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 […]
#Cricket Grounds
Hutchinson fireworks light up Thornton’s title defence
When it came to choosing Saturday’s fixture, several components slotted into place like Tetris. I figured my first ENCO Halifax Cricket League game this season was overdue. (Subsequent apologies to Stainland, I have a memory like a sieve). The prospect of Thornton 1st XI, last year’s treble-winning Premier Division champions and currently in second, up […]
Nidderdale Cricket League: Ripley edge hosts Sharow
The search for Saturday’s venue started earlier in the week than has been the norm throughout the start of 2024, as the weather has been remarkably well behaved. The ongoing A59 road closures meant that cricket clubs heading over towards Skipton and beyond will be considered later on in the summer when they become more […]
Nidderdale Cricket League: Sixes into the hedgerows at Whixley
Saturday arrived and I had decided to make the relatively short trip to Whixley, a small village halfway between York and Harrogate, just off the A59. Whixley has a great pub, The Anchor, and if you happen to be passing at any point, I can wholeheartedly recommend the carvery they put on, excellent food at […]
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 […]
Northallerton & District Evening League: Thornton-le-Moor on the up
It is always good to visit a cricket club then learn about encouraging developments. Very much the case when a Thursday found me at Thornton-le-Moor Cricket Club, to watch a game against Ingleby Cross in the tiny Northallerton & District Evening League. With just seven members (the others being East Harlsey, Hutton Rudby, Northallerton, Northallerton […]
Ken Welsh Cup: Friday night T20 from Yarm
The North Yorkshire & South Durham Premier League appears to have more cup competitions than you can shake a stick at. Spectators are spoilt for choice! Always keen to try something new, in this case the Ken Welsh Cup, I had a drive up the A19 to Teesside, an old stomping ground of mine, for […]
Wildflower meadows and special branches at Hundhill Hall
A season or two ago, whilst exchanging emails with a very helpful Pontefract & District League secretary, I asked if he could recommend any particularly attractive and/or interesting cricket grounds in his competition. Hundhill Hall Cricket Club’s ground, off Sandygate Lane, in the farming village of East Hardwick, three miles south of central Pontefract, made […]
Tough day in the sun for Bilton at Pool Cricket Club
In the past two weeks, my concerns with how much rain is going to fall each day and how I’m going to dry my waterproofs for the next pitch-side visit have abated. Being honest, after around seven months of atrocious weather, I am still leaving it late in the week to make a final decision […]
Never change, Crakehall
In a roundabout way, I can thank Bradford’s inner-city development for discovering the delights of Crakehall Cricket Club. An expectation of traffic congestion meant that Woodlands of the Bradford Premier League would have to wait. Instead, something very different indeed. A 100-mile round trip to Crakehall, a village in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, off […]