It’s particularly in an Ashes year when the Heavy Woollen Cup comes into sharper focus. The England-Australia rivalry is as old as it gets – and yet, this club cricket trophy in Yorkshire first took place less than a year later in 1883. Once limited to 32 clubs who were based within a strict distance […]
Club Cricket
Many cricket leagues postpone their season start in Yorkshire
Nothing gets us quite so fired up as the weather – especially when it affects the cricket season. The North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League’s decision to postpone the start of their cricket season by a week was a big call. Unusual but not quite unprecedented – and sensible given March was the wettest […]
Pudsey St Lawrence: Primed, proud and ready on all fronts
The last time I saw Chris Marsden or ‘Spike’ as he’s known in Bradford Cricket League circles, was a visit in 2019 to their Tofts Road ground for their rain-affected game against Methley. It was for a feature in The Cricket Paper and a lot has happened for all of us since. I tend to […]
Harrogate Cricket Club: The next chapter
I wrote an article not so long ago about Glasshouses Cricket Club and their very real struggles to stay afloat for another season. One of the comments came from George Owram, joint chair at Harrogate Cricket Club, who shared his thoughts on loaning out juniors to Glasshouses, Pateley Bridge and others. It got the grey […]
Which is the most iconic pavilion in Yorkshire cricket?
Which is the most iconic pavilion in Yorkshire cricket? Now there’s a topic for debate, but aficionados in the Bradford Premier League would probably vote for Lightcliffe. It was therefore an emotional morning on a Saturday in March when the iconic 101-year-old red and white structure was demolished to make way for a more spacious […]
Kevin Watson: Wrenthorpe glory and captaining Yorkshire Over 60s
Did you know that Yorkshire’s pedigree extends to the older age brackets in the County Championship too? We caught up with Yorkshire Over 60s captain Kevin Watson to discuss his club cricket background, captaincy approach and ambitions for this season. Kevin began cricket as a junior at East Ardsley Cricket Club, back in the mid-1970s, […]
Settle Cricket Club: New era in the North West Cricket League, open mind
Settle Cricket Club enter their first season in the new North West Cricket League with what chairman Andrew Davidson describes as an “open mind”. Last autumn, the 16-club Ribblesdale Cricket League – of which, in 1892, Settle were founder members – agreed to merge with the Bolton Cricket League, established in 1930. This year, 24 […]
Aston Lark: Club insurance renewals, rising costs and how to save
It’s that time of year: cricket club insurance renewals. Assessing your current policy, any changes to your circumstances and making sure you’re properly covered for the next 12 months. In our content partnership with Aston Lark, we’re reviewing recent news and how it affects clubs. ECB CIS (Central Insurance System) More clubs are signing up […]
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 […]
Why the Leeds & Wetherby Cricket League is no more
The demise of a cricket league is always a moment to pause. There’s usually a lot of history and memories jumbled in with that reluctant decision to call time. Inevitably, there’s also reflection on whether another league gone is a sign of a wider shrinkage of club cricket and what the landscape will look like […]