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 […]
#Cricket Grounds
Abeysekara dazzles Stamford Bridge as Harrogate win
Not so much a battle but a skirmish. I can hear the collective groan, “Not Harrogate again! You only visited there last week!”. I know…I know. Apologies, but hear me out. I headed to St. George’s Road last week when the weather was poor, knowing I had two potential games to cover, in two different […]
Last-ball drama amid fields of corn at scenic Wetwang
I’ve certainly struck gold with my T20 cricket spectating this season. Augmenting a list of exciting finishes, a second midweek excursion, in 24 hours, to the scenic Wolds, this time to Wetwang Cricket Club, was rewarded with a last-ball finish. Some controversy. With the scores tied, and the bat crowded, Burton Agnes, Wetwang’s Bridlington & […]
Wolds, wickets and wonder at Thixendale
Lurking on my ‘groundhopping’ bucket list for years, a visit to the sublime, sleepy setting of Thixendale Cricket Club lived up to – nay, exceeded – expectations. Put simply, it was a slice of sporting serendipity: when each piece of the jigsaw slotted neatly into place. The weather, in what is proving to be a […]
Nidderdale League: Rainton dodge showers to top the table at Harrogate
I’m not obsessed by the weather, but by the very nature of my job, I have to keep an eye on the forecast to ensure that I have the correct coats, boots and hats to hand…as well as ensuring I pick up the correct camera equipment and rain covers. These past two years have seemingly […]
Theakston Nidderdale League: Starbeck dazzle at Spofforth
‘Spofforth is the centre of the universe’ – a schoolfriend once said in all seriousness to answer a question posed by the young unsuspecting geography teacher during a lesson one Thursday afternoon at Harrogate Grammar School. Now, being totally honest, he probably knew that wasn’t the case, but watching the reactions of the only adult […]
Bilton pay King’s ransom in Roundhay Park
Having not been for years, the prospect of a return to Roundhay Park was an appealing one. The rough plan was to take in some of North Leeds’ Aire-Wharfe League Division One game with Bilton and perhaps a dip over to watch Leeds Gladiators of the Dales Council League at the Roundhay Oval. The first […]
Ryedale Beckett League: Thornton Dale defeat Ampleforth
If you don’t like the weather in Britain, wait an hour. There’s a lot of truth in the saying, usually trotted out by knowing locals to overseas holidaymakers. I was reminded of it recently when, a mere 45 minutes before the scheduled start of a Thursday evening fixture at Thornton Dale Cricket Club, whipped up […]
Pontefract & District League: Down to the wire at Feverley Hills
Two days before my trip to Thornton Dale, I had been in the markedly different surroundings of Featherstone, a former pit village synonymous with – and renowned for – rugby league. They used to say, if you were after a decent scrum-half, all you had to do was whistle down the shaft of one of […]
Quaid e Azam Sunday Cricket League T20 Finals
The final day of June became a bonus dose of T20 cricket from Roberts Park in Saltaire, after a planned event at the Bradford Literature Festival was cancelled. It was an overcast day that threatened rain but thankfully, none materialised which meant an uninterrupted programme for the Quaid e Azam Sunday Cricket League’s T20 Finals […]