Not so much a battle but a skirmish. I can hear the collective groan, “Not Harrogate again! You only visited there last week!”. I know…I know. Apologies, but hear me out. I headed to St. George’s Road last week when the weather was poor, knowing I had two potential games to cover, in two different […]
Club cricket
National Village Cup: Yorkshire teams are all out (just)
Frickley Colliery’s home defeat to Woodhouses by one run officially ended Yorkshire’s participation in the National Village Cup for another year. At the Miners Welfare ground, Woodhouses of the Greater Manchester Cricket League came out on top with a nervy finale. Winning the toss and batting first, the visitors scored 211-7 off 40 overs, thanks […]
Chappell Cup: Starfish among the shadows as Ilkley make semi-finals
Unfortunately, on Sunday, I wasn’t able to schedule in a women’s game due to having to head towards Burley in Wharfedale to pick my daughter up from a weekend’s Guide camp. To be honest, I had pretty much resigned myself to not being able to get to any sort of game as the location and […]
Last-ball drama amid fields of corn at scenic Wetwang
I’ve certainly struck gold with my T20 cricket spectating this season. Augmenting a list of exciting finishes, a second midweek excursion, in 24 hours, to the scenic Wolds, this time to Wetwang Cricket Club, was rewarded with a last-ball finish. Some controversy. With the scores tied, and the bat crowded, Burton Agnes, Wetwang’s Bridlington & […]
State of Play: Yorkshire Premier League North
Welcome to this snapshot of the title challengers and relegation worriers as the season reaches the last third in the Hunters Yorkshire Premier League North. Enjoy a few observations, league table, stats and averages from lead performers with ball and bat. The plan is to shine a light on each of the four Premier Leagues […]
No small beer: Lights, CAMRA, action at Barkisland
I don’t drink beer so an email dropping in about award-winning real ales initially didn’t set the pulse racing. Sorry, Dave at Barkisland Cricket Club, you’d have reeled me in with a press release about Irn-Bru. And yet… I got to thinking about how cricket clubs become a point of difference, particularly in the many […]
Wolds, wickets and wonder at Thixendale
Lurking on my ‘groundhopping’ bucket list for years, a visit to the sublime, sleepy setting of Thixendale Cricket Club lived up to – nay, exceeded – expectations. Put simply, it was a slice of sporting serendipity: when each piece of the jigsaw slotted neatly into place. The weather, in what is proving to be a […]
State of Play: Bradford Premier League Round-up
In this round-up, we’ll give you the lowdown on how Bradford League teams are faring across the top division for 1st XIs, including lead performers with ball and bat. The plan is to shine a light on each of the four Premier Leagues in the coming weeks. (Stats featured below refer to league only – […]
Nidderdale League: Rainton dodge showers to top the table at Harrogate
I’m not obsessed by the weather, but by the very nature of my job, I have to keep an eye on the forecast to ensure that I have the correct coats, boots and hats to hand…as well as ensuring I pick up the correct camera equipment and rain covers. These past two years have seemingly […]
Her Game Too: What can gender equality look like in club cricket?
Charlotte Ashton looks at how we make club cricket more inclusive for all from facilities to the language we use. She also introduces Her Game Too and their role in the grassroots game. When we think of club cricket, an image that might come to mind is one of older men dressed in cricket gear […]