In the 2025 edition of the ECB National Club Championship, Sunday 13 April is Preliminary Round 1 as clubs begin to lock horns in their respective groups. In this preview, we’ll look at which Yorkshire cricket clubs are playing and their early-season battles. After group stages and regional finals, we move to the national stages […]
Bradford Cricket League
When Legends Played in the Leagues: Abdul Qadir
In an extract from the follow-up to the award-winning Sticky Dogs and Stardust: When the Legends Played in the Leagues, out on March 24, Scott Oliver tells the story of Abdul Qadir’s arrival at Hanging Heaton and the role played by Pakistan captain (and one-time Wakefield superstar) Imran Khan. *** Abdul touched down in Manchester […]
Baildon Cricket Club on a one-club ethos and paying players
The premise for this look at Baildon Cricket Club was their promotion to the Premier Division of the Bradford Premier League. In the world of professional football, promotion to the Premier League comes with a chance to win millions and the need to strengthen your squad accordingly. At the top level of club cricket in […]
The curious case of the Prime Minister and sixes at Crossflatts
This is about new housing, planning permission, red tape, proximity to a cricket club, Sport England, flawed references to Freddie Flintoff, risk assessments and common sense. Add in an intervention by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer and things get interesting. While my article on Scarborough Cricket Club’s first-team was blowing […]
Eye-catching transfers across Yorkshire’s Premier Leagues
If you’re reading this in March (or later), you might have missed this transfers snapshot from early-2025. Since my last feature picking out eight player moves, there’s been more deals done. If opportunity presents itself, I will dabble with the moves from other Yorkshire leagues but for now, I’ve picked out a few player transfers […]
Yorkshire CCC: Talent search in Premier Leagues
Yorkshire County Cricket Club have announced a talent scouting initiative in the region’s five ECB Premier Leagues. In an interview on the YCCC website, Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton shared plans to identify players, aged from 17-22, in the top tier of club cricket. Photo: Caught Light Photography Hamilton said: “League cricket in […]
Anthony McGrath: Q&As, club cricket and digital scouting
Anthony McGrath, Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s new Men’s Head Coach, is discussing the fact that he’s only just arrived but is already going on tour. It was announced in October that the former Essex Director of Cricket had signed a five-year contract with Yorkshire. His pedigree speaks for itself with the Double of the County […]
Yorkshire’s clubs get cold snap – then the big thaw
Yorkshire’s cricket clubs are no strangers to the slings and arrows of outrageous weather. But as I hunker down and roll my eyes at the temperature reaching -11°C in Bingley, thoughts turn to volunteers. In my neck of the woods, Bradford & Bingley Cricket Club (who are well versed in dealing with massive and regular […]
Eight player transfers to watch for the 2025 season
In Yorkshire club cricket, the transfer market has been in full swing as teams across leagues strengthen their squads. There’s been quite a few player moves this side of Christmas and I’ve picked out eight that caught my eye. Sam Wisniewski (Pudsey Congs to Wakefield Thornes) Left-arm wrist-spinner Sam Wisniewski is swapping leagues as the […]
Aire-Wharfe League: Rodley and Follifoot await vote nervously
In the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League, there is an annual vote by all member clubs, revealed at their AGM, as to whether to retain the two lowest ranked clubs – or eject them. For 2024, the two clubs at risk of being without a cricket league to join for 2025 are Rodley and Follifoot. It is […]