National Village Cup: How will Yorkshire’s teams go this year?

The largest knockout cricket competition in the UK is back. The Voneus Village Cup, organised by The Cricketer, has witnessed 35 villages lift the trophy since 1972.

The final is played each September at Lord’s and Yorkshire’s villages have a proud record of making it to the latter stages or winning. By my reckoning, they’ve won it 12 times so about a third of all NVC winners are from Yorkshire.

Woodhouse Grange are back and going for their fifth title which already sees them as the most successful village cricket side ever.

Having won in 1995, 2007, 2014 and 2015 and been finalists in 1999, 2008 and 2012, the men of Derwent have a pedigree that’s hard to ignore.

Besides, their North Yorkshire (North) Group is arguably the toughest in the country just to get out of.

Their opening game is against the 2018 winners Folkton & Flixton, the last Yorkshire village to be victorious at Lord’s, while Sheriff Hutton Bridge (2005 winners) are also usually strong. Sessay (2010 & 2016 winners) are a notable absentee this year. 

I caught up with Steve Burdett, Woodhouse Grange’s second-team captain and someone who has played in all seven appearances in a final at Lord’s.

They are back in the Village Cup for the first time since 2015: “Woodhouse Grange has a long-standing history with the National Village Cup, to again be entered into the competition has created a real buzz within the club.”

For Steve, there’s the carrot of one last hurrah. It can probably feel a bit surreal as a captain of a cricket club at Lord’s; one for the scrapbook. 

“My fondest memory would be winning the competition as captain, addressing an audience on the steps of Lord’s and leading a team through the Long Room is something I will always cherish – but to see the club defend a national competition in 2015 was also very special.”

This year, it’s all change with Woodhouse Grange fielding a second eleven as their firsts aren’t eligible because they play in the ECB Yorkshire Premier League North.

Steve reckoned the crunch game first up offers an early test of their credentials: “The game against previous winners Folkton & Flixton will be highly competitive and I am sure the successful side will go deep into the competition.”

In Group 4 – North Yorkshire (South), the action starts a little later, picking up in Round 2. Villages are from all over: Nidderdale Cricket League, Bradford Premier League, Aire-Wharfe Cricket League, Rydedale Beckett League and Scarborough Beckett Cricket League.

Group 5 – West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire & Humberside

Does this group cover the largest area in the country? There’s a trivia question for you. Probably – except Scotland obviously. 

Group 5 is also a mix of fixtures across Rounds 1 and 2 with some villages receiving a bye. Outcasts caught my eye, is that a new team? Houghton Main won it in 2006 and were 2019 finalists.

Over 350 teams began the 52nd edition of the Village Cup with the preliminary round having taken place on 9 April 2023. Here are the matches across Yorkshire for Round 1 on Sunday April 23.

Group 3 – North Yorkshire (North)

Woodhouse Grange v Folkton & Flixton
Hensall v Silton Moorsholm v Great Habton
Thornton Watlass v Sheriff Hutton Bridge
Cayton v Thornton le Moor
Ebberston v Forge Valley
Sutton-on-Hull v Blubberhouses
South Holderness v Rockliffe Park

Group 4 – North Yorkshire (South)
(Played in Round 2).

Staxton v Alne
Killinghall v Carlton Towers
Harome v Addingham
East Ardsley v Patrington

Group 5 – West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire & Humberside

Houghton Main v Thornton 
Bye v Frickley Colliery
Kippax Welfare v Bye
Bye v Old Sharlston

Slaithwaite v Drighlington
Ackworth v Outcasts
Broughton v Middleton & North Dalton
Oulton v Great Preston

Fixtures

• Round 1 –  April 23
• Round 2 –  May 7
• Round 3 –  May 21
• Round 4 –  June 4
• Round 5 –  June 18
• Round 6 – July 2
• Quarter-finals –  July 16
• Semi-finals –  July 30
• Final – September 3

Winners of the National Village Cup

(*Yorkshire winners denoted with asterisk)

1972 Troon
1973 Troon
1974 Bomarsund
1975 Gowerton
1976 Troon
1977 Cookley
1978 Linton Park
1979 East Bierley*
1980 Marchwiel
1981 St Fagan’s
1982 St Fagan’s
1983 Quarndon
1984 Marchwiel
1985 Freuchie
1986 Forge Valley*
1987 Longparish
1988 Goatacre
1989 Toft
1990 Goatacre
1991 St Fagan’s
1992 Hursley Park
1993 Kington
1994 Elvaston
1995 Woodhouse Grange*
1996 Caldy
1997 Caldy
1998 Methley*
1999 Linton Park
2000 Elvaston
2001 Ynystawe
2002 Shipton-under-Wychwood
2003 Shipton-under-Wychwood
2004 Sully Centurions
2005 Sheriff Hutton Bridge*
2006 Houghton Main*
2007 Woodhouse Grange*
2008 Valley End
2009 Glynde
2010 Sessay*
2011 Woodhouses
2012 Reed
2013 Cleator
2014 Woodhouse Grange*
2015 Woodhouse Grange*
2016 Sessay*
2017 Reed
2018 Folkton & Flixton*
2019 Reed
2020 Colwall
2021 Calmore Sports
2022 Dumbleton

(With thanks to the ACS – Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians)

Good luck to all of Yorkshire’s teams… for reports, scorecards and stats from the competition, visit: https://www.nationalvillagecup.com.