Where else in Yorkshire should cricket be played if not under the Cow and Calf rocks and Ilkley Moor. Well in the Airedale -Wharfedale senior league you can be traveling to any number of grounds in West and North Yorkshire including North Leeds, Beckwithshaw, Otley, Collingham, Silsden, Guiseley, Steeton, Harden, Colton, Illingworth, Tong Park Esholt , Knaresborough,Upper Wharfedale, Addingham, Menston or Skipton. There are three divisions in the senior league with Ilkley languishing in the third at the moment. Still as the County team are proving it is ‘not the winning that counts but the taking part’. more info
The Nidderdale and District Amateur league has a catchment area from Wensley, through Coverdale to Kettlewell, from there following the course of the River Wharfe to Bolton Abbey continuing with the course of the River Wharfe (including Arthington) to the point where it meets the A64 at Tadcaster. From Tadcaster, the route of the A64 to the point where it meets the A1237. The route of the A 1237 to the point where it meets the A19. The route of the A19 to a point level with Thornton le Beans. An imaginary line drawn East to West from the point level with Thornton le Beans to a point immediately North of Wensley. Here is a name check on some of the teams you could meet on this tour of Nidderdale district Alne. Arthington, Birstwith, Bishop Monkton, Bishop Thornton, Blubberhouses, Bolton Abbey, Boroughbridge, Burnt Yates, Burton Leonard, Dacre Banks, Darley, Dishforth, Galphay and Winksley, Glasshouses, Goldsborough, Hampsthwaite, Killinghall, Kirkby Malzeard, Knaresborough Forest, Lofthouse, Markington, Marton-cum-Grafton, Masham, Newby Hall, North Stainley, Ouseburn, Pannal, Pateley Bridge, Ripley, Ripon, South Kilvington,Studley Royal, Thornton Watlass and West Tanfield
What used to be the big daddy of league cricket has been taken over by sponsorship and is now called ‘Solly Sports YORKSHIRE ECB COUNTY PREMIER LEAGUE‘ named after the ball used and sold by Kippax sport. Mmm money aint everything particularly in sport. Teams include; Barnsley, Castleford, Doncaster Town, Driffield Town, Harrogate , Hull & YPI, Rotherham Town, Scarborough, Sheffield Collegiate and United, York and Yorkshire CCC Academy.
An apology to all the other leagues and village teams that haven’t got a mention in this edited gazetteer of Yorkshire cricket; may be next time if there is sufficient interest.
Read Slipless In Settle: A Slow Turn Around Northern Cricket by Harry Pearson is a book on Yorkshire village and League cricket that will give you a wry smile or three.
See a report on Jim Laker the Bradford League cricketer made international star!
Photo Credit
Cricket in Ilkley by reinholdbehringer CC BY-NC-SA 2.0