Watching a cup tie between buoyant teams with 2022 championship trophies on their CVs seemed like an excellent way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. An opportunity to reacquaint myself with the Huddersfield Cricket League was a bonus. So, off I went to north Huddersfield and Birkby Rose Hill Cricket Club, whose First XI were […]
Huddersfield Cricket League
Huddersfield Cricket League: Umpires Warning
Deteriorating player behaviour towards umpires this season has prompted Huddersfield Cricket League (HCL) chairman Trevor Atkinson to issue a stern warning to club captains. The warning is in the unusual form of an open letter, the contents of which are likely to raise eyebrows across recreational cricket, in Yorkshire and beyond. Trevor’s statement follows a […]
Heavy Woollen Cup: History, heritage and plenty at stake
It’s particularly in an Ashes year when the Heavy Woollen Cup comes into sharper focus. The England-Australia rivalry is as old as it gets – and yet, this club cricket trophy in Yorkshire first took place less than a year later in 1883. Once limited to 32 clubs who were based within a strict distance […]
How on earth do leagues find more umpires for next season?
NEWSPAPERS, who tend to have skeleton staffs these days due to drastically reduced income from just about all of their traditional financial streams (about the only growth area these days is from the internet), have taken to re-printing pages from days gone by. Some would say that was a benefit to older readers, despite the […]
Should First XIs be allowed to play Second XIs in club cricket?
Bill Marshall explores the conundrum of first XIs and second XIs Watching Hoylandswaine’s second team win the Solly Sports Crowther Cup in rapid time on Sunday at Sandal, defeating Farsley seconds by seven wickets, reminded me of a long-forgotten conversation I had with Matthew Anderson. He was then captain of East Bierley’s second team, and […]
Half Way in 2022: Yorkshire League Cricket RoundUp
Heading into the second half of 2022, the standings in Yorkshire’s club cricket leagues are starting to indicate who the season’s winners and losers might be. Let’s start at the top of the pyramid, with the four ECB Premier League, Premier Divisions. In the Bradford Premier League, New Farnley, Priestley Cup winners last year and […]
c Spencer b Spencer – Father and son cricket on Sundays
It’s gone high. “Don’t drop it, don’t drop, don’t drop it. You’ll never hear the last of it,” I’m thinking. Safely taken. Dream moment accomplished. ‘c Spencer b Spencer’ “No ball.” Oh, the ecstasy and cruelty of cricket in one second. Quite often it’s Dads that have inspired their kids to take up cricket but, […]
Six of the Best: Leagues, cups and ambitions across Yorkshire
With the 2022 season about a third complete, the standings across Yorkshire’s recreational cricket leagues are taking shape and cup competitions approaching their climactic phase. We take a close look at six appealing matches over the June 11-12 weekend: three league fixtures on the Saturday and a trio of cup ties the following afternoon. Saturday, […]
Down to the wire at Lepton Highlanders who make T20 Finals Day
Andrew Gallon heads to Lepton Highlanders, for this semi-final of the Huddersfield Cricket League’s T20 Shield, against Clayton West. “It was always going to be close,” remarked one of the match umpires, as he stowed broad-brimmed hat and white coat in the boot of his car. He’d just witnessed, at enviably closer quarters than our […]
Huddersfield Cricket League: Lilies and live streaming at Golcar
At the tail-end of June, Andrew Gallon headed to Swallow Lane, home to Golcar Cricket Club, who in 2021 are celebrating their 150th anniversary. Golcar played Mirfield-based Huddersfield League Premiership rivals Moorlands. If you’re driving to Golcar Cricket Club, try to approach via Outlane and Scapegoat Hill. Wow! Engage second gear and plummet headlong towards […]