The Arthington Cricket Festival is no more. Time has been called on the season-extending celebration that saw friendly matches in late September and into October at Arthington Cricket Club.
The writing has perhaps been on the wall with the need to hold matches elsewhere in recent years due to a waterlogged pitch and then pavilion build – as remembered by Andrew Gallon when the Festival went to East Keswick.
It’s a shame that the likes of the Hawks, Druids and St George’s Church aren’t able to take part at Arthington, although that doesn’t preclude fixtures elsewhere in the late-season – or one-offs earlier.
The tricky thing is finding a club ground that is willing to hold off autumn renovations. Normally 15 seconds after the umpire has knocked the bails off to signal the end of the league season, the square is being scarified and re-seeded.
It seems there is appetite for autumn friendlies still with Burton Salmon, Hawks, The Forty Club, Mel Wood’s XI and Sam O’Sullivan’s XI all earmarked to play over the coming weeks – before Arthington withdrew their involvement.
Arthington did host a Sunday friendly at their ground to round off the 2024 season while other fixtures linger such as Cambridge Methodists (Leeds-based) against Sheffield University Staff at Woodhouse Cricket Club on 29 September.
Can a cricket festival be resurrected for 2025 at another cricket club in Yorkshire?
Well, you just never know. There’s the appetite and the teams willing to play if hosts can be found. it probably needs a driving force to make it happen.
For now, communities such as Yorkshire Friendly Cricket Fixture Bureau on Facebook allow games to be sorted at short notice.
As ever with friendlies, plans change and availabilities shift so my best advice is always triple check before travelling.
If there is a club out there who likes the idea of becoming the new home of what was the Arthington Cricket Festival then Steve Bindman of Cambridge Methodists CC is keen to help organise this.
He can be reached via [email protected].
As for me, there was pleasing novelty to cricket outdoors in October and often as not, it was certainly as warm as April in Yorkshire.
Arthington is a very pleasant place to watch or play a game in Arthington Park, LS29. I’m sure it’ll still host travelling teams from Yorkshire and beyond.
It’s all change there with a new clubhouse now open and the first eleven winning Division One of the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League in their last year before moving to Yorkshire Premier League North.
Want to reminisce?
✍️ Here’s about the Arthington Festival from way back in 2016
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For a club prepared for delay to wicket repairs, a festival can be a good money earner if it is a club that owns their ground or wouldn’t otherwise have to pay extra ground costs. it helos the team spirit of the club concerned if a handful of their players want to play till mid October and there is no shortage of guest players who can make up the team. It provides focus for players and spectators alike and helps shorten the winter. i can also be contacted on 07884374033. (I haven’t given up yet on the current season if there is a club that hasn’t begun scurrifying.)