PODCAST

Martin Ivill on life as Yorkshire Over 60s cricket captain

June 29, 2018 by John Fuller

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 to an age where joints need regular lubrication with WD-40, the reality is that many don’t still wear whites as a sexagenarian.

Yorkshire Over 60s compete in the North Group of the Seevent National 60+ County Cricket Championship and are tucked in just behind leaders Lancashire, a few points back.

For the latest episode of the Cricket Yorkshire Podcast, I interview Martin Ivill, captain of Yorkshire Over 60s and a former league bowler with Wombwell Main, Barnsley and Sheffield Collegiate.

Martin’s cricketing CV includes the National Club Championship in 2000, the County Championship with Yorkshire Over 50s and vice-captain of England Over 60s.

Over our 15 minute interview, the inevitable question crops up, namely to what extent is this still hard-fought, competitive cricket:

“Believe you me…it is just as keen as it ever was! The fire is still there in these guys…

They wouldn’t turn up as a sixty year old with aching bones and bodies if it didn’t matter.”

Listen to Martin Ivill, Yorkshire Over 60s Captain

In the episode, Martin talks about:

His cricket career in club, league and county cricket
Fighting the aches and pains
Yorkshire Over 60s season so far
How it always matters playing for Yorkshire

If you like the Cricket Yorkshire Podcast, you can always download the Anchor app on Android or iTunes.

Or, listen to all the Cricket Yorkshire interviews here: https://anchor.fm/cricketyorkshire

Here’s more on the Over 60s County Championship: http://www.60cc.co.uk

My thanks to go John Heald for his photography, check out his website here: https://www.johnhealdphotography.co.uk.

Is this the most incredible scorecard of the cricket season?

June 14, 2018 by John Fuller

john moorhouse ouseburn cricket club — John Moorhouse (left) and Charlie Raine after their tenth-wicket partnership of 106.

Hampsthwaite Firsts vs Ouseburn 2nd XI in Division Four of the Nidderdale Cricket League wouldn’t, at first glance, be an obvious fixture to showcase on the Cricket Yorkshire Podcast.

However, this match has one of the most eye-catching scorecards you’ll see this season.

It features a sizzling double-hundred, a record-breaking tenth-wicket partnership and a victory that flipped the formbook on its head.

At 6-4, Ouseburn 2nd XI captain John Moorhouse could be forgiven for thinking that he might need to dig in and retrieve some semblance of a credible score to defend later.

Well, he certainly did that. What followed was a brutal display of hitting against the Division favourites to end with 225 not out that included a tenth-wicket stand of 106 with Charlie Raine; a seasoned campaigner himself at twelve and a half years old.

You really couldn’t make this stuff up and it’s all the richer for hearing the tale, told in John’s own words, so I hope you’ll find the time to have a listen to the ten-minute audio clip below.

It’s a very unassuming account though John happily describes how he peppered a particular row of cottages in this pretty village, North of Harrogate:

“I hit 22 sixes across the three houses behind the bowler’s arm. I’m not an arrogant man but I’ve played cricket since the age of five and I’ve never experienced so much fun.”

We all dream of that single performance where everything falls into place and the cricketing Gods are smiling.

Even for an experienced league cricketer whose previous best was 112, one particular Saturday at the end of May was to be an afternoon he’ll never forget.

Have a listen below…

LISTEN: John Moorhouse on his incredible double-hundred

The magic scorecard: https://nidderdaleleague.play-cricket.com/website/results/3591536

Ouseburn Cricket Club: https://www.ouseburncc.co.uk/

Nidderdale Cricket League: https://nidderdaleleague.play-cricket.com/

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Cononley & Steeton: Two cricket leagues in an afternoon by rail

June 7, 2018 by John Fuller

Something a bit different for this episode of the Cricket Yorkshire Podcast as I headed off by train and on foot to explore two grounds I’d not been to before.

The cricket podcast is recorded out and about so get ready for birds chirping, cricketers chirping and it was a blustery day so on occasion, it sounds like the microphone is being mauled by a persistent dog.

Cononley were digging in against Chatburn in Division Two of the Craven Cricket League and were 54-5 when I got there, inching stoically towards a batting point. They managed 152-7 thanks to 43 from Charles Calvert and late-order runs from Matthew Phillips (33) and Willie Naylor (28 not out) after I had moved on – and would go on to win.

It had the calm, unflustered pace of longer-form cricket; a play unfolding in several acts and a refreshing reminder that all good things come to those that wait.

The goal for the afternoon was to pick out a couple of cricket clubs to see for the first time to usher in what turned out to be a balmy Bank Holiday weekend. Plenty to like about Cononley’s cricket ground (see photo above); a short walk reached from the platform of the Skipton train.

It is possible to watch the action from elevated grass banks or stroll over to talk to those in the old man’s stand (that’s actually what it’s called before I get complaint letters). The gentlemen of Cononley putting the world to rights at their regular dugout, shielded from a sizzling sun, appear briefly on the Cricket Yorkshire podcast though frankly, they deserve their own radio show.

It was then back on the train to Steeton & Silsden and a short walk to Steeton Cricket Club whose seconds were at home to Ilkley in the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League on Summerhill Lane.

I caught up with Steeton’s President Phil Barrett who wears many hats including club photographer, webmaster and has pulled on the shirt over 800 times for his club that yielded 700 wickets.

With little cover from a pugnacious wind strafing across the field next to the A629, it was a further reminder to invest in a wind muffler but he was full of stories and everyone appeared proud to be involved at a club cheering its 150th year in 2018.

Steeton and Cononley were hospitable hotspots of village cricket. The adult recreational game may face question marks over its future but on this showing, there is plenty of life in the old dog yet. The sense of importance that club cricket has within a community was there to see and I have to believe that both will be there for the next generation and the one after that.

If you like the idea of a gentle amble on a radiant afternoon to introduce you to more club cricket in Yorkshire then kick back and enjoy this latest podcast episode – eight and a half minutes of sunshine and solid, forward defences.

As ever, if you are willing to share the article via Twitter or Facebook, perhaps someone on the other side of the world will get to hear of the exploits in Yorkshire cricket…all thanks to you!

HAVE A LISTEN TO THE CRICKET YORKSHIRE PODCAST HERE: