Hard up against the southwest corner of Shiregreen Cricket Club’s compact ground are unmissable signs, mounted high on a wall, advertising an adjacent fireworks shop. Unfortunately, at least for Shiregreen, the only sparklers on display, when I made my first visit to the 2024 Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League top-flight newcomers, were the players of […]
Cricket in October: Remembering Arthington Festival at East Keswick
Editor’s Note: I was looking forward to heading to the Arthington Cricket Festival in 2023, having not been for a few years. Pre-Covid, it was once a ritual of mine as the Festival extends until October. Hard to find cricket outdoors many places at that time of year… Unfortunately, it’s been curtailed as the waterlogged […]
NYSD Hundred: Fireworks and spin wins it for Normanby Hall
Dodging this summer’s disappointing, triple-pronged cloud, wind and rain assault, I’ve been squeezing in cricket fixes wherever and whenever I can. Often, it has been a case of finding a game – any day of the week – with sun forecast. Recently, time and again, that has meant heading north from our York HQ. Starting […]
Sea air and sixes as Driffield Town clinch T20 Blast Crown
Cricket has many unsung heroes, without whom games couldn’t happen. Groundstaff – pitch makers, they like to be called now – are right up there. I made a long overdue first visit to Scarborough Cricket Club’s North Marine Road, to watch the Yorkshire Premier Cricket League North’s T20 Finals Day. The previous two days were […]
Around Yorkshire’s Leagues: 2023 Season Halfway Review
Heading into the second half of 2023, the standings in Yorkshire’s recreational cricket leagues are starting to indicate who the season’s winners and losers might be. Let’s start at the top of the pyramid, with the four ECB Premier League, Premier Divisions. In the Bradford Premier Cricket League, Woodlands appear on course to secure a […]
Saltburn ride the wave at the top of the NYSD Premier Division
Maybe – just maybe – the players, officials and supporters of Saltburn Cricket Club are beginning to wonder if an eighth North Yorkshire & South Durham Premier Cricket League championship triumph is coming their way. Two home wins, at the expense of Great Ayton then Stockton, across the June 10-11 weekend, saw unbeaten Saltburn establish […]
NYSD Kerridge Cup: Saltburn triumph at Fountains Garth
In my world, Bank Holidays are synonymous with sporting derby matches. Surely, it’s what the damn things were invented for! From a decent selection of fixtures (and after a careful assessment of the weather forecast for each quarter of the Broad Acres), I opted for a first visit to Fountains Garth, where Guisborough Cricket Club […]
Foss Evening Cricket League action at Dunnington
In the ‘groundhopping’ game, there’s always one that gets away. Somehow, despite living in York for longer than I’ve lived anywhere else (which, having terribly itchy feet, isn’t saying a great deal), I managed to miss visiting Dunnington Cricket Club when they were playing ECB Premier Division cricket. At the end of the 2021 season, […]
Sykes Cup: Birkby Rose Hill vs Mirfield Parish Cavaliers
Watching a cup tie between buoyant teams with 2022 championship trophies on their CVs seemed like an excellent way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. An opportunity to reacquaint myself with the Huddersfield Cricket League was a bonus. So, off I went to north Huddersfield and Birkby Rose Hill Cricket Club, whose First XI were […]
Malton & Old Malton cut down by Stamford Bridge’s Faber
Stuffed olives, smoked cheese, pork and apple pie, samosas, Cornish-style pasties, raspberry cheesecake, fruit scones and chocolate brownies. Eight reasons why we chose Old Malton for our most recent Saturday cricket fix. I say ‘we’. Once my wife realised Malton & Old Malton Cricket Club’s home game with Yorkshire Premier League North, Premier Division rivals […]