Walton Park: A balcony, beginning and cause that matters

Mark Doherty went along to Walton Park Cricket Club for a clubhouse reveal, pre-season friendly and a charity fundraiser on a day that was never really about the cricket.

There’s something about the first outdoor game of the season that feels like a reset button.

Arriving at Walton Park Cricket Club, it was clear this was more than just a pre-season fixture. The ground, prepared carefully after a long winter, offered that unmistakable early-season charm; soft outfield, shifting light, and a steady hum of anticipation.

But this year, there was something new.

The clubhouse now boasts a newly constructed balcony; an elevated viewing platform that transforms the experience of watching cricket at Walton Park.

From above, the field opens up in full, offering a panoramic perspective that draws spectators into the game in a completely different way. In a village without a pub, this addition feels especially significant – a social hub as much as a club’s growth.

Below the new balcony, the final pre-season game of cricket unfolded in relaxed fashion. An intra-club friendly, designed to ease players back into the rhythm of the game. Bowlers searching for line and length, batters trying to adjust their timing, and fielders navigating a still-soft in places outfield that occasionally swallowed even the cleanest of strikes.

Yet, the match itself was never the central story.

That belonged to the community and to a young man remembered throughout the day.

Alfie Naylor, just 19 years old, tragically passed away last summer due to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). His father, James Naylor, spoke with quiet strength about the importance of awareness, screening, and prevention.

You can have a listen to Mark’s interview with James below:

SADS often presents no warning signs. It can strike without symptoms, leaving families devastated and searching for answers. But screening programmes…simple ECG tests…can detect many underlying conditions and prevent tragedies happening.

James explained that screening events, capable of testing 100 young people, cost around £8,000. Through fundraising efforts, including the day at Walton Park, money is being raised to support these initiatives and fund vital research.

The impact of Alfie’s loss is immeasurable, but the response from the community has been extraordinary.

Throughout the afternoon, raffle tickets were sold, conversations were shared, and awareness quietly spread. By the end of the day, I believe over £1,000 had been raised, with more expected to follow.

The superb new balcony became a focal point, not just for viewing the cricket, but for bringing people together. Families, friends, and supporters gathered, talked, and reflected. It turned a simple cricket fixture into something far more meaningful.

As the game drifted towards its conclusion, the light softened and the crowd slowly thinned. But the feeling remained.

This was not just a cricket club hosting a match. It was a community coming together; with purpose, with care, and with a determination to make something positive happen from tragedy.

If there is one message to take away from the day, it is this: Awareness matters. Screening matters. Talking matters.

Because sometimes, the difference between prevention and heartbreak is simply knowing and acting.

A final thought

There was a moment late on in the day, a time for reflection; and it’s in those moments that perspective settles in. The frustrations of life feel…smaller.

A muddy shoe. A missed shot. A delayed start.

They fade into insignificance when placed alongside something like this. Loss reshapes how you see everything, how it alters what matters, and how important it is to talk…to share…to not carry things alone.

For more information or to support the cause, search “Remembering Alfie Naylor” online or visit the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) website – details below.

To donate and help raise awareness, fund checks and research, please visit https://rememberingalfie.co.uk/

There is also a black-tie event being held later this year at the Pavilions in Harrogate to raise funds for CRY, you can find details on the Facebook event page and on Instagram.

You can find more about Cardiac Risk in the Young here: www.c-r-y.org.uk

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Here are all of Mark’s articles and photos on Cricket Yorkshire.

To see more of his photography, you can visit caughtlight.com or he’s @caughtlight on Twitter/X.
There’s also the Caught Light Photography Facebook page.

Mark’s excellent blog called Leica Moments includes observations and imagery from days out at grounds around Yorkshire.