Richmondshire Cricket Club moved to the brink of the NYSD ECB Premier Division title with a commanding nine-wicket victory over Marske at Hurgill Road on Saturday.
Though the championship is not yet mathematically secure, the 1st XI’s 20 points were matched, and bettered, by nearest rivals Barnard Castle, whose own win earned them 25 and trimmed Richmondshire’s cushion at the top of the table. Richmondshire nonetheless carry a lead of 20 points into the final round of the season, and need only six points from next Saturday’s trip to Bishop Auckland to make certain of the trophy. With even an unplayed fixture worth the six points required, the title is now, barring the extraordinary, a formality.
Dan Hodgson won the toss and, reading early life in the pitch, had no hesitation in inviting Marske to bat. The decision looked inspired inside the hour. Josh Dowson and Max Percival found movement and bounce with the new ball, and the visitors subsided to 36 for five with the innings in danger of folding altogether.
That they reached 95 at all owed much to a patient, unglamorous 15 from 55 balls by Malbon-Green, who alone among the top order refused to be hurried, and to a spirited 12 not out from Payne lower down. But Joe White returned to sweep up the tail with the outstanding figures of three for three from 4.5 immaculate overs, three of them maidens, and Marske were bowled out for 95 in 33.5 overs. Dowson finished with three for 31 and Max Percival two for 10, with Jake Percival (one for 22) and Caleb Bradford (one for 25) also among the wickets.
Ninety-six to win, and Richmondshire wasted little time. Michael Layfield fell early, lbw with only five on the board, but that proved the solitary alarm of the afternoon. Gary Pratt and Hodgson came together and calmly took the game away from Marske, adding an unbroken 93. Pratt was in commanding touch, driving and pulling his way to 58 not out from 55 balls with seven fours and two sixes, while his captain offered the ideal foil with a composed 36 not out. The winning runs arrived in the 19th over, Richmondshire 98 for one, the nine-wicket margin a fair reflection of a thoroughly one-sided contest.
The destiny of the title, then, remains firmly in Richmondshire’s own hands. A win, a draw or even a washout at Bishop Auckland will be enough; only a freak turn of events could now deny them.
White Rose Trophy Final
Barely 24 hours after Saturday’s statement win, the same players walked out at Headingley for the grandest occasion of their season: the White Rose Trophy, the Yorkshire Premier Leagues Champions Competition final, against Hoylandswaine. It proved a step up in class that ultimately lay beyond them, Hoylandswaine running out winners by 21 runs — but not before Richmondshire had given the Huddersfield League champions a genuine fright.
The contrast between the two clubs framed the afternoon. Hoylandswaine arrived unbeaten as champions of their league, fielding an XI made up entirely of recruited, paid players, among them the former England Test player Samit Patel. Richmondshire, by comparison, took the field with three professionals and eight cricketers who had come up through the club’s own junior ranks — and for long stretches they more than matched their illustrious opponents.
Hodgson again won the toss and bowled. Hoylandswaine reached 92 for two and looked set for a substantial total, only for Richmondshire’s attack to haul them back superbly. Shafiqullah Ghafari was the chief destroyer, taking five for 37 from 8.5 overs, while Josh Dowson followed his Saturday exploits with four for 38. Patel top-scored with 39 and C Holliday made 27, but from a commanding position Hoylandswaine were pegged back and bowled out for 168 in 28.5 overs — a total that felt very much within reach.
The chase, though, never quite gathered momentum. Richmondshire slipped to 44 for four and thereafter always found themselves a behind the rate. Shafiqullah Ghafari, this time with the bat, played the innings of the day, a fluent 42, and Robert Carr weighed in with 29, but wickets at the wrong moments left too much to do. Richmondshire closed on 147 for nine from their 30 overs, 21 short but with heads held high.
To reach a Yorkshire final at Headingley, and to push a fully professional and unbeaten side this close, is an achievement in its own right — and a fine note on which to round off a weekend that leaves the league title all but won.
Around the Club
There was disappointment for the 2nd XI, beaten by six wickets away at Rockliffe Park in NYSD Division 1. Put in to bat, Richmondshire slipped to 45 for three before Alex Percival and captain Sam Winter steadied the innings; Percival anchored things for 33 from 90 balls and Winter dug in for a watchful 18, with Jamie Stead having earlier top-scored among the specialist batsmen with a brisk 29. The late impetus came from Tom Stockton, who struck 36 from just 29 balls, and Harvey Websdale finished 14 not out as Richmondshire posted 176 for nine from their 50 overs.
Rockliffe Park made the chase look comfortable enough in the end, guided home by an assured 67 from Wheeler. Websdale bowled with real heart for his three for 65 and Jordan Forbes chipped in with a wicket, but the hosts reached 178 for four with more than six overs to spare. Five points from the game keeps the 2nd XI ticking over, but this was one that got away.
Sunday brought a narrow and painful defeat for the 3rd XI, beaten by two wickets away at Darlington R A in the NYSD Sunday Premier League. Choosing to bat, Richmondshire lost Fred Lamb for a duck in the opening over but were then treated to a superb 68 from Jahan Mohammed, whose 45-ball innings, studded with 10 fours and a six, all but sustained the innings on its own. Once he fell with the score on 117 for five, the reply subsided quickly and Richmondshire were bowled out for 144, Tasal Takkal Abdurrahimzai (20) and Theo Carey (15) the next-best contributors.
In defence of a modest total, Richmondshire made a real fight of it. Lewis Pybus was outstanding with four for 12 from his six overs, and with Tasal Takkal Abdurrahimzai claiming two for 25 the hosts were reduced to 56 for five. But an accomplished 62 from Kian Hutton settled matters, and although Fred Lamb and Louis Morris each struck a blow thereafter, Darlington edged home at 148 for eight to complete their two-wicket win. There was much for the 3rd XI to take from the display, even in defeat.
Elsewhere, the 4th XI’s away fixture at Skelton Castle was conceded.
The 5th XI ended the weekend on a high, chasing down 187 to beat Cliffe CC, Yorks by four wickets at Richmond School in Darlington & District Division B. Asked to field first, Richmondshire kept Cliffe to 186 for nine, Sophie White the pick of the attack with four for 47 and Fred Lamb taking three for 33, while John Bewell (six overs for 20) and Louis Morris kept things tight in support.
The reply was set alight by Jake Wright, who raced to a superb 63 from 47 balls at the top of the order. Abdul Shinwari made 25 and captain Mike White 21, and although wickets fell in pursuit, Matt Bromirskyj (19 not out) and Sophie White (17 not out) — a fine all-round afternoon for the latter — saw Richmondshire home to 189 for six with plenty in hand.
