15 May 2008
The starting time for the match at Crakehall has been brought forward 30 minutes, to 1.30 pm.
14 May 2008
The match against The Druids on Sunday 18 May 2008 will be held at The County Ground, St George's Road, Harrogate (the home of Harrogate Cricket Club). The game will start at 1.30 pm (earlier than the time printed in the fixture booklet). Click here for a map.
14 May 2008
A glorious (?) 50 from Toby Marcham was not quite enough to secure victory in our match at Kirklington. Having restricted the opposition to just under 200, Romany fell around 15 runs short. (All figures and information provided by a rathger vague club captain - anyone with access to the scorebook and/or a better memory should please pass details to Tim Halstead).
6 May 2008
Despite the glorious Monday Bank Holiday weather, the Sunday match against Ledsham was called off, due to persistent rain. Next stop - Kirklington on Sunday 11 May.
For many years we have taken the view that April is just too cold and wet to be playing cricket. After the glorious April of 2007 however, we took the decision to start the season with a fixture at Saxton on Sunday 27 April 2008. The omens were good with bright sunshine on the Saturday - inevitably therefore, we woke to persistent drizzle on the Sunday, causing the game to be rained off. Russell Burnett had his first taste of match managership, coping with several late team changes, all of which proved a complete waste of time. He has some way to go however before he achieves the club record held by Steve Throup, who organised about ten teams one wet June, without a single one of them taking the field. The next fixture is at Ledsham on Sunday 4 May 2008.
The 2008 fixture booklet has now been published. If you would like a copy, please contact us through the link on the home page.The fixtures can be viewed at Romany CC -
17 July 2005Romany, batting second, win by one wicket with one over to go.This must be the most stunning setting for a cricket match in Yorkshire and it was hot. The wicket, however, is lethal and requires some work. Tom Howarth received a nasty blow to the elbow first ball to welcome him back to the fold from university which caused him to retire hurt. Others just ducked. To be grubbed out or bounced out was no discredit to those who went early.In a 30-over match, Swinton's multi-cultural side batted first, scoring 140. The two resident South Africans were instructed to speak loudly to intimidate the opposition. However, Romany took all their outfield catches to dismiss five batsmen, of which Stuart Murray's spectacular diving catch at cover to dismiss the opposition opener was the best. Of merit in the bowling department were Jack Childs, taking 2 wickets and 2 catches and crucially catching and bowling one of the resident South Africans.Tom Howarth and Henry Murray both took 2 for 14. Tom Howarth took two great catches at deep mid-wicket, with the ball arriving from somewhere in the stratosphere before smashing one or two bones in his hand.In the batting department, we had Sam Ryan (aged 13) scoring a very sensible 20 when we lost a few early wickets and we just had to build a partnership. Tom Howarth was in the action with 19. Extras scored a considerable amount of runs. Paul Lewis was not out 26 and Julian Creasey not out 29, hitting the winning runs with a six.A good all round performance.Paul Lewis (Captain)
10 July 2005Romany 124 all out in a 35-over game, losing their last wicket on the last ball of the innings. This was a heat-affected game reduced to 35 overs, played in blazing conditions with three drinks breaks during the afternoon. Unfortunately not many of the Romany batsman were able to take advantage of the excessive drinks intervals, as each was soon back in the pavilion. Each bowler was restricted to 7 overs. The captain (who had been dismissed on the first ball of his innings at Bolton Percy a week earlier and had therefore developed a pathological hatred of all bowlers) managed to score 68, but that was it in the batting stakes unless you count extras.Baldersby 126 for 5 in 27 overs. Henry Scott took two wickets in 2 balls in his opening over, and bowled a very accurate line and length. So too did Raife Gale, taking one wicket. However, these were the only two recognised bowlers in the squad, and as soon as the opposition realised it they dead-batted them until their 7 overs were used up. They then flat-batted us to all parts of the ground to win the match.Paul Lewis (Captain)
1 July 2005Romany 161 for 9 after 40 overs
Bolton Percy 162 for 6 after 35 oversA score of 200 might have been enough to protect and go on to win this match, but three days before the game we lost three bowler/batsman who couldn't get time off work, and at such short notice we were very grateful to the youngsters who stepped in to play - notwithstanding the risk of a visit from the local educational welfare officer, as this game was played on Friday, which was a school day.At 99 for 2 after 20 overs, Romany looked set for a score of 200+. At 99 for 6 after 22 overs, this was no longer looking achievable. Charles Hartley and Stephen Clapham batted well together up the order, scoring 43 and 34 repectively. Tim Halstead steadied the ship with a reliable 25 as wickets were tumbling at the other end. Sam Irving, playing his first match, batted well for 15 with a much appreciated rearguard action from David Gale, who scored 14 not out. A score of 161 might have been enough had Bolton Percy's very family-orientated catering staff not plied our bowlers and fielders with a most magnificent tea, including strawberries and cream, served in the cricket festival marquee. Incredibly, we fall for this trick every year, resulting in a softening of attitude toward the opposition batsman.We started well, restricting runs and taking wickets. At one time the opposition were 4 wickets down with not many runs on the board. However, it was not to be as Bolton Percy could bat right down the order (or they may have even reversed their batting order). Steve Clapham and Sam Irving bowled aggressively (11 overs and 9 overs), with David Gale as reliable as ever, bowling 9 overs and taking 2 wickets. However, too much was asked of the bowlers, and the middle order knocked the runs off.We then adjourned for drinks and a post-match analysis in this lovely setting. Get this match in your diaries for next year, as we are made very welcome.Paul Lewis (Captain)
19 June 2005As the storm clouds gathered over Escrick, causing flash floods all around, the Yorkshire Gents v Romany match looked poised for a tense finish. At least it would have been, had the Romany fielders (Adam Bowen apart) known how to catch a cricket ball. In the event, the home team ran out winners by five wickets, after Romany had declared their innings at 182 for 5. (Such a target proved too low in the circumstances. Having batted through the morning session for 24 not out and then almost up to tea, the acting captain took the view that it would be rather better for relations between the clubs to declare at tea-time, rather than in the early hours of the following morning.)It was rather fortunate that Romany won the toss and elected to bat on a baking hot day, especially as we started the match with only nine men. By lunchtime, we had acquired a player from a local club (17-year-old Carl Blundell of Cawood, who subsequently opened the bowling to great effect) and brought Joe Halstead across from his morning juniors match in York. When we finally took the field after tea, we looked like a real cricket team (until the opposition started to offer catches).It was a pleasure to have Will Kemp in the side. He batted well for 36 runs, took 2 wickets for 24, and actually held one of the catches offered to him. Moreover, he showed the true spirit of gentlemen's cricket by "walking" when stumped (relieving the Romany square-leg umpire of the problem of having been watching a group of bikini-clad Queen Margaret's second-formers holding a barbecue in an adjoining field.)Jamie Young also looked in good form with the bat, after an absence of two years.Final scores:
Romany 182 for 5 declared (T Halstead 83, W Kemp 36, J Young 35)
Yorkshire Gentlemen 183 for 5Yorkshire Gentlemen won by five wickets.Tim Halstead
5 June 2005Romany 106 all out in a rain-reduced 35 over match
Pool 108 for 2 after 20 overs. Victory to PoolRomany are short of bowling this season, having lost Ed Smith, Steve Clapham, Nilesh and Steph Boyd. This game was no exception.On the batting front, Fraser Black batted well, scoring 33 - with 32 coming in 4s. Joe Halstead, batting at no. 4, played a sensible innings, crucially accumulating 9 runs at a time when we needed someone to steady the ship. Toby Marcham could teach us all how to play the pull shot (clearly his favourite shot) scoring a rapid 13 (all pull shots) and was unluckily caught out to a magnificent one-handed diving catch at midwicket (where else) whilst pulling imperiously.Our only recognised bowlers were Fraser Black and Joe Halstead, and after they were exhausted the part-time bowlers were put to the sword. Henry Murray bowled well given his tender years, and so too did his father of less tender years.Paul Lewis (Captain)
29 May 2005Romany all out for 91.
Cambridge Methodists 92 for 7.Notwithstanding the scores, this was a very close game on a pitch that proved difficult
to score runs freely on, and was played in a great sprit on a beautiful day in a very
pleasant setting. Romany were a couple of players short due to the bank holiday, but
Cambridge Methodists have an abundance of players and kindly donated a couple.Performances of note with the bat were James Hutt, who batted sensibly for 24, and Henry
Donaldson (20).Bowling performances to mention are firstly Anthony Walker, who opened the bowling and
took two quick wickets in the first three overs. Of note, he clean bowled D Britton who (so
the opposition kept reminding us throughout the afternoon) had scored 133 the day before.
Jon Aspinall then stepped up and took an early wicket, and the opposition had lost their
first 3 wickets for 14 runs...game on. The remaining batsman then steadily accumulated runs, but kept losing wickets at
intervals. Crucially, however, their no. 4 batsman batted through, not out for 38,
and he steered them home.Our overseas borrowed all-rounder, Raj, also bowled well, taking 3 for 29, and James Hutt
proved himself very capable and athletic behind the stumps. Andy Brian took two brilliant
catches in the midwicket/cover area, coming at him out of the sun - luckily, he was one of
only two men on the field wearing shades... the other being the captain, who was not trying
to look cool but couldn't see very well following his eye operation.and had to keep his back
to the sun at all times...We all adjourned for a pleasant pint after the game in the Railway pub down by the canal,
and a good day was had by all.Paul Lewis (Captain)
15 May 2005Romany batted first and scored 193 for 8 in 40 overs.
Kirklington 196 after 38 overs.
This was a good competitive match and the game was always in the balance.
Had Romany not dropped "Doubleday" (opposition captain who plays for West Tanfield)
three times, the result would have been different. Mike Campbell, ever reliable opener these days, carried on where he left off
last season and scored a patient and well-crafted 73, with some quiet spells followed by some explosive 6-hitting. Had he not run out of stamina, 100 was surely in sight -
but when he knew he was exhausted he nobly ran himself out for the sake of the team. Facing some very accurate bowling, Tom Hilling (fresh back from university)
scored 33ish starting steadily but certainly hitting the biggest 6 of the day. A welcome
return by Henry Donaldson bolstered the middle order, followed by Charlie Strickland
with a quick-fire 21 and Paul Lewis (wearing glasses) batting down the order with an even
quicker 24 not out, causing some consternation on the boundary at his impending laser eye
operation (which is now done). A warm welcome to a new member Andrew McGee who was
unfortunately run out by the captain when runs were needed quickly in the last over...
Sorry, Andrew - you will be back. Peter Hockin was the pick of the bowling, putting the ball on the spot and taking 3
wickets, and there were good performances from Raife Gale and father David Gale. Also in
the bowling department, Tom Hilling looked a little rusty and showed all the signs of the
first-year university student returning from Newvastle Uni, having not quite made it to the
indoor nets as the girls' hall of residence happened to be en route...but he will loosen up
as the season progresses.Kirklington won the match with a six from "Doubleday" into the long-on orchard....Ball
lost, and we adjourned to the village pub...Well played everyone, and thanks to Jack Childs who turned up as twelth man and scored
for us. Oh, and a great catch by Anthony Walker.Paul Lewis (Captain)
8 May 2005After the disappointment of the cancellation of the Thorp Perrow fixture, the season finally got under way at Crakehall, with a game reduced to 30 overs. The game started with a hailstorm, delaying the start for an hour while half an inch of hail was swept off the pitch, and ended in glorious sunshine. The Romany turnout was poor with just 8 players, plus one borrowed from the opposition (the organiser's wisdom in persuading two locals to play after they had spent the previous day at a Point-to-Point and then Thirsk evening races, mostly in the beer tent, proving questionable). It did, however, provide a rich vein of excuses for not being available, the best of which were:
In contrast, TJ Halstead won the club loyalty award (and if he’d entered, probably
the Spanish Grand Prix) after leaving Yapham at 12.50 - where Joe had been playing for
York Juniors - for a 1.30 start at Crakehall, 50 odd miles to the North.Given the shortage of players, it was decided Romany should bat and we got off
to a bad start, with Anthony Walker being caught behind when a ball lifted
unexpectedly after hitting an errant lump of ice. The calypso pairing of Creasey and
Campbell added some solidity and some lusty blows in a partnership of 31, before
Campbell departed, bowled essaying an extravagant heave. This brought the welcome
return after many years of Frazer Black, who exhibited his class with a compelling
display of straight driving (failing to appreciate the intricacies of the Crakehall
ground, given that the straight boundaries are the longest and the churchyard wall was
only 10 yards from the bat - a fact he finally appreciated with a couple of 'Surrey
glides' for 4 between his legs). Creasey, meanwhile, looked set for the first
half-century of the season before being dismissed on 49. He was aggrieved that he had
not been told his score before he got out. In fact, Campbell - who was umpiring -
had been told of his score the previous over. "When you said he was 43, I thought
you meant that was his age." Halstead held the tail together and had the pleasure
of batting with his son - twice. After the last man was dismissed, the opposing
Captain sportingly invited Joe to return, despite the fact that he'd been bowled
earlier in the over, the pair adding 10 useful runs. After 30 overs, Romany had
achieved a respectable 133 for 8 (J Creasey 49, TJ Halstead 26*, F Black 20).Prospects of victory seemed distant as the Crakehall openers saw off the opening
attack of Walker and Black, in a partnership of 46 in 9 overs. Creasey applied the
brakes with a tight spell and secured the first wicket with a smart stumping from
Halstead. The latter was soon in the action with a run-out. He was in the process
of deciding which set of stumps to hurl the ball at when he realised that both
batsmen were in the middle of the pitch, engaged in a heated and somewhat acrimonious
discussion, so walked to the stumps to remove the bails. An inspired bowling change brought Joe Halstead into the attack, and he accounted
for the remaining opener in his first over, caught behind by his father. This was a
regulation catch in contrast to his first wicket for the club - coincidentally, also
caught by his father on the same ground - a skier which Tim claimed after demolishing
both first and second slips, not to mention gully, in his efforts to get under the
catch. The wisdom of his then lack of confidence in Romany’s fielding abilities was
proved a few overs later when, as the opposition staged a fightback from the
stranglehold imposed by Creasey and young Halstead, the Secretary dropped a simple
skier. Later he surprised himself and the rest of the side by taking a rather more
difficult skier over his shoulder for his annual catch. Meanwhile, DPT Gale was
skulking on the boundary mulling over his earlier duck, declining to bowl on the
basis we should ensure we won the game. Once pressed into service, he proceeded to
polish off the tail, dismissing the last two batsmen with successive balls. At this
point, the not-out batsman (who had not faced a ball) demanded that we play 'last
man out' (presumably a strange North Yorkshire version of the game). Given the
opposition's previous generosity and the fact that he had fielded substitute for us,
the least we could do was comply. At this point, Halstead suggested the field close
in for the hat-trick ball. The Secretary declined, saying it was not an 'official
hat-trick'. Gale promptly bowled the batsman first ball. It was then decided that
the Hat-Trick was official enough for Gale to buy a round of beer - and for the
opposition as well.Crakehall 95 for 11(!) (DPT Gale 3.5-1-8-4, J Halstead 2-18, A Walker 2-22; C Poole 24)
Won by 38 runs.Michael Bosomworth
Romany member Nilesh Keshkamat is now a married man. Click here for some photos of the wedding.
The 2004 Romany CC AGM will be held at Wetherby Golf Club on Monday 31 January at 6:30p.m. Please make every effort to attend as there are important matters for discussion.
Michael Bosomworth
Hon. Secretary
The death of Peter Brayshay, one of the great characters in the history of
the Club, was announced in July 2004, in the Yorkshire Post:
BRAYSHAY Peter Beldon
July 6, peacefully in Roundhay Hall, aged 87 years, dearly beloved husband
of Mickey, beloved father of Carol, Hazel and Susan and a much loved grandpa
of Joanne, Helen, Amanda, Nick and Johnny. Funeral service and committal at
All Hallows Church, Bardsey, on Tuesday, July 13, at 12.30 p.m., followed by
private cremation. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu, if desired,
to Martin House Hospice. No black dress please.
Click here for Romany members' memories of Peter.