Aire-Wharfe: Fitting finale at Addingham Cricket Club

A return to Addingham Cricket Club was long overdue; I came close in the National Village Cup until the game with Scottish side, Falkland, was won by the hosts by walkover due to a clash with cup competitions.

Beyond Silsden, there’s a pleasing panorama that opens up as Bolton Road affords a long speedy straight towards the village of Addingham, outside Ilkley.

Turning off the A65, the cricket ground can be seen from the road into the village; a left off the Main Street to drive the track beyond the pavilion to park up.

Unusually, I got there early enough to chat to the umpire Dan who has links with Mayfield CC of the Dales Council League but has made the switch to officiate in the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League.

At my instigation, we chatted about the awkward timing of games starting at 12.30. I know why they need bringing forward but do you have brunch or emergency pie and peas on the sidelines between overs?

Some work Saturday mornings but it’s almost better to start cricket earlier at 11am and break for lunch to reclaim time at the other end. No solution to please all. As a spectator, it just means we bring lunch with us as most clubs don’t offer it.

We watched the teams limber up with Bingley Congs 2nd XI the visitors for a game where the hosts were hoping to climb the table in Division 2 but Congs were already relegated.

A stroll out to the middle revealed a pitch that seemed in good nick for the tail-end of the season, not much grass on it but obviously well looked after.

Clumps of wickets

Congs chose to bowl first on an overcast but relatively warm afternoon for late September. Sarfraz Mahmood (1-29) was a handful early on, trapping Neil Freeman LBW second ball of the match.

Richard Hey (32) and Jonah D’Arcy (26) rebuilt in an innings that saw clumps of wickets. From the comfort of 69-2, Addingham slumped to 70-5, courtesy of an inspired spell by Towhid Ali (4-38, below).

I watched a few overs from outside the clubhouse in the row of Addingham’s red, folding cinema seats, along with their late-order batters. There was plenty of self-depreciating laughter and it was good to feel a part of that as the home team rallied, stuttered then repeated.

Feraz Asghar (36 off 38 balls) freed his arms in the middle order, ably assisted by Steven Kuhl (19 not out) to see Addingham to 143 all out in 31 overs.

Will Tarren (1-15) was economical while the flighted spin of Josh Addy (4-15) did for Addingham’s tail in the blink of an eye.

A curious total set then; frenetic at times and one that both teams were probably quite happy with. Congs’ batting has failed them this season but it was imminently gettable should a couple of players drop anchor.

There had been plenty of low and variable bounce on a surface primed for renovations the very next day. That’s not to judge it adversely though as batters were out primarily by having a wild yahoo and being bowled.

With the camera out for the first time in months, I walked my usual circuits to pap away from every angle, struggling to get a grip on the light that went from gloomy to radiant sunshine and back, as if controlled by a light-switch.

Photographing this attractive ground, surrounded on three sides by fields, allowed me to take in the pace of the match, notice how certain batters play and the quirks of bowlers.

It also meant an appreciation for how much wood is around the circumference with lots of seating and memorial benches. I also spotted that their electronic scoreboard was provided by our website partner Bespoke Scoreboards. See what I did there?

Speaking of details that caught the eye, the ground slopes uphill and so there is a petite sight screen at the ‘top field’ end, with a rusty roller nearby; a nod to the off-field architecture that adorns many cricket grounds.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the cricket tea, duties shared week-to-week by players. Kudos for turkey and cranberry sandwiches; a nod to the change of the seasons perhaps while Mrs Cricket Yorkshire and I happily munched apple pies.

At the break, discussion was partly on an incredible 106-run, tenth-wicket partnership at Bingley Congs where the 1st XI were hosting Horsforth in Division 2. (👏 Alex Bradbury & Harry Greenhalgh; with the latter a terrific servant bowling his express rockets before now heading overseas).

On resumption, Bingley Congs fared little better when the reply got underway; also finding themselves 1-0. They limped to 24-3 as Alex Merritt (2-24) and Steven Kuhl (6-41) got to work.

Opener Lee Crowther (24) got the scoreboard ticking and then Ryan Baines (24) hit some meaty blows before a disastrous clatter of wickets. Baines’ dismissal saw 63-5 become 84-9.

Game over? Well, not quite.

Congs captain David Tarren (19 not out) hit some pleasing drives and then number eleven Sarfraz Mahmood had some fun. It was a game of what ifs for the visitors as they ended up losing by 30 runs.

Dismissed for 113, the tenth-wicket partnership of 29 offered a glimpse of what was possible. Addingham’s win meant they finished eighth in Division 2, condemning Congs to bottom in the process.

It was a very satisfying way to round off things, if this ends up being my final game outdoors of the 2024 UK season. I have an association with Bingley Congs, having played a few seasons as a swashbuckling number eleven / walking wicket and part-time bowler.

Chatting to them was to realise that their 2s are in a good place, despite a tough second season in the Aire-Wharfe. The gallows humour will serve them well as a squad and they now have the likes of Saltaire, Skipton, Rodley and Bardsey to visit in 2025, with the goal to bounce back up.

Meanwhile, Addingham can reflect with satisfaction as their firsts got promoted to the Premier Division as champions, along with Beckwithshaw.

We were back home by 5.30pm due to this Bazball encounter and somewhat selfishly, there was gratitude for that. I think 45 overs is about right for this level but maybe 40 would focus the mind, offer a bit more light in April and September as well freeing up a bit more time in the evenings.

I am coming around to the notion of less overs lower down the divisions at grassroots so matches don’t drag or need head torches for the final throes. More T20 formats for cup games might get stronger teams out and take a bit of the strain off those who have difficult choices to make.

As ever, thanks for your company on my travels to Addingham… lots coming up in the next month on the website and match photos are below.

📸 MATCH PHOTOS

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