Cyborgs, centuries and sightscreen standoff

I’m pleased to say that Hollywood sequels and eclipsed by a comeback met with a cacophony of approval (thanks for the emails) – so here is another news round-up with my own take from the past week.

Enjoy, have a read and please share it around the world. 😁

Cutts to the quick

Darley Cricket Club clearly had somewhere to be against Ouseburn in Division 2 of the Nidderdale Cricket League.

They won by seven wickets, having concluded their run chase on 221-3 off 22 overs. Yes, you read that right.

Ben Cutts struck 103 off 37 balls and was dismissed in the 13th over (thanks to Duncan for that nugget). I would be lost otherwise as Play-Cricket had his innings as 103 off 0 balls which is rapid by any standard!

Just checking if you’re a robot

Speaking of Play-Cricket, I put up a mischevious post on the Cricket Yorkshire Facebook page about repeatedly being checked to see if I was a human.

It sparked plenty of golden comments, some understandable grumblings and a few admissions that, yes, certain Cricket Yorkshire readers are cyborgs.

Running a website business for 15 years, I know how hard the technical side of it is but it would appear that the team at the ECB are putting out fires (metaphorical ones I hope) on multiple fronts with their tech.

Grounds for concern?

I noted that Stainborough’s game against Crofton Phoenix in the Pontefract Cricket League’s Championship was abandoned with points shared.

That’s a little misleading as the game didn’t go ahead in the first place but I don’t think there’s a scorecard status covering every permutation on Play-Cricket. (Ker-ching, I’ve got a hat-trick of mentions).

According to Stainborough’s club Facebook page, Crofton couldn’t play at their ground, Thurgoland offered to be a neutral venue but it doesn’t have sightscreens.

That contravenes league rules so the game couldn’t happen.

In this hot summer weather, how frustrating. For the record, I haven’t approached Crofton Phoenix or the league for comment. If correct, it seems an odd approach but I may be missing something.

Stainborough have their last few games before heading to the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League for 2027.

Going national

Townville head to Denby for the Vitality Club T20 Cup Finals Day on Sunday 30 August. In a massive season for their club (also leading the Bradford Premier League), they face Lindow at The Copper Yard.

Rastrick of the Huddersfield Premier League are in the other semi-final against Northern.

On the same day in the T20 Plate regional semi-finals at Elsecar’s Al-Murad Stadium, Ackworth 1st XI play Woodhouse Grange 2nd XI (who reached the latter stages of the National Village Cup).

New Farnley, who were defeated by Woodlands in the Bradford Premier League’s Priestley Cup Final last Sunday, have a chance to make amends.

If we look a bit closer in the calendar than the T20 fireworks… On Sunday 23 August, New Farnley travel to Smethick of the Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League in the semi-final of the ECB National Club Championship.

Meanwhile, Sessay Emeralds U19s reached the Girls U19 Club T20 Finals Day at Kibworth in Leicestershire and the MCCF Bradford U17 Girls squad will be in the MCC Foundation U17 Lord’s final on 5 September.

📸 Townville photo: Ray Spencer / bradfordcl.com.

Nominate your volunteers!

There’s still time to nominate any volunteer in Yorkshire cricket for our Yorkshire Tea Community Cricket Awards (link to entry form).

Only takes a minute (we need a photo ideally but this can be sourced later). Winners get a trophy, as well as 1,500 Yorkshire Gold teabags and an interview by me here on Cricket Yorkshire.

It could be a groundskeeper, league or club official, coach, umpire, scorer… anyone who has made an impact at a club or in the community relating to cricket.

Please spread the word – I’m really keen to discover stories and celebrate lots of volunteers – so even if they don’t win, I can give a shoutout on Facebook.

Hundreds in women’s cricket

Once upon a time, women’s hardball league cricket didn’t ever see a hundred scored in a game – but I’ve noted an uptick this season across Yorkshire.

Congratulations to Kirsten Smith (130 retired) and Tilly Cotton (100 retired) who put on 237 for North Halifax Women in Premier League 2 of the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League.

The Smith & Cotton partnership is believed to be (stats badgers on you go) the second highest partnership in the history of that league.

To illustrate my earlier point, there have been nine hundreds in the league in 2026 with Adwalton’s Ashleigh Hallas notching two on her own.

Four in South Yorkshire and three in YPLN reinforce that inkling I had. As a bowler, I have some sympathy but it’s a testament to players’ increased stamina, concentration and standards.

For a bit of balance and us bowlers’ union, Josie Charlesworth (7-16 for Green Moor), Eloise Porter (6-7 for Harrogate) Zoe Hunt (5-7 for York) are the top bowling figures in Women’s regional Premier Leagues (at the time of writing).

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So there you go, a blizzard of stats for you in the hottest summer since 1976 (and that’s another record that may yet evaporate).

What did you think?

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