Tiny but mighty: Yorkshire’s smallest cricket grounds

I’ve been thinking about small cricket grounds in Yorkshire of late. Back in June, the plan had been to go and watch Mirfield Parish Cavaliers in the ECB Premiership of the Huddersfield Premier Cricket League.

Their opponents were league leaders Hoylandswaine and both clubs play on postage stamps although Swaine’s HQ is a windswept home at altitude while Mirfield’s Wellhouse Lane ground is surrounded by red brick dwellings.

It made sense to go for a few reasons. Samit Patel and the other Hoylandswaine superstars were likely to fire a few maximums into Huddersfield town centre and the hosts won the 2025 Wow Factor category of our Cricket Yorkshire Teas of the Year.

As it panned out, my new book Brews on the Boundary arrived at home so my Saturday became a marathon signing session for those who had kindly pre-ordered a handback edition with their name in the back.

But still the question lingered – what are the tiniest grounds in the region? I’d welcome your own thoughts and experiences by the way here as a comment.

To get analytical for a second, I guess it depends on how you judge dimensions. I’ve been travelling around Yorkshire cricket grounds for 15 years now and writing about them. There are many quirky places out there but I’ve probably only been to about 200 out of the 750-800 clubs. (So far!)

The shortest distance from boundary to middle?

Triangle of the Halifax Cricket League springs to mind as it is the merest of flicks to send a ball into the River Calder – although as with quite a few grounds, the straight boundary is actually generous.

Glasshouses is fabulously / ridiculously close to the action as if the elevated bench on the grassy bank is in fact fielding at gully.

Maybe I need one of those measuring wheels to answer the question definitively (and a travel sponsor if I’m doing all of Yorkshire). I saw one being literally wheeled out for the Roses T20 at Headingley to make sure the distance to the boundary was sufficient.

If you’re curious, the playing conditions for the men’s Vitality Blast state that no boundary should exceed 90 yards from the centre of the pitch. Under Law 19, neither square boundary can be shorter than 50 yards.

In club cricket, those distances are likely dictated by geography, as opposed to bringing the boundary in too much.

Other contenders in the bijou ground category (from my own travels) are Crakehall and Thornton Watlass of the Nidderdale League. Both are village greens and the latter requires a short bunt to send a six into the bungalows that dot beyond the steep slope.

The smallest ground by circumference may well throw up others. I’m well aware my points of reference will differ from yours. I’m sure there are YCSPL, Huddersfield Premier or NYSD grounds that have their own stories. Others such as the Feversham League or midweek Dales League likewise could have some tiddlers.

Other suggestions have been Adwalton, Booth, Brandesburton, Buttershaw St Pauls, Cumberworth United, Delph & Dobcross, Denby, Jer Lane, Kelfield, Scholes (Huddersfield) and Wickersley Old Village. Some of those being judged by their width (side to side).

If we widen out to non-league cricket grounds (friendlies only), that will open up all other intriguing possibilities. I’ve been meaning to get along to watch Tong Taverners in Tong Village behind the Greyhound Pub. I hear it’s an intimate setting.

Well, here’s to the miniature magic of cricket grounds bringing us up close and personal to the match action.

What are your suggestions?

Where have you been on your travels that’s a really small cricket ground in Yorkshire? I’m always looking for recommendations…