North Leeds Women’s 1st XI captain Jacky Fitzpatrick is reflecting on a landmark 2025 season where her squad won Division 1 of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls League. For good measure, they made the national final of the ECB Women’s T20 Plate competition. As opening questions go, I’m curious if the outfit based on […]
Interviews
Lola Summerscales: Softball cricket, teas and MPs
Lola Summerscales is our Yorkshire Tea Community Cricket Award winner for August and we caught up with the teen dynamo to discuss Lola’s many roles, particularly around launching women and girls’ cricket at Yeadon. Women and girls’ softball cricket In 2024, Yeadon entered a Women’s 1st XI softball team into the West Yorkshire Women & […]
Heavy Woollen Cup Final: Shepley relish underdog tag
Shepley Cricket Club might be heading into Bank Holiday Monday’s Solly Sports Heavy Woollen Challenge Cup final as underdogs but they’re ready to scrap. Talking to 1st XI captain Danny Glover, there’s a steeliness in knowing they’ve already dumped a number of quality sides out of the competition. The Bradford Premier League’s New Farnley, one […]
Meet the Yorkshire Over 60s batter who averages 543
Patrick Neal is having a frankly ridiculous season with the bat and so I picked up the phone to find out more. The opening bat has played for Mirfield CC for decades and has represented Yorkshire Over 60s for a couple of seasons now. 📸 Pat (below left) is pictured with Brett Thompson of Thompson […]
Johnny Barnett: Coaching & community at Stainland CC
Johnny Barnett is the winner of June’s Yorkshire Tea Community Cricket Award and we had a natter by phone to talk about his journey in the game. Volunteering at Stainland Cricket Club began in 2021 with Johnny coaching the juniors while he has since turned his efforts to supporting the women and girls’ teams too. […]
Bowling Old Lane: Disability champions and Curry Club
Bowling Old Lane Cricket Club is full of surprises – and that won’t be the last time I think that on my visit to BD5. Situated off Birch Lane, the Bradford Premier League outfit have a story to tell beyond the long history of this proud community club who joined the league in 1915 and […]
Podcast: Juniors & Rockets at Otley Cricket Club
Claire Bassindale was Highly Commended in May’s Yorkshire Tea Community Cricket Awards and I caught up with Claire to learn how she got involved and the successes since at Otley CC. Her award nomination for last month read: ‘Without Claire being such a huge part of our cricket club and volunteering every day/night, I can […]
Super 1s in South Yorkshire combine community with clubs
The Super 1s programme offers young people, aged 12-25, with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or a disability the opportunity to take part in cricket. It is funded by Lord’s Taverners and runs across towns and cities meaning that those who attend can benefit from free cricket sessions by specialist coaches. As one of the key […]
Nasa Hussain BEM: Bradford Park Avenue to Buckingham Palace
Nasa Hussain, Head Groundsman at Bradford Park Avenue cricket ground, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours List. Announced in The Gazette, the UK’s official record since 1665, the citation read: THE KING has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of His Majesty’s Birthday, to approve […]
All change at Bingley Congs: Juniors growth and ground upgrades
It’s Friday night at Bingley Congs Cricket Club. Having walked across the park and clambered over a wobbly gate inelegantly, the view is of junior cricket in all directions. On the second pitch, a game is underway as the young bowler gets some advice from one of the Congs coaches who is umpiring. At the […]