At the crease: Latest club cricket news from around Yorkshire

Here is a round-up of news from cricket clubs, leagues and cup competitions from across Yorkshire.

Aire-Wharfe League postpone again

The Aire-Wharfe Cricket League have given clubs the option to postpone their Week 2 Saturday fixtures. It’s believed to be the first time this has ever happened.

In a statement on Play-Cricket, the Management Committee revealed that due to continued problems with grounds not being ready after a wet winter, clubs can play their Saturday 27 April fixture on Sunday 25 August instead.

There is flexibility in this though with clubs being given the option to play this Saturday (27th) if their ground is ready. By mutual consent, clubs can play this extra fixture before 25 August (but not Sunday 4 August which is the Waddilove Cup Final).

Week 1 fixtures had already been moved to Saturday 21 September – and raises the prospect of fixture congestion; an issue that many clubs and leagues will have to negotiate due to the weather.

Heavy Woollen Cup Round 2 Draw

A few fixtures survived the weather in Round 1 of the Heavy Woollen Cup, and the organising committee have revealed Round 2 matches, earmarked to be completed by 31 May.

For the neutral, arguably the plum tie is reigning champions New Farnley at home to Castleford, who were last year’s winners of the Yorkshire Premier League North.

Wakefield Thornes (124-3) defeated Steeton (122) by 7 wickets in the match that was rearranged to be played at Thornes. Matthew Taylor (3-18) and Freddie Egleston (3-24) did the damage with the ball (wickets shared) before James Rhodes (49) and Joe Billings (62) saw the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League side over the line.

New Farnley won a friendly by 19 runs at Richmondshire against the NYSD Premier Division side on Saturday 20 April. Adam Ahmed hit a run-a-ball 45 in the visitors’ score of 228-8.

Dan Hodgson struck 71 against his old team but the hosts came up short with eight bowlers used and Ahmed capping a strong display with 3-45.

The full draw for the Heavy Woollen Cup Round 2:

🔹 New Farnley vs Castleford
🔸 Shelley or Barkisland vs Kirkburton or Golcar
🔹 Hoylandswaine or Sandal vs Honley or Birstall
🔸 Hemsworth MW or Beckwithshaw vs Carlton or Woodlands

🔹 Wakefield Thornes vs East Bierley
🔸 Methley or Hanging Heaton vs Bradford & Bingley or Townville
🔹 Scholes or Ossett vs Burley or Rastrick
🔸 Woodhouse Grange or Barnsley WM vs Pudsey Congs or Cawthorne

National Village Cup ties go ahead

Goldsborough won by 27 runs at home to South Milford in their North Yorkshire (North) Group 3 fixture. The home side were dismissed for 134, with Jarrod McPhee top-scoring with 42.

Tom Richardson (3-29) and Charlie Bramley (3-21) were the most successful of the six South Milford bowlers. In reply, Graham Shorter (4-19) was a handful as Goldsborough ensured the visitors came up, er, shorter!

This was the only game featuring Yorkshire villages with other fixtures earmarked for Sunday 28 April.

Goldsborough’s win means a difficult home tie against Sheriff Hutton Bridge. Woodhouse Grange, the most successful of all villages in the national knockout, are away to South Holderness at Middle Lane.

Four matches survive the weather in YCSPL

Perhaps I should have led with this. There was league cricket played on Saturday 20 April!

The Premier and Championship Divisions of the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League (YCSPL) were postponed to 26 August but lower down, runs were scored and wickets tumbled.

Sheffield United 2nd XI captain Tawqeer Hussain finished with 7-15 (the best club bowling figures in the country?) as Hatfield Town 2nd XI were dismissed for 49 at Carr Side Lane.

At 16-6, it looked like anything was possible but Siraj Alam (27 not out) engineered the four-wicket victory in Division 6.

Elsewhere, there were wins for Barnby Dun (Division 5), Adwick-le-Street (Division 7) and Kexborough 2nd XI (Division 8).

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