The CricketYorkies: Celebrating 2024

December is our month to reflect on the year and also hand out the internationally acclaimed virtual awards, the CricketYorkies. Here’s to celebrating 2024!

Luckiest weather-dodging

Er, this is awkward. The first award goes to…. me! While the club cricket season’s opening weeks were decimated due to relentlessly wet weather and pitches the consistency of porridge, here at CYHQ we found a game.

Having discovered that the match at Blubberhouses was probably off (arriving to a locked gate was the clue), Glasshouses delivered overcast but dry village cricket.

True, it would have been warmer had I climbed inside my fridge freezer back home but you take what you get in April.

It was part of a magnificent run of weeks where we would successfully sniff out a match amongst the puddles.

Best samosa of 2024

A bit niche but this goes to Azeems of the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League whose game at Sutton-in-Craven CC on sunny Sunday afternoon saw Mrs F and I given the red carpet treatment.

It’s the first time I’ve ever been greeted after stepping out of the car and in the innings break, the Kashmiri cuisine was excellent. A mention too for the chai at Saltaire Cricket Club for the league’s T20 finals day.

The Bazball-buster

Among a string of visits to village grounds in sunny weather, Crakehall Cricket Club was as good as it got. This is the ground that was designed specifically to combat Bazball and soaring run rates despite being petite.

The tree roots running under the cricket square can make things lively.

If you hit the overhanging tree, it’s a four (no sixes) and the game against Burton Leonard saw a clatter of wickets in a match that lasted a few hours. An incredibly satisfying day that was good for the soul.

Biggest cricket tea in the smallest space

Bradford & Bingley CC wins this one. Their generous cricket tea upstairs in the pavilion allowed me to squidge curly fries next to a slab of cake on a plate, sat where the umpires had just vacated. It is a bijou arrangement but is a credit to the volunteers at Wagon Lane.

Furthest six

It would have to go to Thornton’s Josh Hutchinson for any number of blows struck over the houses and into the fields during his 151 against title challengers Oxenhope.

A notable mention for Bradford Eagles’ captain Qadeer who hit a six that is probably still going.

Boldest cricket shirt

There can be only one. (Which reminds me, I should seek out that Highlander film from 1986.)

Haris Khan strode to the crease for the QEACL T20 Finals in Roberts Park with ‘Haris 297’ emblazoned on his back. In fairness to him, he had hit 297 in a previous game, it wasn’t that random.

It made me smile and also wonder if I should get a commemorative garment printed for that plucky 11 not out I once reeled off with aplomb.

Favourite cricket book

I hit a patch during the autumn where I was chewing through the cricket books. My favourite of the year has to be The Batmaker of Copenhagen by Tim Brooks; a beautifully crafted work of fiction based around the German occupation of Denmark and an act of cricketing defiance.

***

That’s the end of the CricketYorkies for 2024 – our awards ceremony with a difference. No overlong, sobbing speeches or comedian/host dancing between outrage and keeping everyone awake.

Just a vote of thanks for the wonderful game of cricket at grassroots.

2024 has been a year of growth here at Cricket Yorkshire; expanding comfort zones, pushing boundaries and a soaring number of readers – but also incredibly challenging at times.

I’ll remember the sheer joy of soaking in the atmosphere at the likes of Crakehall, Stainland, Lightcliffe and Castleford, to name a few. Meeting quite a few of you for the first time and getting reacquainted with others has been a definite highlight.

Thanks for reading cricketyorkshire.com this year and to everyone who supports by sharing articles on social media, commenting on features, buying my books and being part of our community.