Summer
2015 has been a crucial one in my life as a cricket follower. Two years on from
taking the plunge and becoming a fully-fledged Northumberland member and
supporter, I’ve discovered the beauty and the joy of the North East Premier
League, following Newcastle, Tynemouth and South North with equal affection. While I’ve fallen head over heels in love with
this competition, it is desperately sad I’ve come to the party so late in life
and rather late in the season, but the games I’ve seen have been a glorious
introduction to the local scene. I can state now, without fear of
contradiction, that my love of the NEPL is as profound as my love of the
Northern League. I frankly can’t envisage a scenario where I’d not watch both
of them for the rest of my life.
Consequently,
Saturday 22nd August was a particularly fine day; having steered
Winstons to a 2-1 win away to Richmond Vets in the morning, I found myself at
Blue Flames cheering on a fine display of Walkergate Tiki Taka in the Coach
Lane Clasico as Benfield came from
2-0 down to obliterate West Allotment 6-2 at full time. Game over, Gary gave
Phil and I a lift down to Gosforth for South North against Chester Le Street in
what was, potentially, the NEPL title decider. Friday’s incessant rain had
caused some lower level games to be abandoned, but those in the top divisions
survived, because of the assiduous work of skill, devoted ground staff, though
there weren’t many high scores, individually or collectively, around.
Kev
had taken in the morning session before heading off to see Heaton Stan at
Billingham Town and let us know South North had won the toss and put Chester
in; a good decision as the visitors subsided to 112 all out in 41 overs. However,
it wasn’t all plain sailing in the second innings; South North stumbled to 22/4
and were 67/5 at tea when we arrived. Marcus North was out bowled for 0 by
Andrew Bell, who has something to tell the grand bairns. When Adam Cragg was
out for 37, South North were 84/7 and, with ominous clouds massing, all four
results were possible. However, you don’t win the title 8 times in a decade
without learning how to tough it out and the home side made it over the line
after 38 overs for the loss of 8 wickets. Only the lack of battling points
accrued left the title still theoretically alive with 3 games to play and South
North 28 points ahead in the table.
Scarcely
had Gary and I recovered from that excitement than we headed off on a double
header cricketing odyssey to Nottingham for the Royal London quarter final at
Trent Bridge against Durham on Tuesday and then the main event on Wednesday;
the Unicorns Minor Counties knock-out cup final at Wormsley in Buckinghamshire,
between Cornwall and Northumberland. How proud we were to be supporting Jacques
du Toit’s Marlboro Light Army, but before I go any further, I must thank Gary
for his superb driving on both days; it was a pleasure to be chauffeured by him
and to exchange anecdotes about our sporting and supporting lives.
Anyway,
as we all know, the caprices of the weather are the key to enjoyable cricket.
Tuesday 25th August wasn’t a warm day by any stretch of the
imagination, but we were both ruthlessly determined to stay true to summer
shorts and, in the absence of early rain, it seemed a brave rather than foolish
decision. We arrived in Nottingham in
plenty of time for the start at 2pm, but because the hotel wouldn’t let us
check in early, the best option was to amble down to Trent Bridge. I’d not been
in Nottingham for years; March 28th 1998 to be precise, to see
County under Allardyce win the Fourth Division title, beating Orient 1-0. It’s
a city I’ve always loved because it’s quirky and different; independent shops
and a lack of chain pubs, kind of like Leeds but on a smaller scale. Mind, it’s
still a canny schlepp by foot out to Trent Bridge, with homely Meadow Lane and
the faded glories of the City Ground as passing attractions.
Trent
Bridge is a glorious ground; the closest I’d been previously was the adjoining
Trent Bridge Inn (TBI) on May 2nd 1992 before a minibus of us headed
to Leicester to see Newcastle’s dramatic escape from Division 3 in one of the
most crucial games I’ve seen in my life. That time it was full of Luton fans
dressed as Eric Morecambe, before they played County, with both teams already
relegated. Today it was full of gloomy Notts and Durham fans trying to keep
warm and dry as the rain pelted down, curtailing play after 17.2 overs with
Notts 102/1. We enjoyed a good chat with some lads down from Durham. They were
fans of Burnmoor, who are scrapping it out at the top of Division 1 for the
sole promotion spot, alongside Washington and Eppleton, who lead by 4 points.
It was a great chat and, though our accents clearly marked us as potentially on
opposite sides of the Tyne / Wear divide, the subject of football wasn’t
mentioned once. That’s what I love about cricket and cricket fans; support
transcends petty rivalries and the appreciation of the integrity of the game is
paramount at all times.
As
we sipped at pints of the ironically named Summer Daze IPA and checked weather
updates on smart phones, not to mention staring at the rain-streaked windows, it seemed likely play could be abandoned for
the day, leaving us in a quandary about what to do the day after. We had no
margin for error; work was waiting on Thursday morning, so it could only be a 1
night stay away from home. Amazingly, it stopped raining about 6.30. Even more
amazingly, play began again around 7.45 in a game now reduced to 24 overs; the
installation of floodlights and the pyjama game may not be to the liking of
purists, but it got this game on. Notts advanced to 170/4, with Hales making a
dashing 64. The vagaries of the Duckworth Lewis Method meant Durham were asked
to get 192 to win; 8 an over, eminently possible if they played sensibly.
Sadly, they didn’t; despite a steady start from Stoneman and Mustard, who put
on 63, wickets fell in clutches to abysmal shots, though Collingwood was
unlucky to be caught and bowled first ball courtesy of a lightning reflex
reaction by Mullaney. After McLeod was out for 34, leaving Durham 132/5, things
went rapidly downhill, as they subsided to 144 all out, ceding the cup they’d
won last September at Lords, in pitiful fashion. A limp surrender on a freezing
evening in front of scarcely 100 hardy souls, several of whom were attired in
wooly hats and thinsulate gloves on an August evening, in what must be a
brilliant arena for top class cricket on a sunny afternoon.
Undoubtedly,
the best team won and would probably have done so equally emphatically in a 50
over game, but reducing it to 24 overs to finish it on the night, when there
was a reserve day planned, is simply appalling. Sky, not content with ordering
the football authorities around, is doing so as regards domestic cricket. This wasn’t what I’d call value for £18;
admittedly the weather is beyond anyone’s control, but insisting the game came
to a conclusion so they could move their cameras to another quarter final the
next day just isn’t cricket.
Game
over, we skulked off, caught a bus, bought a sandwich and made it to England’s
oldest pub, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem for last orders. The only other customers
were 3 Czech tourists, drinking pop and lager, the heathens. Back at the hotel,
we checked in and crashed out, or at least I did; Gary couldn’t get his door to
pen. I think I was probably already asleep by the time he was in the lift back
down to reception. The hotel was a tough contest for him, as he couldn’t get
the telly or the shower to work either, so had a relaxing bath in silence.
Surfacing on a cold and wet morning, having been briefly woken by rain
hammering on my 6th floor window at 5 o’clock, I surveyed slate grey
East Midlands skies as we headed for the car, via the statue of Brian Clough by
the town hall.
On
the road for 9, we made decent time in decent weather, pulling off the M40 and
into the surreal Portmerion meets Shangri La experience of JP Getty’s Wormsley
estate just as play was due to begin at 11. Unbelievably, the rain started right
on cue and didn’t let up for an hour and a half. This meant a scheduled 1.45
start and 42 overs a side instead of 50. With drinking off the agenda, we
sought solace in coffees and a Jamie Oliver sausage roll; it cost £5. Finest
sausage roll I’ve ever had, but it cost £5. Fitting for a place that was even
leafier than Gary’s NE3 and boasted a cricket ground and opera auditorium cheek
by jowl. I remarked to Gary I’d rather Northumberland won over 2 days and we
missed it than lost in 1 and we saw it. However, Captain Nicotine himself,
Jacques du Toit, told us when we had a brief chat that he was keen for the game
to be a 1 day one, as batting the next day could be far easier if the sun
shone.
Then,
it rained again with the umpires out and the teams ready to take the field, as
hard as before, for another hour. The ground staff were marvellous and got play
underway for 3.00, though my feet were still in puddles as we did laps of the
ground. It wasn’t an occasion for New Balance or the Three Stripes, as a pink
Ralph Lauren shirted fashionista advised me. Sadly, Jacques had lost the toss
and Northumberland were put in, with young Olly McGhee being left out as
twelfth man. I felt sorry for him after the great season he’s had for Newcastle
and Northumberland, but wearing a baseball cap backwards in indefensible these
days. In truth, Northumberland never really got started; this was an
unfortunate toss to lose and our cause wasn’t helped by some pretty ropey shots
that saw Burham, Hickey, Cragg and Du Toit all hole out, leaving the score a
parlous 59/5. Thankfully Gareth Breese and Mickey Allan steadied the ship. When
they were out, Samir Brar sadly followed without scoring, but some great work
by Sean Tindale and especially erstwhile Benfield winger Chris Youldon, who
made 38 not out, took the score to 199/9 after 42 overs. Respectable at least.
Local
knowledge held that this may be a tricky total as the sun went down, as
Wormsley is in a valley and the wicket is soon covered in shade. Ominously
though, the Cornwall lads we’d talked to, who were almost unconscious on 8.3%
Henry Weston’s by the close of play, told us their side was comprised of many
openers from Cornish PL sides. This seemed prophetic as the Kernow select
strolled to victory by 7 wickets with 12 overs to spare. I was glad for Brar
that he took a wicket at least, but defeat seemed likely from the first few
overs, when the placid nature of the pitch asserted itself.
We
stayed for the presentation, clapped politely and then headed home, arriving in
Newcastle just after midnight. It was a comprehensive defeat, but I was proud
to see Northumberland there and proud of all their efforts this season. Not
only did they reach the final, but they won their final 3 championship games as
well. The county is benefitting from the sage advice of Geoff Cook and the
performances of young lads from Durham Academy. It offers promise for the
future. I’ll be back next season and I’m delighted Gary is going to take out
membership as well. I said all this on Twitter and Jacques tweeted back,
expressing gratitude for our support. That’s why, at our level, cricket is such
a wonderful game. The players actually appreciate the fans.
It
was all back to normal on Saturday, with the antepenultimate round of NEPL
fixtures. Having been to SJP and then Hillheads, where Whitley Bay beat Heaton
Stannington 2-1 in the FA Cup, I took in the final session of Tynemouth against
Whitburn. Having declared at 241/9, the home side had 50 overs to bowl Whitburn
out, or restrict them to less than 210 for a winning draw. Resuming at 41/2,
Whitburn made obdurate, glacially-paced progress, digging in to achieve a
losing draw with 121/8. Again, it’s a wonderful part of cricket that
temperament as much as technique can rescue a draw in such circumstances. Well
done to the South Tynesiders.
Elsewhere,
in Division 1 Eppleton had a winning draw at Brandon, while Washington got the
nod in their draw with Burnmoor. As a result Eppleton hold a 4 point lead over
Burnmoor and 8 points over Washington with two games to go. In the Premier Division,
Blaydon would have been happy to be offered a losing draw against
third-top Durham Academy at the start of play, but Gateshead Fell’s Graham Onions
inspired win over Hetton Lyons by one wicket saw them climb off the foot of the
table. It wasn’t the only tight finish
though; Newcastle, after having bowled Chester Le Street out for 108, slumped
to 85/9, but managed to grind out a win that was another catastrophic blow to
Chester’s slim title aspirations. The terminal blow was at Benwell Hill. After
restricting South North to 159, the home side had 53 overs to get them in, or
bat for a draw. They were all out for 121 in 52.5 overs, with the ensuing
victory meaning South North’s lead at the top is 46 points.
In
all probability, South North will win the title away to Stockton next week,
while Chester Le Street host Durham Academy. For me, the choice is either the
return between Newcastle and Benwell Hill at Jesmond, or the enticing contest
at the foot of the table, between Gateshead Fell and Blaydon. On the Sunday,
there is also the final of the Banks Salver between Eppleton and
Tynemouth. I’ll be there, cheering the
Croons on. Sedately mind….
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