Cricket Yorkshire Teas of the Year 2025: Winners

The Cricket Yorkshire Teas of the Year 2025 competition had a fantastic response from those in the recreational game.

It is sponsored by Yorkshire Tea who have supported this recognition of volunteers and cricket teas from the very beginning with trophies, prizes and lots of tea.

With more entries than last year, plenty of clubs being nominated for the first time and the return of past champions, this was an extremely tough one to judge.

🏆 A quick recap – There is no overall winner. Instead, we’ve chosen to award three category winners and some Highly Commended accolades across Wow Factor, Budget Buffet Bonanza and View with a Brew.

In addition, we’ve added a fourth discretionary award just for this year after being so impressed during the judging phase – more of that soon!

🎉 THE WINNERS

Budget Buffet Bonanza – Carlton Cricket Club (Wakefield)

This category was fiercely contested with recognition that the cost of food has risen and the challenge to feed 22 players, umpires, scorers (and potentially supporters afterwards) is never a simple one.

Making an indulgent, thoughtful and inclusive cricket tea is understandably not on everyone’s radar when just getting a tea out at all is an effort worthy of celebration.

But, Carlton’s mighty cricket teas are done by Julie Taylor on an incredible budget of around £50. What caught our eye was the range of hot food; from halal meat options to the vegetarian selection of salads, pasta and pizza.

There’s crispy duck rolls, potato wedges, chicken skewers, sausages in sweet chilli and honey glaze, sandwiches, garlic bread, pies and a variety of cakes; the latter are served on a cricket bat platter.

On a tight budget, there is generosity, choice and Julie’s innovation to serve plenty for everyone while watching what she spends. Carlton’s teas are a credit to Julie; she wins a trophy and enough Yorkshire Tea for a year (1,500 teabags).

View with a Brew – Wath & Melmerby

Wath & Melmerby win our View with a Brew category for their beautiful ground, north of Ripon with a nod to Yorkshire Tea in their submission.

Cricket teas are front and centre at the club thanks to the efforts and delicious home baking of Elaine Williams. If the opposition club in the Nidderdale League are not doing teas then she packs off each player with their own carefully parcelled goody bag!

It is a village cricket club where the teas are a regular talking point for players of both sides and the ground is really well looked after; a credit to everyone involved.

In terms of views, you look out from the pavilion, with the fluttering flag to the left, over a leafy arena. A perfect spot for a proper brew and one of Elaine’s majestic almond tarts.

Wow Factor – Mirfield Parish Church

This is the category that has seen many cricket clubs across Yorkshire go all out this season in a bid to drop our judges’ jaws with the quality, choice and presentation of their teas.

Mirfield Parish Church Cricket Club definitely brought the Wow Factor – and are worthy winners – with everything from the pate and focaccia to salmon and a chocolate fountain (not together!)

Vicky Mitchell and Angela Panks are a dream team for their club and what stood out was the quality of all of the elements to their cricket tea as well as some surprises.

Again, thought is given to who is eating and what they might need in terms of religious or dietary preferences with halal and vegetarian considerations. I’m told that umpires have even offered to pay for their tea as it made such an impression.

What constitutes a talked-about cricket tea is always subjective but we’re looking for something for everyone. On this front, wraps, samosas, salads, mighty scones, pastries, cakes and fruit-packed trifle all won nods of approval.

A cricket tea can be functional or if can be an event, talked about as much as the game itself. At Mirfield Parish Church, it’s clearly something taken seriously and with plenty of skill and pride.

Vicky and Angela win a joint trophy and there’s a prize of 1,500 Yorkshire Tea teabags to keep everyone stocked up with a cuppa.

Yorkshire Tea Star Award – Ruben Ferris

Judging for the Cricket Yorkshire Teas of the Year invariably includes some gems that we weren’t expecting and so it proved this year.

Step forward Ruben, a seven-year-old YouTuber who helps his mum Stephanie make the cricket teas for Scholes & Harley CC in South Yorkshire.

I don’t know what you were doing at the age of seven but I definitely wasn’t talking through the finer points of seasoning a joint, rustling up some goose fat potatoes or honing a vegetable risotto.

Ruben is very much involved in cricket teas and helps serve them weekly with a shoutout to Stephanie for juggling teas and her son’s obvious talent with both cooking and managing his global fanbase.

This is the first year of teas for #TeamFerris and it is a testament to the family for their amazing efforts that we felt needed recognition in some way. Ruben wants to be a chef when he’s older and I predict three Michelin stars by his ninth birthday at this rate.

So, congratulations to the Ferris family who serve teas for the 2nd XI and Sunday side at this leafy village club to the North of Rotherham. Ruben wins a trophy, Yorkshire Tea for his club and Betty’s vouchers to have a treat online or head to one of the tearooms with his mum and dad.

👏 HIGHLY COMMENDED

With the standard of teas so high across the board and we’re unable to award everyone a prize, what we have done (thanks to the support of Yorkshire Tea) is give away lots of tea!

Below are Highly Commended clubs who also do wonders when it comes to their volunteers serving a high standard of cricket tea this season.

Highly Commended – Elsecar (Budget Buffet Bonanza)

This year, Elsecar’s team includes Alison Dixon, Caron Hinchliffe, Nicky Pearson, and Mike Rowbottom.

On the table, you’ll usually find a pasta bake, roast potatoes, chicken nuggets, BBQ chicken pieces, pizza, sandwiches (including halal options when required), salad, fruit and a few cake treats.

With a standard buying list and some donations, they usually keep it to a set price of around £50, give or take.

I know that Elsecar are talked about in cricketing circles for their teas and their hot food (Yorkshire puds with sausages, yum) looked very appetising. They don’t mess round either; I recall onion rings the size of an inflatable ring typically found in a swimming pool.

Needing to be cost-savvy and but also choosing to serving plenty speaks volumes.

Highly Commended – Streethouse (Budget Buffet Bonanza)

A photo of cricketers huddled around a table of food at Streethouse was sent in and it perfectly summed up what they do so well.

A steaming vat of pulled pork bubbling at one end with a colourful array of strawberries and grapes in easy reach, chocolate Oreo cakes and much more.

The club used to buy in their teas but some of the cricketers’ wives have offered to contribute their skills and it has gone down a storm.

Well done to the Streethouse tea crew who have proved the best signings of the summer!

Highly Commended – Stainland (Wow Factor)

Stainland Cricket Club won our teas title back in 2023 and they have consistently shown care and attention that comes with hospitality at this Halifax League outfit.

This year, they are Highly Commended for once again delivering teas that have home players and opposition fed up in the best possible way.

Last time, we met Trish who is at the heart of Stainland’s efforts but they have assembled a superstar squad – Sharon, Shirley, Lee, Dionne, Destiny and April always on hand and apparently ready with a butter knife.

Veggie sausage rolls, a victoria sponge straight out of a food tent at a country fair and homemade jam tarts all had us salivating. Junior cricketers Mason, Amber, Alfie and Avy have stepped up with their own impressive baking.

Highly Commended – Barwick in Elmet (Wow Factor)

Jill Harrison’s cricket teas at Barwick-in-Elmet have been shortlisted before and they deserve another mention this year.

A nurse who takes annual leave from work to prep her teas, she’s one of a group of volunteers who bake and brew for the cricket teams.

Jill’s teas include everything from home-baked cakes to a carefully curated charcuterie board. Feedback from away teams has also been glowing as they come to this village club, east of Leeds.

Without tasting every tea (a future Netflix show?), photos play their part in showing what’s served and it’s always a good sign when I pause writing this article to go in search of food.

Didn’t win this year?

It ought to be said – and perhaps beamed across the skies at night – that there are many amazing cricket teas at clubs across Yorkshire.

By its definition as a competition, quite a few miss out but the bar is always set high and I’ll endeavour to mention more clubs on Facebook.

We spent many hours reading submissions, examining photos and watching videos sent in to give everyone the consideration that clearly goes into the food and drink at cricket clubs across Yorkshire.

Thanks to everyone who wrote submissions, nominated and highlighted the food and people at cricket clubs.