Nowhere in the lyrics by the Beatles of ‘When I’m 64’ does it mention scrapping against the new ball on a sapping afternoon at Kirkstall Educational in the Over 60s County Championship. Such reticence by John Lennon and Paul McCartney reflects the fact that even though cricket is viewed as a game where we can play […]
Interviews
Ray Illingworth on Farsley and life in the Bradford League
For an assignment on behalf of The Cricket Paper, I found myself puffing up Red Lane to Bradford League outfit, Farsley Cricket Club. On a day with only the occasional whisper of wind and a crackling heat, getting myself thoroughly lost amid the myriad of streets from New Pudsey station proved thirsty work. Farsley turned […]
Jack Brooks on fitness, form and emptying the bars when he’s batting
Yorkshire County Cricket Club seam bowler Jack Brooks must have broken a few mirrors last season such was his bad luck with injury. Sporting what he laughingly refers to as an Oxfordshire tan after catching the sun in the pre-season tour to Potchefstroom, the Headband Warrior is on fine form at the County Media Day. As […]
The MCC Foundation Hubs supporting cricketers from state schools
The topic of cricket in state schools – or rather its conspicuous absence – is something that will fire up anyone who cares about the present health and future of cricket. “There is no cricket in state schools” is a comment I hear all the time and compared to the heady days after the 2005 […]
Albert Pagan: Tutoring Michael Gough and triggering Desmond Haynes
Albert Pagan, 88, well known in the North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League (NYSD) cricket circles, is reflecting on national umpiring recognition: “I’ve been very lucky to be selected to represent all of my colleagues. The effort they’ve put into setting standards in the North Yorkshire South Durham League…the players have done remarkably well […]
Jekyll and Hyde: Life as Nidderdale Cricket League Secretary
It comes to something when stalwarts as invested in recreational cricket as Graham Hyde decide to call it a day. We are less than a minute into a roving conversation about the health of Yorkshire club cricket and the outgoing Honorary Secretary of the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League puffs out his cheeks. In relief or […]
Martin Andersson vying with Gary Ballance as first to 1,000 runs
Two of the most prolific batsmen in the embryonic stage of our cricketing summer are from Yorkshire. Yorkshire County Cricket Club captain Gary Ballance is one (scoring hundreds for fun) but can you name the other? Leeds Bradford MCCU batsman Martin Andersson is not a name who is up in lights just yet but he […]
Gary Ballance talks captaincy and fast bowling promise
Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s captain Gary Ballance has come a long way in between our interviews that have bookended his Yorkshire career. I first met ‘Gaz’ as a shy teenager breaking into the first-team squad, who eyed my recording device suspiciously and spoke as bluntly as he was to end up treating the bowling from […]
Ben Coad on aggression, belief and the County Championship
In the aftermath of the hypnotic conclusion to Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s County Championship liftoff against Hampshire, the Friday heroics of Ben Coad felt like another lifetime. The message from Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon and Head Coach Andrew Gale has been for the young pretenders to push harder for a first-team shirt. Cue a […]
Jack Leaning on Handscomb, North vs South and batting homework
I catch Yorkshire County Cricket Club batsman Jack Leaning by phone one afternoon for a natter about winter training and he launches into the meticulous, finessed programme tailored for each player. At this time of year, downtime centres around taking it easy and boxsetting it up given the likely punishing summer schedule for the twenty-three year-old […]