who took 3-15 from his four overs with good support from Sohal four overs for only eighteen runs and Russell three overs for just eleven runs.

In reply Durham had no problem in knocking off the runs in 17 overs thanks to a captain's innings from Will Fraine, who plays for Honley in the Huddersfield League. He hit a splendid 72  with seven fours and three sixes to see his side home with ease. Sohal again impressed at the end with a good 22 not out.

The final game was between Leeds/Bradford and Durham and again provided something of a surprise. A fine opening spell from Harry Stow, who plays league cricket for Harrogate, really decided the game as he dismissed danger man Fraine for 10 then two of the other top five men, Cooke and Sohal for 2 and 0. Durham by then were 18-4 as left arm spinner Haynes had dismissed Macdonell, the number three, for 0. There was some resistance from Graves and Shoff, but Durham were all out for a miserable 110 in 19 overs.

Leeds/Bradford took their time in getting the runs but 33 from Andersson and 27 not out from the ever reliable Maciver saw them home with four overs to spare. Spinner Sohal was again the pick of the bowlers with 2-17 from his four overs. So a win by six wickets for Leeds/Bradford meant that each side had one one match during the day and there were no obvious winners or runners up.

After some complicated run rate calculations by the scorers it was announced that Cardiff and Leeds/Bradford would go through to finals day, with Durham missing out. Most of the spectators were oblivious to this, but had at least watched T20 cricket in pleasant surroundings with no loud music, no drunks and an atmosphere almost bordering on peace and tranquility.

Topsy Turvy part 2

posted by John Winn

From Witton le Wear I made the short trip down the A68 to Etherley, close to Bishop Auckland, a club founded in 1850 but members of the Darlington and District League only since 2015 and this after four years without an adult team. Saturday's opponents were Aldborough  St John II who were batting in a Division C fixture. The ground is a spacious one and there were a few spectators enjoying the perfect cricket weather and after a spell in the deck chair I made the usual perambulation which gave me a view of the board showing Aldborough 50 for 5. A nicely judged catch at cover brought the sixth wicket and despite a bit of tail end resistance the innings closed on 86, not a great score but the website shows it was almost enough for Etherley scraped home with just one wicket in hand. They were indebted to an unbroken  last wicket stand between Thomas Webb and Jackson Milner which added the fourteen needed to get them over the line. A first win for Etherley in their second game and fourth place in the division.

Etherley CC

With three new grounds ticked off I put the time machine into reverse and headed for Raby Castle, a ground beautiful enough to grace the cover of Laurence Griffiths' coffee table book 'From The Boundary's Edge'. I first watched cricket here in the early fifties when my dad was captaining Haughton, still keen rivals of Raby to this day, and played on the ground two or three times in the late sixties for Cockerton with no great success as I recall but recounting these memories to the tea ladies got me a free cup of tea. 

Raby Castle CC

Raby were league champions last year and were taking on Middleton Teesdale who were saved from relegation only by the demise of Lands CC. Raby were batting and the cricket was a one sided as last year's positions might suggest. Two batsmen  reached centuries and the innings closed on 310 for 3. MIT replied with 133 all out. A further round of matches were played yesterday and this morning's tables show Haughton top with three wins out of three. Dad would have been pleased but I'm not sure that he would have understood how I got this knowledge from the internet using my iPhone.

My plan yesterday was to head for Knaresborugh to see them take on Hull Zingari in a cup match but alerted to the presence of Tony and Jennifer at St George's Road, Harrogate I detoured through busy bank holiday traffic to find Harrogate struggling against Scarborough. Tony will give a full account of what proved to be an exciting finish. The game finished at 5:40 and as I switched on my car radio Durham had just taken Leicestershire's seventh wicket and twenty minutes later when  James Weighell had Varun Aaron leg before it was all over. Only six runs were made while I drove 12 miles and Weighell had career best figures of 7 for 32. The Foxes had lost by 46 runs, Durham's first ever championship win having followed on. Lancashire and Worcestershire are now the only two counties  not to have achieved this.

The proceedings at The Riverside where Leicestershire looked certain winners as early as tea on day two are not atypical of this year's championship matches, look no further than Yorkshire's win at Chelmsford. It as if the competition aware that is under threat is determined to put on a show for its devotees. Almost two thirds of the 31 matches played so far have ended in wins and only one game yesterday, that at The Oval, failed to raise the blood pressure of spectators. Topsy turvy or what?

Topsy Turvy

posted by John Winn

On Friday morning I made the journey to Chester le Street secure in my mind that Leicestershire skipper Michael Carberry would take the option not to toss and ask Durham to bat. After all Durham had been given the heave ho two weeks previously by Kent in a whisker over five sessions and then spent four days watching the grass not dry at Wantage Road. Short on practice, confidence and just about everything else required to make a decent fist of batting Durham were there to be put in and put out in quick succession. How many down before lunch was the question on our minds as we made our way to the far side of the ground, the wicket being pitched well over in that direction.

Imagine our surprise on taking our seats to see the scoreboard showing Leicestershire batting and Messrs Carberry and Horton following Collingwood's men through the pavilion gate. So Carberry had opted to contest the toss, called correctly and, with his team having a few runs under their belts, opted to bat. Not so, for Our Hartlepool Correspondent informed us that Collingwood had called correctly and invited The Foxes to do what they wanted to do all along. Bat. The rest of the day is old news now but suffice to say that Leicestershire scored a lot of runs, Durham took very few wickets, by the time I left at tea Rushworth had not added to his total of one for the season and the news that Lancashire had dropped or rested Onions and replaced him with Anderson did little to improve my mood.

Perhaps surprisingly I returned to the scene of the crime on Saturday where at the start of play the board read 301 for 4, something even Eoin Morgan's friends would understand. Just about every batsman who came to the crease seemed at ease although progress was rather on the slow side. Former local hero Ben Raine, perhaps not believing his luck when seeing Will Smith coming on to bowl was guilty of careless driving but Dexter, a favourite of OHC, batted fluently and when I left at lunch Leicestershire had reached 388 for 7. 87 for 3 in the morning session, almost a fight back.

Ten minutes from leaving Riverside I had reached Front Street Sacriston the home of Sacriston CC, newly promoted to the North East Premier League Premier Division. The ground is something of a fortress but eventually I found a pedestrian gate behind the pavilion from where I gained access. Home team batting against Tynemouth  before a decent number of spectators and 50 without loss was soon on the board. That was about as good as it got for when I left after half an hour it was 70 for 4 and despite some runs for former Durham stalwarts Graeme Bridge (1999-2006) and Melvyn Betts (1993-2000) Sacriston were all out for 147 which Tynemouth reached for the loss of four wickets.

My next destination was one of the four grounds remaining in the Darlington and District league that I have still not visited, that of Witton le Wear, in my mind relative newcomers to the league, which means they were not in it when I last played in 1972. About half an hour's drive through two places possibly familiar to students of the amateur cup, Willington and Crook. Once through Crook turn left when you reach the A68 and you are nearly there and with the help of some very helpful instructions  from a passer by I descended a steep track to find a decent sized playing area almost completely surrounded by trees. Witton were batting and helped by a generous helping of wides  they eventually hit up 272 for 7, a big score for Division B. D Nelson 91, wides 36. Wittton had two Nelsons in their XI sadly neither with the initial H. During my half hour or so sojourn by the banks of the Wear I made friends with a dog who when I left took up a position at deep mid wicket.  272 was I suspect way beyond Raby Castle II's dreams and so it proved with them dismissed for 96. On leaving the ground I noticed that it is very close to Witton le Wear station, not as yet a stop on the Weardale Polar Express but a possible one for the future I am informed by a man with an office very close to the North Pole.

To be continued.

Witton le Wear CC

Runs keep flowing at Weetwood

Posted by Tony Hutton

Tuesday 1st May, 2018 saw battle re-commence between Leeds/Bradford MCCU and Cardiff MCCU following the exciting one day game yesterday. This time it was a two day game in the MCCU championship. Cardiff won the toss and elected to bat in cold and windy conditions again, but with some glimpses of sunshine. They certainly made the best of what proved to be an excellent batting wicket and after openers Harper and Ludlow had put on 68 for the first wicket it came as something of a surprise when Harper was bowled by the Lancastrian Houghton for 32.

This brought together Joe Ludlow who had batted so well yesterday and Harry Allen, who turns out to be yet another Surrey 2nd player from Epsom College. This pair proceeded to bat together for three and a half hours putting on 224 runs in the process. Both played proper cricket, technically correct forward defensive shots were played to the good balls and the bad balls were punished unmercifully. Ludlow was very adept at pushing the ball into the gaps on the offside and gently picking up singles at will without very much effort.

Joe Ludlow kept a straight bat throughout most of his innings.


Ludlow was finally run out for a splendid innings of 155 when the total became 292-2. His partner Allen, reached his century just after tea and went for 122 stumped by Potticarry off Haynes with the total by then 341-3. Enter skipper Alex Milton, batsman and wicketkeeper from Worcestershire. He added to the mayhem in the final session of the day going to 94 not out off just sixty balls with thirteen fours and one six. He was robbed of a century by bad light which stopped play shortly before the scheduled close of play. Cardiff had by then amassed the considerable total of 455-4.

Ludlow brings up his century.

Leeds/Bradford's opening bowlers took  a bit of stick, but the three spinners Killoran, Haynes and Maciver all stuck to their task well and Killoran in particular, who bowled 28 overs, was unlucky not to get a wicket.

Unfortunately the following day had seen persistent day during the night and for the early part of the day. Inspections went on at regular intervals and, despite a women's game taking part on the neighbouring number two ground, play was finally called off at four p.m. and the game abandoned as a draw.

The ladies enjoy the sunshine on Weetwood's second ground.

As mentioned above we did not go without cricket on Wednesday, as the women's game on Weetwood's second ground went ahead in the afternoon with Leeds/Bradford MCCU taking on Durham MCCU in a thirty five over game. The sun shone almost continually throughout this game and the neighbouring hedge provided excellent protection from the wind making the afternoon session one of the most pleasant we have enjoyed for some time.

The home side in the runs with the ubiquitous Barry Oliver umpiring at square leg.

Good cricket from both sides with some very good fielding in particular. Leeds/Bradford made 150-8 and seemed in danger of defeat when the Durham openers put on a good 50 plus opening partnership. However after they were out the rest of the side departed rather quickly leaving the home side victors by 35 runs.

During the interval we questioned umpire Barry Oliver about his positioning at the bowler's end where he appeared to be standing a long way back from the stumps. As ever he had an answer to everything. Firstly there was a very soggy patch close to the stumps and secondly by standing further back not only could he clearly see the no ball line, but did not have to move his head when assessing an lbw appeal. He feels this should be practised by certain first class umpires who if watched closely can be seen moving their heads at the moment of delivery. Ask a silly question and get a comprehensive answer !

Action packed day at Weetwood

Posted by Tony Hutton

Monday 30th April

An action packed day at the Leeds University Ground Weetwood to end the dismal month of April during which we had only managed to see ten days cricket compared with twenty four days during April 2017. This was a BUCS fifty overs per side game between Leeds/Bradford MCCU and Cardiff MCCU. With a prompt 11.00 a.m. start in windy conditions the home side won the toss and decided to bat first. They got off to a brisk start and Potticary, in his role of pinch hitter, had soon hit a four and a six before being bowled by Evans for  14.

Andersson, the Middlesex batsman, had opened and played yet another invaluable innings, once again just missing out on a century after his 95 not out against Durham last week. This time after an innings of 94 in two hours he was caught off the spin bowling of Odedra to make the Leeds total 176-3. Newcomer Batchelor from Charterhouse School and Surrey 2nd XI had already gone after a competent 38, clean bowled by a Surrey team mate - Allen.

The skipper Bullen, in his usual aggressive style, together with Graham, then put on a century partnership in quick time until Graham was bowled Brewster for a well made 47. Bullen was then dismissed for 75 trying one big hit too many just before the end of the fifty overs which Leeds/Bradford finished on 299-6, which most people present thought would be a winning score.

On a very cold day, it was not really possible to warm up anywhere on the ground. (Click on picture to enlarge).

Cardiff of course had other ideas and a brisk opening partnership between two Minor Counties players, Joe Ludlow from Bedfordshire and Alex Woodland from Buckinghamshire, added 64 against the opening attack of Bocking and newcomer Patel. Woodland went for 21 caught behind off spinner McIver but Ludlow continued his very correct innings until three wickets tumbled in quick succession to the spin partnership of McIver and Ironside. Allen went for nine, followed by skipper Milton for three and then Ludlow was out for 68, which included nine fours.

With the total on 105-4 and the main batsman gone it looked very much as if the game would belong to the home side and the handful of spectators fully expected Cardiff to fold and give Leeds/Bradford a comfortable victory. It was not to be however, as the fifth wicket pair, Pearce and Machado set about the bowlers in no uncertain manner, slowly accelerating the scoring rate, until Pearce cut loose and hit the unfortunate Patel for two huge mid-wicket sixes in an over.

The pair put on a century partnership until Pearce (67) and Machado (38) were both dismissed by Ironside, an off spinner from Suffolk, who is another newcomer this season. Another wicket soon fell and at 223 for seven, the game again seemed all over. Two of the Cardiff bowlers Douthwaite and Evans now took over proceedings. With the required run rate now at twelve runs per over they took the hapless Leeds/Bradford bowlers apart and in seven more overs  with nine balls to spare took the score beyond 300 for a famous victory indeed.

Their statistics were as follows:- Douthwaite, yet another Surrey 2nd XI player, 43 not out from 32 balls, with three fours and three sixes, Evans, a Zimbabwean, at number ten 39 not out from 16 balls, with four fours and three sixes. Harry Stow, one of the main bowlers had been kept back to bowl at the death and was taken apart with 5.3 overs and figures of 1-60. Absolute carnage in the evening sunshine. Six hundred runs in a day's cricket and a truly amazing finish.

Fixture Correction

posted by John Winn

Further to my posting on Monday I have contacted the secretary of Sessay CC and he has confirmed that their second round match in the National KO Cup v Chesterfield will be played on Sunday May 13th and not May 6th as I was previously informed. Apologies for any confusion and inconvenience this may have caused.

Heslerton progress in Village Cup

posted by John Winn

Clubs entered in the 2018 Village Cup began  a journey on Sunday which for two of them will end at Lord's on September 16th. Close to home for me was a match between Alne, just across the River Ure, and Heslerton from near Malton and members of the Scarborough League. Although the day was cold the forecast was for it to stay dry and with Alne having played their first league game the day before I was reasonably confident of seeing some cricket.

I arrived to find the game well under way with the visitors batting and making good progress against some rather wayward spin bowling. Anchoring the innings was opener Stu Pickard who received good support from Sam Triffit, the first to go to his fifty but he was dismissed immediately afterwards. Determined not to spend all afternoon watching from the car I made a couple of circuits of the ground which looked a treat and when the sun came out sitting in the lee of the pavilion was a reasonably pleasant experience. Towards the end of the innings much interest centred on whether Pickard would reach his century. A six and a four in the last over brought the prize within his reach, the strike was lost then
regained and he faced the last ball needing three. A pull to deep midwicket was dropped but only two runs were made and the innings closed on 205 for 6 with Stu's 99 in red ink.

While the players enjoyed a splendid tea I contented myself with a cuppa, lapped the ground again but with the sun having gone elsewhere I settled for watching the second innings from the car sheltering from a stiffening chilly breeze. The wind was from the east and the noise of trains passing on the main line to and from York, just a mile away, could easily be heard. One of Heslerton's opening bowlers had an action that would have claimed Sid Buller's attention but post Muralitharan passes without comment. At 83 for 3 I sensed the ice might be mingling with the traditional Sunday G and T so made my way back 'over the water' enjoying commentary on Five Extra from Old Trafford. #NVC18 on Twitter led me to the result which showed Alne had fallen short at 162 all out, top scorer skipper Buteaux with 33 and Andy Slaughter with 4 for 16.

Heslerton will find themselves away from home again in the second round, due to be played on May 13th against Ebberston or Cayton.

                                                             
                                                                              Heslerton batting