I am not an early bird but Saturday promised adventure and an Owl Experience at the National Centre for Birds of Prey in Duncombe Park. So it was that Mrs Cricket Yorkshire and I were zipping through the quiet streets of Shipley, Otley and then zooming along past Harrogate and Knaresborough. Traffic was negligible as […]
Cricket Grounds
Anthony Burton (total-play Ltd) on non-turf cricket nets
A decade ago, I first met Anthony Burton of Total Play Ltd at a winter event where a few companies were attending Sutton-in-Craven Cricket Club to chat with clubs in the area. For years since, he has been heavily involved when it comes to supporting clubs realise their dream of new or upgraded non-turf cricket […]
Lightcliffe Cricket Club: A new home for a new era
Lightcliffe Cricket Club has changed quite a bit since I last came to this scenic Calderdale village. They’ve driven a digger through the red and white wooden pavilion and flattened it for a start. In its place is a handsome, modern pavilion that is the equal of anything I’ve seen in Yorkshire. But we’ll come […]
Birtwhistle Cup: Rain-soaked thriller at Beckwithshaw
When Prometheus decided to use lamb’s wool to give us mere mortals a sign that Zeus was sending rain our way [and in doing so, invented clouds], I’m not sure he was trying to depress cricket players and fans alike. However, as Wednesday turned into Thursday and Prometheus threw quite a lot of wool up […]
Flying bats and the going away ball at Hampsthwaite
Saturday arrived and I had planned the relative short trip to Hampsthwaite Cricket Club, situated in a small village a stone’s throw from Killinghall, with both villages on the north side of Harrogate. The blue sky was showing in patches, threatening nice weather, but it was also a bit on the colder side for June […]
Bradford League: Misfits, house martins and curly fries at Wagon Lane
It’s funny how you can re-visit something familiar with fresh eyes and see it in an entirely different light. On Saturday, I opted to visit the closest club to Cricket Yorkshire HQ and headed to Wagon Lane; home to Bradford & Bingley Cricket Club. I do dip in from time to time but despite its […]
Grass half full: Keith Boyce on cricket pitches at New Rover
Keith Boyce, Head Groundsman at New Rover Cricket Club since 1999, knows a thing or two about cricket pitches. The former groundsman at Yorkshire County Cricket Club for 30 years (below right) is talking about plotting safe passage across a boggy outfield to get the heavy equipment on: “It’s very restricted getting machinery out to […]
Club cricket groundskeepers face race against time to be ready
In something of a repeat of last year, the wet weather has played havoc with pitch makers who face the usual race to be ready for April fixtures. In 2023, my article on Yorkshire’s leagues postponing fixtures caught the attention, on account of the fact that we’d had record-breaking rain and many clubs had been […]
Does your cricket club need more pitches this year?
The Flicx pitch has been a game-changer since it launched in the UK in 2001. While it has attracted global headlines for facilitating games from Kilimanjaro to the subterranean depths of Honister Slate Mine, it’s at clubs and schools where the impact has been most impressive. In this content collaboration with Flicx, we’ll share how […]
How to Fund Your New Cricket Pitch: Advice & Support
In this content collaboration with Total Play Ltd, we’ll be looking at funding your cricket club’s outdoor nets facility, match pitches or artificial cricket surfaces. Cricket Yorkshire has partnered with Total Play for years because they offer incredible expertise with sports surface design and construction, including six different ECB-approved systems. Whether it’s a new natural […]