The Arthington Cricket Festival is no more. Time has been called on the season-extending celebration that saw friendly matches in late September and into October at Arthington Cricket Club. The writing has perhaps been on the wall with the need to hold matches elsewhere in recent years due to a waterlogged pitch and then pavilion […]
Friendly Cricket
Home from home with Romany Cricket Club
Peter Hockin from Romany Cricket Club shares stories and the popularity of friendlies in Yorkshire. **** The Romany was formed in 1902 and have been playing friendly matches ever since except for the war years. We used to play most Saturdays and Sundays but more and more of the opposition joined leagues which meant that […]
Friendlies: The glue that binds the grassroots game together?
Chris Stride, who plays for Sheffield University Staff CC and the Forty Club (YNE), examines the enduring appeal of cricket friendlies and their many benefits, including for league clubs. “Friendlies? That’s not proper cricket!” “I only play league games” “Friendly cricket? What’s that? Cricket is war!” These are just a few of the comments I’ve […]
Social cricket at Bolton Abbey with Hawks and Druids
There is a world of cricket matches going on across Yorkshire that don’t compete in leagues and finding out who and where they play is to dip into the role of the detective. Welcome to the underworld of cricket friendlies. Have a read of this past adventure… Back at the start of May when it […]
The Forty Club: Cricket life can begin again at 40
Here, Kevin Owens shares his thoughts on a cricket club where the youth policy starts at 40. The Forty Club’s motto is ‘inspiring cricketers to enjoy a lifelong love of cricket’. Quite a statement indeed, but given the club played its first game in 1937 and is reputed to be the largest wandering cricket club […]