An invite to watch the Chance to Shine Street Finals for Yorkshire at Bradford Park Avenue proved to be an extraordinary day. Chance to Shine’s Street programme gives young people (between the ages of eight and 24) the opportunity to enjoy free tapeball cricket sessions in their local communities. Here in Yorkshire, there are 11 […]
Yorkshire Cricket Board
Cricket Yorkshire: Guest on The East Yorkers Podcast
The East Yorkers Podcast is a must-listen; a collaborative effort between the Yorkshire Cricket Board, Jam Radio and Table 14 Productions. The cricket podcast hones in on recreational cricket in East Yorkshire and Selby although there are lots of common themes covered that apply to grassroots clubs and teams anywhere. Having featured the likes of […]
How girls in Sheffield found cricket with Chance to Shine Street
Chance to Shine Street is a fast-paced form of cricket that is being used all over the country to support those from some of the most diverse backgrounds and disadvantaged areas. Six a side. Just twenty balls per innings. Played with a tapeball (a tennis ball encased in electrical tape to make it fly off […]
National programmes: Yorkshire’s efforts to grow the game in schools
Gareth Davis, Head of Region for South Yorkshire at the Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) talked me through some of the development work being done in schools. The ECB’s national programmes of All Stars and Dynamos; those eight weeks of cricket sessions at clubs for young children, have been the remarkable catalyst for a new generation […]
Looking ahead to 2024: A Year of equity and environment
I thought I’d talk you through some trends that are likely to unfold in grassroots cricket over 2024. A bit of crystal ball gazing combined with analysis of news from the ECB and my own observations. It is very in-depth so I’ve got these headings, if you want to jump to the relevant section. 🏏 […]
Celebrating volunteers: Standing ovation for Harry Jackson at YCB Cricket Collective Awards
Two lifetime achievement awards were presented at the YCB Cricket Collective Awards at Headingley on Friday night, as Bill Marshall reports. They went to Milton Samuels, of Sheffield Caribbean Cricket Club, and Ron Welford, of Westow Cricket Club, near York. However, and this is not to belittle the magnificent achievements of the two gentlemen mentioned, […]
YCB courses help clubs with Spring and Autumn grounds maintenance
Back in August, twenty or so groundskeepers from cricket clubs across the region met at Kirstall Educational Cricket Club. (What is the collective term for those who maintain cricket grounds? A ‘loam’ or a ‘topsoil’ perhaps? Answers in the comments below!) So, as for this latest deep-dive into scarifying and seeding, those from Settle, Shelley […]
Yorkshire Cricket and Lahore Qalanders: Open trial in Bradford
Amid the breathless evolution at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, the news that Yorkshire Cricket and Lahore Qalandars are to hold open trials on 1 October 2023 at Bradford Park Avenue caught my eye. This is part of a longer-term plan between The Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Lahore Qalandars from the Pakistan Super League […]
Yorkshire (and Lincolnshire) beat Australia at Harrogate
In any given week during the season, there are a frankly staggering array of matches in Yorkshire. I can only cover a fraction but thankfully I get emails from readers all of the time to alert me to interview possibilities, unusual occurrences and eye-catching matches. So, thanks to John Buttle for flagging up this one […]
Talking West Yorkshire Cricket with the YCB’s Steve Archer
You’ve got to hand it to the waitress who keeps sauntering up to take our order but the menus have stayed closed. Since the moment we sat down in this bustling cafe that’s my local default for interviews, we’ve just dived into talking cricket. The cooked breakfast will have to wait. Steve Archer is the […]