I spotted a LinkedIn post and it gave me pause to smile, think of a friend who is no longer with us, his wonderful family and the legacy he has left behind. It also prompted fond flashbacks of apple crumble but we’ll come to that. Alan Igglesden (above right), known to everyone as Iggy, played […]
Club cricket
Five blockbuster Premier League transfers for 2025
We’ve covered winter transfers quite a bit on the website given the interest in player moves – so, this is a last wrap on a few names that caught my eye, as we head into the UK outdoor season. 🏏 Matthew Weston (Woodlands) Unusually for Woodlands of the Bradford Premier League, they have changed their […]
Josh Smith: Meet the professional groundsman at 15
Josh Smith turns 16 in May and he is already Head Groundsman at three Huddersfield Premier Cricket League clubs: Kirkburton, Shepley and Kirkheaton. His story is one of talent, accelerated learning and responsibility in the world of grass; one we’ll dive into with the help of his dad Jonny and a word with Josh too. […]
University cricket: The secret of the Christie Cup
Adrian Wykes fills us in on a little-known university cross-sports competition and the success of Leeds women’s cricket. ** The Christie Cup between Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds Universities is the second oldest varsity competition in the world (after Oxford and Cambridge). It involves 1,500 students in 32 sports. Leeds were the 2024 winners and successfully retained the overall […]
Untangling the spaghetti: Mapping out cricket fixtures
Tom Jenkins shares the incredible annual feat of how cricket fixtures at grassroots need to knit together, creating 2,000+ over his winter. Where do I start trying to describe the winter of 2024-25 that I’ve had. As I write this I’m sunbathing in Gran Canaria. I’m a glutton for punishment when it comes to fixtures. […]
Sessay & Raskelf join forces in groundshare partnership
Sessay Cricket Club and Raskelf Cricket Club have announced a partnership that will see a sharing of player talent and grounds. There will be no change to Sessay in the YPLN – with the club sharing a new signing in Jacob Wintle, an Australian-born pace bowler who took 35 wickets for Boyne Hill in the […]
Yorkshire clubs aim high as National Club Championship returns
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 […]
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 […]
How to stay on the front foot against underinsurance
In this update with Howden, the ECB’s cricket insurance partner for the recreational game, we share advice on avoiding underinsurance. Whatever time of year your cricket club insurance policy renews, it needs careful thought. On a long list of tasks for volunteers, it might feel like the short straw but this is absolutely vital to […]