The ECB National Club Championship for 2026 has teams in Yorkshire entering for the first time, serious pedigree and tough competition. In this round-up, I’ll walk you through some of the headlines for this edition as well as early-season ties to whet the appetite. All change Yorkshire’s cricket clubs feature in Group 1 and Group […]
Opinion
15 Not Out: The canal walk that changed everything
Cricket Yorkshire is 15 Not Out in 2026 as the website celebrates a decade and a half of cricket journalism that champions the recreational game. Over the course of the year, I’ll have a series of articles, interviews and podcasts reflecting on the changes at grassroots but also consider what lies ahead. To kick things […]
2026: Predictions and trends for grassroots cricket
Recreational cricket is set for significant change in 2026 and as ever, I’ve gazed meaningfully into my tea leaves to see what’s brewing. If you want likely trends across the game and my own thoughts on how things may pan out then make yourself comfortable. To jump to a specific section, use these chapter links […]
Grassroots cricket is not dying – but it is changing
The Telegraph’s recent article by Chief Sports reporter Jeremy Wilson with the headline: ‘Grass-roots sports clubs are dying out’ has got me hot under the collar. I am particularly twitchy as it’s another national newspaper making depressing, sweeping statements about the state of recreational sport. The sub-heading states: ‘With life habits changing and the effects […]
Team selection at cricket clubs: The ultimate Rubik’s Cube
Cricket team selection has been on my radar to write about for ages. So many angles. It can be pretty controversial and I’ve worn the various hats as peripheral cricketer to captain with the nuances and pressures that come with both. If we take it as given that everyone wants to play, how do cricket […]
Why cricket clubs might need a new lease of life
One of the trending topics on my travels this year for Cricket Yorkshire has been land ownership and the restrictions imposed on cricket clubs. In this article with Howden, our insurance partner, we’ll look at some of the issues relating to leases that may affect clubs, as well as their insurance. (This is a general […]
Darfield reset: A warning shot for other clubs?
If I got a pound for every time someone told me “bang average” cricketers were expecting to be paid handsomely then, ironically, I could earn a fortune myself. Darfield Cricket Club of the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League (YCSPL) are the latest club to assess their squad strength and future direction. Their first team have […]
Glasshouses pull out of the Nidderdale League
In news that saddened me, I learnt that Glasshouses Cricket Club had withdrawn from the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League – due to a lack of players. Importantly, the cricket club will not fold but for now, it has no players and no fixtures. Mothballed if you will but with future plans that we’ll come to. […]
New ECB safety regulations cause concern at grassroots
The news of updated ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations does not, at first glance, sound particularly riveting – but it is causing a stir. The Regulations replace previous versions and cover those cricketers aged Under 19 in relation to Fast Bowling, Fielding Distances, Eligibility of Junior Cricketers, Playing Out of Age Group and Protective Equipment. […]
The curious case of the Prime Minister and sixes at Crossflatts
This is about new housing, planning permission, red tape, proximity to a cricket club, Sport England, flawed references to Freddie Flintoff, risk assessments and common sense. Add in an intervention by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer and things get interesting. While my article on Scarborough Cricket Club’s first-team was blowing […]