Tom Pollard reflects from a trip to Wickersley Old Village as he caught an August Division 1 (hardball) match in the South Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League. *** Continuing my journey across some of the fantastic grassroots cricket grounds that South Yorkshire has to offer, I set my sights on the village of Wickersley […]
Club cricket
Yorkshire W&GCL: Collegiate collect the points at Saxton
The end is in sight…or should that be ‘the end is nigh’ in honour of those A-board wearing individuals at the turn of the 1900’s? As we reached the fourth Sunday in August, the number of fixtures remaining in many of the women and girls’ leagues could be counted on the fingers of one hand. […]
NYSD: The tortoise and the hare at Skelton Castle
Bank Holiday Monday’s match at Skelton Castle Cricket Club brought to my mind the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare: slow and steady wins the race. That was the chief takeaway from the splendidly named Old Dog Kennels ground, where nine-player Preston-on-Tees managed to defeat, by seven wickets, Skelton Castle, their North Yorkshire & […]
Team selection at cricket clubs: The ultimate Rubik’s Cube
Cricket team selection has been on my radar to write about for ages. So many angles. It can be pretty controversial and I’ve worn the various hats as peripheral cricketer to captain with the nuances and pressures that come with both. If we take it as given that everyone wants to play, how do cricket […]
Oughtibridge win South Yorkshire Alliance Works Midweek League
The 2025 edition of the South Yorkshire Alliance Works Midweek League has been won by Oughtibridge after a tense final against Sheffield Collegiate. It is the third year in a row that these teams have contested the final with Oughtibridge claiming a second win, this time by 11 runs. The 20-team evening competition, across three […]
Conor Harvey & Townville conquer demons to lift Priestley Cup
Townville’s all-rounder Conor Harvey is talking about freeing himself of an albatross. The weight of expectation that comes with the Bradford Premier League side’s near-misses in a variety of trophies over the last decade was shrugged off with the Priestley Cup final win over Pudsey St Lawrence. “We’ve been so close, I mean, six or […]
Helperby winning run ended by league leaders Goldsborough
Last Saturday, I returned to covering the Theakston Nidderdale League when I headed down to Pannal to cover their firsts playing second-placed West Tanfield. Both teams impressed on the day for different reasons. I have been meaning to get to cover Goldsborough this season, preferably at their ground, but with us entering the final few […]
How New Farnley retained the Bradford Premier League
New Farnley Cricket Club 1st XI are cresting a golden wave this season. Their semi-final defeat against Pudsey St Lawrence in the Priestley Cup is the only time they have lost all season in any format. To pick apart the themes, threads and nuances, I turned to Andrew Lawson, the club’s coach (below, right), for […]
Cricket club insurance: How to get the best cover
Cricket club insurance For a number of years now, Cricket Yorkshire has partnered with Howden to provide advice and support on club cricket insurance. Insurance is not a seasonal thing when you are involved with running a cricket club. There are responsibilities, risks and quite a bit of scenario planning to have comprehensive cover. That […]
Village Cricket Co: A quality cricket bat for £117 in 2025
Village Cricket Co are on a mission to make cricket bats more affordable. Their popular Kashmir willow cricket bats and cricket equipment have proved a hit here in the UK in the last few years since they launched. 🙏 Note from John: If you click through links on this page and buy from Village Cricket […]