When is a majority not a majority? That was the question that exercised minds after the Aire-Wharfe League’s special general meeting last Wednesday at Otley RUFC. Pool, unhappy at their second team being relegated when they finished ninth in a 12-team division, forced the meeting at the second attempt by garnering the support of the […]
Aire Wharfe Cricket
Leagues get into bother about where to place new team
ONE of the most stressful things this winter has been for leagues to decide into which divisions their new teams should be placed. The Airedale & Wharfedale League (AKA Aire-Wharfe League) and the Dales Council League have both raises the hackles of member clubs that have been relegated after finishing eighth in 12-team divisions. The […]
St Chad’s Broomfield Cricket Club: New Beginnings
One of Cricket Yorkshire’s most popular articles this year was on switching cricket leagues. Its inspiration was my local club, Bingley Congs, who have swapped the Craven Cricket League for the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League. What I didn’t know was that a club was voted out of the league to make space; namely St Chad’s Broomfield […]
Waddilove Cup Final: Steeton beat holders Rawdon at Olicanian
Early August means one thing to the club cricket enthusiast: a mega choice of cup finals. Unfortunately (and I’m sure there must be a good reason), many are staged on the same Sunday. Which poses a dilemma for the neutral. Where to go? I opted, as I have several times in recent seasons, for the […]
Aire-Wharfe Cricket: Beckwithshaw vs Bolton Villas
Visiting Beckwithshaw Cricket Club has been on my radar for years. Those of us who hop around cricket club grounds tend to rub shoulders and recommendations get passed on. On a scorching Saturday, it was time to put that right with their Second Eleven at home to Bolton Villas in Inter-Division 5-6 of the Aire-Wharfe […]
The return of strawberry cheesecake and what it means for club cricket
I heard it long before the first white dots moving around Harden Cricket Club’s outfield came into view. An LBW appeal echoed through the trees of St Ives Estate in this leafy quadrant of BD16. Half a minute later, a ‘tock’ of a cricket bat striking leather reached my ears, somewhere off to the left. […]
Paying club cricketers: Blurring the lines
Paying cricketers has to be the single most contentious issue in club cricket and is discussed here on Cricket Yorkshire. Editor’s Note: This article has been refreshed for 2023. Do club cricketers get paid? Yes, they do – but not everyone. The majority of amateur cricketers who play in clubs and leagues are not paid. […]
How cricket clubs can fund a Flicx cricket pitch
Cricket clubs can fund their Flicx pitch in all kinds of ways from grants to crowdfunding campaigns but sponsorship can be very effective. Shadwell Cricket Club teamed up with Harpo’s Pizza to enable them to buy a 2G Flicx pitch. It’s an obvious route for recreational cricket to tread and for clubs to leverage local […]
Ben Rhydding joins Nidderdale Cricket League in 2021
Alex Miller, a committee member at Ben Rhydding Cricket Club, explains his club’s move to the Nidderdale Cricket League. Cricket clubs do change cricket leagues. It’s not revolutionary but there’s been two interesting examples with cricket clubs opting for something different in 2021. Ben Rhydding swapping Aire-Wharfe cricket for the Nidderdale Cricket League caught my […]
Aire-Wharfe Cricket: Harden vs Otley
As I walked through the St Ives Estate on this latest Aire-Wharfe cricket pilgrimage, an LBW shout echoed through the trees. It was otherwise eerily quiet for a dry but chilly Yorkshire Day. At Harden Cricket Club, play was underway in this Aire-Wharfe Cricket League Division 4 encounter. After a dousing of hand sanitiser at […]