Groundhoppers become channel hoppers

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Groundhopping is a generic term usually applied to football supporters who collect grounds, often of the non-league variety,  with all sorts of eccentric rituals involved in this often addictive hobby. The same can be said of certain cricket followers, of which I was one in what now seems a previous existence. However they do still exist with probably the supreme example Michael Latham, who still tours the entire North of England from both his home base in Lancashire and his caravan in Northumberland in search of more and more cricket grounds. The results can be seen with his wonderful photos which appear at regular intervals on the Cricket grounds of Britain site on Facebook.

Sedbergh School, Cumbria - top of any cricket groundhopper's list.

However recent events have no doubt limited the opportunities to explore further afield for many of us, but fortunately the advent of live streaming of county cricket on the internet has provided many people with an opportunity of watching cricket from the comfort of their own homes. Most counties seem to have taken up this format with varying degrees of success, but suffice to say that the opportunity to channel hop between counties during the Bob Willis Trophy has been a godsend for many.

The coverage does vary considerably with the few fixed cameras not covering the entire field in some cases, but things do seem to have improved as the season went on. The commentators, mainly recruited from BBC local radio stations are not always to everyone's liking, particularly the fact that they are doing a radio commentary rather than a television commentary. In addition many of them do not seem to have access to the streaming coverage and certain things which are obvious to the viewer pass them by. The most obvious case was in a match at Taunton where the opening bat was clearly clean bowled but the ball ended up with first slip. Both commentators were convinced for some time that he was caught at slip.

However, these are minor complaints and hopefully if the blanket coverage continues in the future the standard will continue to improve. The enjoyment of being able to switch from Taunton to Worcester to Radlett and back again was something very special. The end of season final between Essex and Somerset at Lord's which has just finished was a classic example of what can be achieved. Full marks to the BBC for showing the entire game on their sports website and to the small group of commentators and summarisers who kept things going admirably despite difficult conditions, with no access to the media centre.

If Jonathan Agnew is the voice of Test cricket on the BBC then surely Kevin Howells is the voice of county cricket. His commentary, together with Vic Marks as summariser, was a classic of it's kind and took one back to the great days of Test Match Special as it once used to be. I remember well being interviewed on Radio Leeds by Kevin Howells some twenty five years ago, in his early days on local radio. He was still learning about cricket at that time, but has come a very long way since then. His admirable commentary style and obvious deep feelings of the importance of championship cricket have been acquired over a long period of time and does him great credit.

All in all, despite the ongoing problems of ordinary life, we have been blessed by cricket with a difference when at one stage it looked as if there would be nothing at all. We have been able to watch live a variety of league cricket, womens' cricket and evening league cricket and as the season draws to a close we must be full of hope that 2021 may somehow restore normality to our much changed world.

Hawkes and Druids at Arthington

 By Brian Sanderson

On a windy and cold Saturday morning I sent off again to the 

picturesque ground at  Arthington  who were playing a friendly

side called Hawkes. The Hawkes had a three old local cricket 

league playing from them. They were Ian Priestley, who played

one match for Yorkshire, Murphy Walwyn who is the Bradford

League of Fame and Denis Rock who has played for numerous 

local clubs for a number of years.

We watched most of the match in the car due to bitterly northern

wind and Murphy scored a excellent 49 in a score of just over 

100 which was not enough to win the match. Another victory 

for Arthington. Photograph above of a well wrapped up Murphy.

It was a early start on Sunday as Bardsey were playing New Rover 

at 11.30 start .This was a vital match as the winner stops up in the 

league. The Airedale and Wharfedale is the only local league 

had promotion and relegation

.When we arrived we saw the two Wainman brothers batting for

Bardsey. James who was in the Yorkshire squad for four years.

 He was mainly a left arm bowler but he could bat. Today he was 

the main stay of the batting scoring 92 out of a total of 216.

When he bowled he took three wickets for 25 to help to 

bowl out New Rover for 178.

Round the ground was a cricket supporter from South Yorkshire 

and one from Lancaster seeking the last cricket matches of 2020.

Moving on to Arthington we found Arhington bowling against 

the Druids who are based round Harrogate. They scored 156

for 7 in the 35 over match. They match had to be stopped after

a few overs while the wicket as rolled as the groundsman 

arrived to late to do before the match.

Above is a photograph of the Druids waiting to bat with a guard dog.

The sun came out in the afternoon when  Arthington again won the match.

This weekend shown people will still play cricket in horrible conditions

at  local level and cricket will keep going in the future.

There are still two weekend to go at Arthington but the forecast 

this weekend is rain but let us be hopeful for brighter weather.

Keep going Arthington.

Weekend of sunshine and cool breezes

Posted by Tony Hutton

A pleasant weekend of cricket with a mixture of league cricket on Saturday and the traditional Sunday friendly cricket of the Arthington festival to follow. The weather stayed fine apart from the coolish breeze on Sunday afternoon, although at North Leeds on Saturday it was noticeable that the temperature sitting in the sun was considerable higher than the shade of the pavilion side. However full marks to the Airedale and Wharfedale league for prolonging the season, with still another Saturday to come next weekend.

North Leeds cricket club.

North Leeds were entertaining Addingham, from just the far side of Ilkley, with nothing much at stake. The home side won the toss and decided to insert the visitors, who were already several places above them in the league table. It looked a good decision early on with three wickets down by the time thirty five runs were on the board. Indeed three of the top four made only seven runs between them. Richard Atkins, batting at number three, then took over the proceedings and played a dominant innings of 74, with seven fours and three sixes before he was bowled by Tom Hudson when the score reached 121-4.

He had received good support from Ricky Palacio, who made 32.  One difficult catch on the long off boundary saw the poor fielder falling over backwards onto a bench, with the ball not only going for six but ending up in a tin of white paint. When the fielder had recovered his composure he had the task of retrieving it from the paint pot. The red ball had turned white and had to be replaced. Enter skipper Ted Haggas who set about the bowling from the word go with a belligerent innings of 82 from only 48 balls.

One of the five sixes he hit was an overhead scoop which landed with a crash on the roof of a parked car, whose owner having parked on the road immediately behind the site screen, no doubt thinking it was in a safe place, was in for a shock. Haggas also hit eight fours and propelled the score well beyond the 200 mark. The innings ended in a flurry of wickets but Addingham's total of 232-9 in fifty overs looked pretty challenging.

North Leeds pavilion

North Leeds started well and had reached 63-1 before the tide began to turn. Taran Chana, who had opened the bowling with an economical spell, played the major innings with a sound 61, but unfortunately got little support from his team mates as no one else reached twenty. Again the hero for Addingham was Richard Atkins with splendid figures of 12-1-32-5. So although North Leeds prolonged matters into the forty seventh over they were finally all out for 169, leaving Addingham the winners by 63 runs.

Back to the rural delights of Arthington on Sunday where the visitors were another old established wandering side, Halifax Nomads no less. Arthington were celebrating a double achievement the previous day when the first team won the Nidderdale League Division Three play off at Upper Wharfedale and the second team beat Walton Hall seconds in the Division Eight play off. The first team trophy was proudly on display and after an early wicket star batsmen Naveed Andrabi and Rafullah Khan were soon hitting boundaries all over the place. Both of them made 63 with sixteen fours and seven sixes between them.

Another picture from a previous Arthington festival.

Last week's century maker, Lawrence Barraclough, continued where he left off last week, with four more sixes in his rapid 34 and the home side soon had what appeared a match winning total of 237-7 on the board at the end of their forty overs. However the home side's bowlers could not match the batsmen's performance and the visitors, thanks to 119 from N. Smith and 72 not out from J. Lord were able to take a well earned victory by five wickets with only five balls of the game remaining.

Yet more traditional festival entertainment next weekend with games on both Saturday and Sunday.

A bridge too far for Ouseburn

 posted by John Winn

Until  Saturday it had been 11 years since I last crossed this bridge which links the car park at Markingfield with the cricket ground but shortly before 1:00 I took my seat to watch the Nidderdale League Division Four playoff final with hosts Markingfield, who have carried all before them this season, entertaining Ouseburn II. Markingfield, fresh from a crushing victory in the round of four against Thornton le Moor, took the field and they looked a much more experienced side than their opponents.

Will Bennison and Tim Smith made a steady start against the moving ball until Tim got a worm burner and was palpably lbw. Will was joined by brother Josh who perished for 0 and then came an incident that some would say turned the match in Markington's favour for Will,who had begun to play some lovely shots was caught off a suspiciously high full toss which on another day might have been called a no ball. It was not, Will departed and 36 for 3 swiftly became 36 for 4 when James Brading ran himself out. Ouseburn's innings never really recovered from this slump and only a last wicket stand of 20 between Ed Bennison and Jonathan Webb got the score up to three figures. 15 overs went unused, a cardinal sin in these situations, and some of the shots played by the tail enders were more appropriate to the fortieth over than the twentieth. 

Early wickets were needed and were forthcoming when Ross Sands was brilliantly caught in the deep by Will Jenkins off spinner Harry Hartley for nought but Wayne Dennis, who had impressed behind the stumps, took a liking to anything short and hoisted two sixes, one of which had to be retrieved from a neighbouring garden. The introduction of Jonty Moorhouse cut Dennis' innings short at 37 and when last week's assassin Robbie Wilberforce went for 8 Ouseburn were not without hope. A stand of 17 took the score to 70 and with each of  the later batsman contributing a few runs while skipper Tom Lloyd maintained a watchful defence Markington reached 97 for 7 and soon after a four from Ryan Lockie brought victory by three wickets. With promotion and relegation on hold Markington will be in Division Four again next season where no doubt they will be a formidable force. Let's hope we get a full season of cricket.

Ouseburn II 

It's a Family Affair

 posted by John Winn

After overnight rain Saturday dawned fine and all sixteen playoff matches in The Nidderdale League went ahead untroubled by weather. I took myself to the west side of Harrogate to the village of Hampsthwaite and a ground I had not visited since 2013. I arrived in time to see the players take the field and as the afternoon went on was joined by a goodly contingent drawn from Ouseburn CC members and supporters, keen to see if their young second XI could progress to the final.

Hampsthwaite CC

Hampsthwaite batted first and progress was slow against Ouseburn's opening attack of Jonathan Webb and Will Jenkins, Webb in particular impressed with his accuracy, his final figures were 10-4-11-1, and he got the first scalp, that of Richard Barratt who was caught and bowled. When Jenkins backed him up with two quick wickets Hampsthwaite were 25 for 3 off 12 overs. Ouseburn's fielders were very much on their toes and their exhortations rather grated on this septuagenarian. Does the simplest piece of fielding have to be greeted as though the exponent was on par with Jonty Rhodes? 'Jonty who?'  they would probably ask. 

The innings rallied a little only to be cut short by two quick wickets, Antony Johnson the victim of a fine catch by Josh Bennison and George Beeley caught and bowled by Moorhouse jnr. With the last five wickets going down for just 12 runs the innings closed on 99 all out with Jenkins and Moorhouse taking three wickets each. The view from the boundary was that given a decent start, 100 was well within Ouseburn's compass.

And a decent start was just what they got with Will Bennison and Tim Smith adding 46 for the first wicket until Smith was dismissed for 24. Will, Bennison major, was joined by Josh, Bennison minor but not for long because Major ran out Minor to cause a slight wobble at 49 for 2. That was the last wicket to fall however as Josh and James Brading saw their side home with plenty of overs to spare and skipper John Moorhouse confident enough to appear in mufti before the final runs were scored. John can feel rightly proud of his young team of which seven players are provided by just three families, Moorhouse (2), Jenkins (2) and Bennison (3). 

The full list of final matches is as follows: wickets pitched 12:30

Division 1 Darley v Helperby

Division 2 Masham v Thornton Watlass

Division 3 Upper Wharfedale v Arthington 

Division 4 Markington v Ouseburn II

Division 5 Pannal II v Studley Royal III

Division 6 Marton cum Grafton v  Kirkby Malzeard

Division 7 Middleham II v Pannal Ash 

Division 8 Arthington II v  Walton Park II 

So 15 clubs have something to play for at the end of  this strange season and The Nidderdale League committee can give itself a pat on a back for devising a scheme that has given every team at least 8 matches and whilst there is no promotion or relegation at stake Saturday's winners will no doubt celebrate mightily. 

Arthington's end of season festival returns

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The Arthington cricket club end of season festival has now taken place for over thirty years, with an admirable tradition of cricket being played until mid October, when usually the weather is still kind. There was something of a break in proceedings last year due to essential work on the ground, which meant that all the fixtures were played away from home. However a full programme has been arranged for this year at this pleasant rural ground situated in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire mid-way between Pool and Harewood.

The festival got off to something of a false start last Sunday (6th September) when the game against Cambridge Methodists (from Leeds) was abandoned due to rain before the first innings could be completed. For the record Arthington made 134-3 in 27.3 overs with star batsman from the club's Saturday first eleven, Naveed Andrabi making 47 not out. Both first and second elevens have had yet another successful season and will feature in the play off finals next Saturday (19th September). Arthington's first team will be away at Upper Wharfedale in the Nidderdale League Division three final and the second team home to Walton Park in the Division eight final. Both games will start at 12.30.

The never changing scene at Arthington.

Yesterday the second match of the festival, in pleasant sunshine, saw the visit of the old established Yorkshire wandering side Romany, who perhaps fielded a few players of advanced years to put it politely. Romany traditionally were made up of a team of officers and gentleman, so it was perhaps appropriate that their captain was a former Conservative M.P. The bowling was certainly of the Sunday friendly variety for the most part and Arthington's openers Laurence Barraclough and Andy Stoddard certainly filled their boots with a partnership of 165. At this point Barraclough reached his century with a succession of sixes and promptly retired 100 not out.

After such a long wait not surprisingly the number three batsman departed very quickly and soon afterwards Andy Stoddard reached his fifty and he too retired not out after an innings rather more pedestrian than his free scoring partner. However, the runs continued to flow against some very uninspiring bowling with Rafiulla Khan and Tom Conboy both ending just short of fifties. So a final score for the home side of 276-3 in forty overs. Richard Reynolds joined the attack very late in the day and came away with the excellent figures of 2-6 !

That was not Mr Reynolds only impact on the game as took the attack to Arthington with a vengeance, racing to 68 with eight fours and five sixes. The total was 90-1 when he was out and two more wickets fell quickly but Sam Smith took up the cudgels at number four with another aggressive fifty with fours and sixes a plenty. When he was out with still plenty of overs to come thoughts of an impossible victory went out of the window as the tailenders rather disintegrated rapidly. So Romany were all out for a total of 201 with still 16 more overs available.

A picture from the past. More sheep than people at Arthington in 2013.

A wonderful afternoon's entertainment for the spectators with bright September sunshine in this most charming of rural surroundings, with sheep in the meadow in the distance making a long convoy of follow your leader and red kites hovering overhead. Some of the cricket may not have been of the highest quality but remained enjoyable throughout. Certainly something to take our minds off the reality of the world elsewhere.

Remaining festival fixtures (all at Arthington except the last game) are as follows:-

Sunday 20th September v Halifax Nomads

Saturday 26th September v The Hawks

Sunday 27th September v The Druids

Saturday 3rd October v Burton Salmon

Sunday 4th October v The Forty Club

Saturday 10th October St Georges Church v Arthington at Harewood House.

Start times can vary, but likely to be 1 p.m. in September and 12.30 in October.

End of season for Yorkshire Premier League North

 Posted by Tony Hutton

With no cricket being played at our regular summer base of Weetwood, Leeds in this much shortened season, we have been grateful to Harrogate cricket club for providing not only a succession of Premier League games, but ladies cricket and over 60s cricket too. The icing on the cake has been the admirable facilities in the newly managed Balcony Bar which has been able to conform with all the necessary restrictions while providing excellent service.

Sadly the cricket on the field has not provided the best of results for the home club and after Saturday's defeat by Acomb they finished the season bottom of the league with only one victory to show for their considerable efforts. This very young side will no doubt do better next season, which everyone hopes will be able to have a full programme of matches.

Yesterday, after losing an early wicket, the home side showed much promise with a partnership of 103 for the second wicket between Harry Allinson and William Bates. Allinson fresh from his fifty for Yorkshire under 18s last weekend, scored another half century in partnership with Bates who did so well at York last week. However when 105-1 soon became 105-3 the usual middle order collapse set in and the run rate failed to accelerate towards the end of the innings. Harrogate finished the forty overs on a rather meagre 158-7.

Acomb's reply can best be described as a stroll in the park. William Wade, in the process of become the league's leading run scorer, made 60 not out in a partnership of 134 with fellow opener Matthew Dale, who made 71. Harrogate used seven bowlers who all failed to make much impression until a late spell from Cooper Smith slowed things down somewhat with figures of 5.5-0-15-1.

The sun shone throughout despite a stiff breeze and the crowd, including a good following of away supporters, enjoyed the end of season leisurely atmosphere. The admirable league website was updated early in the evening with all today's results, a final league table and best performances for batsmen, bowlers and fielders.

Harrogate cricket club.

Dunnington, whose game did not start until 1 p.m., whereas all the others started at mid-day, came from behind with a victory to pip Stamford Bridge for the league title by the narrow margin of three points. As previously mentioned William Wade of Acomb was the leading run scorer with 494 runs as well as the top average of 70.57 which just beat Christopher Bilton of Woodhouse Grange with an average of 70.40. The top bowler was Tom Forsdike of York with twenty four wickets.

Some slight consolation for Harrogate came with the news that skipper Harry Stothard had made the highest score of the season with his 116 not out against Driffield. Of course the big news of the day locally was Harrogate Town's first match in the Football League, which they won 4-0 away to Southend United and probably to their surprise find themselves, if only briefly, top of the Second Division table!