Our sat-nav was flipping out: “What on earth are you doing?! Turn around NOW!” It tends to do that when we ignore the suggested route – in this case, missing out motorways for a trip to the village of Saxton. It particularly freaked out when we got to the East Leeds Orbital Route that wasn’t […]
Hybrid cricket pitches help Clifton Alliance juggle fixtures
Clifton Alliance are a York-based cricket club who found themselves with a familiar problem. The Vincent & Brown Alliance Cricket Ground is a picturesque spot in a swathe of green, flanked by the River Ouse – but it can only host so much cricket. With four men’s Saturday teams, a range of junior sides, the […]
Soyeb Kayat: How cricket is inspiring Kirklees communities
The start of my interview with the Yorkshire Cricket Board’s Soyeb Kayat (below) begins with a question – just not by me. “So…is this going to be like This is Your Life then?” I guess that makes me Michael Aspel if you’re of a certain vintage to recall the TV series from 1955-2003. Do you […]
Spin dominates as Harrogate claim spoils at Clifton Alliance
Our drive to York to watch Premier League cricket and learn about hybrid pitches was satisfyingly swift for the Saturday of a Bank Holiday. Scoot round Otley, purr up the A658 to Knaresborough and join the steady flow of traffic on the A59 that joins the Western ring road of the city of the Vikings. […]
Kiran Bali: Breaking barriers and encouraging change
It becomes apparent minutes into our conversation that Kiran Bali’s professional and personal journey has been about breaking barriers but also advocating change. The magistrate and community volunteer, who won an MBE in 2008 for her community work in West Yorkshire, has taken those beliefs and brought them into grassroots cricket in Huddersfield. Kiran’s connection […]
Waverley win Division 1 of the Yorkshire & Derbyshire League for the first time
Waverley Cricket Club are celebrating after winning the Yorkshire & Derbyshire League Division 1 title for the first time. The title was confirmed after their game against De La Salle 1st XI was abandoned at Beauchief Hall due to the weather. Sheffield Transport were their nearest rivals but lost by eight wickets to Ridgeway at […]
Dales League: Cracoe win the title as Linton lift Butterworth Cup
Village cricket is alive and well in the Yorkshire Dales with the seven-team Dales League (below), as well as their Butterworth Cup, coming to its conclusion for the 2023 season. There is clearly huge interest in small cricket leagues with the Feversham League who compete in the North York Moors getting plenty of comments and […]
Aire-Wharfe: Green Lane sweep to victory at blustery Steeton
I hadn’t been to Steeton Cricket Club for years but the first team’s home fixture against Green Lane offered a chance to rectify that. Steeton is a village off the A629 as you wind your way North towards the market town of Skipton. It is home to Grandma Wild’s Biscuits, Airedale General Hospital and a […]
Halifax League: Thornton lift the 135th Parish Cup at Copley
The 135th Parish Cup final between Thornton and Illingworth St. Mary’s, sponsored by Briggs Priestley, promised to be a showpiece for the Halifax Cricket League. My now neurotic checking of weather apps showed a heavy chance of rain in the afternoon, but with breaks that meant we’d get some cricket in. At the gate, we […]
Rwanda: The land of a thousand hills where cricket builds hope
Have you ever wondered where your steaming mug of Yorkshire Tea comes from? I rely on a couple of brews (strong, milky, normally no sugar) before I can think coherently about cricket. Or anything else for that matter. But, did you know that 15% of all Rwandan tea is bought by Yorkshire Tea, to be […]