Andrew Gallon heads to South Milford Cricket Club to watch their T20 Edward Readman Memorial Trophy first round derby against York & District Senior League rivals, Church Fenton. Swan Croft, South Milford, is a cricket rarity: a ground at which spectators can – and often do – watch games from outside its perimeter. The grassy […]
Club cricket
Halifax Cricket League: Knocking Mental Health for Six
Cricketer Chris Metcalf shares his candid story about struggling with mental health and the unexpected power of a cricket bat sticker. Warning: This article contains references to self-harm and depression. Life changed dramatically for Chris Metcalf when he woke up suddenly in the middle of the night and, in his own words: ‘I thought I […]
Club development and community at Calverley St Wilfrid’s
Andrew Gallon learns about club development, junior ambitions and more at Calverley St Wilfrid’s who welcomed Saltaire in the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League’s Waddilove Cup. My latest search for cricket at a setting in line with COVID guidance took me to Leeds City Council-owned Victoria Park, Calverley. It is a smashing facility, popular with village residents, […]
Can bamboo ever replace willow in cricket bats?
Bamboo in cricket bats? This Cricket Yorkshire article was originally written in 2014 but given that scientists have revealed a new 2021 study that lends further weight to the potential of bamboo in cricket, it feels right to re-share it. Have a read and leave a comment! The world’s largest supplier of English willow for […]
Byron Boshoff eyes a season of promise at Wakefield Thornes
Bill Marshall chats to Byron Boshoff of Wakefield Thornes about playing Premier League cricket in South Yorkshire. Any overseas batsman with serious pretensions sets themselves a four-figure target for the season when playing in English league cricket. 28-year-old South African Byron Boshoff is no exception. The former Stellenbosch University student certainly made a decent start, […]
Two-fleece strategy at Barwick-in Elmet Cricket Club
Andrew Gallon braves the elements to watch Barwick-in-Elmet entertain Sicklinghall in the Leeds and Wetherby Cricket League. Until May 22 (fingers crossed), my choice of cricket venues is restricted to clubs playing on land with public access. It’s adding a new dimension to my weekly trawl of fixture lists. Barwick-in-Elmet’s ground, owned by Barwick-in-Elmet and […]
Girlington race to victory over Yorkshire Friends at Hirst Lane
This Bradford Mutual Sunday School Cricket League encounter saw Yorkshire Friends host Girlington at Hirst Wood, on the outskirts of Saltaire. It’s an area I know very well having played a few seasons at Shipley Providence, a stone’s throw away on the other side of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Today, ‘Prov’ didn’t have a […]
National Village Cup: Yorkshire teams aim for Lord’s
The National Village Cup is back for 2021 and nearly 350 clubs have entered the 50th edition of this famous tournament. This year, the headline sponsor is Voneus who do rural broadband (an excellent fit with a village cricket competition if ever there was one). As you’d expect, there is plenty of Yorkshire pedigree. Past […]
Last Man Stands: Enter a team and get a set of coloured pads
Cricket Yorkshire is delighted to partner Last Man Stands this year to help more people play the game across the region. Here, I’ll introduce the exciting 8-a-side format and there’s an exclusive Cricket Yorkshire offer, if you sign up a team for the 2021 season. EVERY new LMS team that signs up and quotes ‘CRICKETYORKSHIRE’ […]
Should we have a one-hour pause in recreational cricket?
The news that there is to be a one-hour pause in recreational cricket between 3pm and 4pm on Saturday 17 April (as a mark of respect during the funeral of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh) was a surprise to me. The official line is that the ECB is asking clubs to ‘pause’ play […]