Romany Cricket Club

Romany CC vs St George’s CC Match Report

 

By Nick Hawkins, 7th June 2021

In good weather, we arrived at the lovely St George’s ground, to find that our opponents, with only about one exception, looked young and fit, which was concerning…(Later on, the skipper initiated a discussion about which of our many veterans was the oldest, and the consensus is H.Elgot has that honour…)

It was agreed between the skippers that it would be 35 overs a side, and Romany would field first. Marcus Robinson opened the bowling with our new player Adnan Taj (congratulations to Howard for recruiting him!). Marcus was steady and Adnan bowled very well – some very quick deliveries and some canny spinners, and St George’s could not take any liberties against him.

St.George’s openers made a steady start, and then made the mistake of underestimating Steve Hardy’s lightning speed racing from behind the stumps – a deadly-accurate throw as they tried to go for a quick single, and a direct hit ran out the striker at the bowler’s end.

Young Harry Abel bowled very well too (action reminiscent to your scribe of a young J.K.Lever, left arm round) and deserved wickets – near catches not quite going to hand. Later on, Steve Dobson tried his luck and got one of their established batsmen bowled. 

Adnan got their other opener, but their middle-order was strong, and their number 4 went on to 50 and was retired by them. Matt Knight, as always, bowled steadily. Matt later dropped one chance, but caught a more difficult one, from Steve Hardy’s (as always)  excellent bowling, once John Surtees had taken over the gloves. We got a second run-out (by Adnan). At the end, with overs running out, Howard bowled two very straight overs, but felt a recurrence of his previous calf injury and had to retire from the rest of the match. There was a final unusual incident, from your scribe’s bowling – batsman gave it a charge, missed, and the ball was going to hit middle – and did indeed do so, but unfortunately John S was keen for the stumping and his finger just caught a bail before the ball hit the stumps so the batsman, who was walking, had to be called back. St George’s finished on 203-6.

For Romany, Matt and Steve Dobson opened up, but Matt got a very good ball from their quite quick opening bowler and was bowled for 4.

Steve Dobson hit some meaty blows and went on to 16 before he too was bowled by the same quick. The next 3 in the order made most of our runs – an excellent partnership between Steve Hardy, who made 26 before he was caught-and-bowled and Harry Abel, who made an excellent 34 before he was caught. Adnan went on the offensive, with Marcus briefly, and then he had a partnership of 31 with your scribe, of which Adnan made 30 and there was one leg-bye…Trying to go for it, your scribe wasn’t quick enough going for the second successive 2, and was narrowly run out by a good throw.

Adam Bowen was also run out, Adnan was finally caught for 68, and our final player Richard Abel (who’d been pressed into service by Matt Knight as a last minute replacement for an injured youngster) made 1 before being bowled, leaving John Surtees not out- Howard being “absent hurt”

We actually finished on 165-9 from 33.4 overs, (from the copy of their scorebook).

An enjoyable game at a pleasant venue against good-natured opponents and we all hope this will be a regular fixture in future years for Romany.

Romany Cricket Club

2021 Fixture List

Our fixtures for the forthcoming season are taking shape. We are very hopeful for a full season of cricket this year…

May

16/5 – Druids @ Goldsborough

23/5 – Hawks @ Bolton Abbey

30/5 – Bank Holiday
June

6/6 – St Georges Cricket Club @ Harewood House

13/6 – Chatsworth House

20/6 – Collingham

27/6 – Swinton Park
July

4/7 – Burnt Yates

11/7 – Lofthouse and Middlesmoor

18/7 – Yorkshire Gents

25/7 – Markington
August

1/8 – Yapham (subject to ground availability)

8/8 – Ripley

15/8 – Little Valley

22/8 – Leeds Caribbean

29/8 – Bank Holiday
September

5/9 – Crakehall

12/9 – Arthington

2020 Fixture List Finalised

Thanks to the efforts of our fixture secretary and tour manager we have managed to secure the following fixtures for the remainder of the 2020 cricket season.

02/08 Tour Match vs Petworth Park (2pm Start)

03/08 Tour Match – Romany Inter-squad Game (1:30pm Start)

04/08 Tour Match vs Hambledon (1:30pm Start)

05/08 Tour Match vs Chichester (1:00pm Start)

06/08 Tour Match vs Slinfold (2.00pm Start)

09/08 vs Burnt Yates (1:30pm Start)

16/08 vs Little Valley (1:30pm Start)

23/08 vs Leeds Caribbean (Start TBA)

06/09 vs Crakehall (Start TBA)

13/09 vs Arthington (Start TBA)

20/09 vs Druids (Start and venue TBA)

27/09 vs Hawks (Start and venue TBA)

Recreational Cricket Returns!

For all players attending Romany CC Cricket matches for the remainder of the 2020 season please see below guidance from the ECB:

Romany Cricket Club

2020 Pre Season Nets Cancelled

In light of the ongoing coronavirus issues and prevailing Government advice, following consultation with the Romany CC committee:


We have regretfully decided that all remaining pre-season net sessions are CANCELLED with immediate effect.


We will be in touch in due course to advise on any possible impact on the start of the 2020 season and effect on our fixture list.

2020 Pre-Season Nets All Welcome!

Pre-season nets for the 2020 season will be held at the Headingley Indoor School at 6pm on the following dates:

4th, 11th, 18th, 25th March and 1st April

All players welcome, current and potential future – there is no charge.

The address is: 43 St Michael’s Ln, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3BR

Romany Cricket Club

Romany CC 2018 Averages

Below  are the abbreviated overall averages for the 2018 season for Romany CC.
In the batting, club captain Matt Knight topped the table with 276 runs at an average of 55.2.
Matt narrowly pipped Sam Smith as the highest run scorer, by only 3 runs.
The club batted strongly all year with 8 players averaging over 30 and 7 50’s scored overall.
In the bowling, the leading wicket taker was Nick Hawkins, with 9 wickets in total including a great 5-for at Burnt Yates early in the season.  The averages were topped by S Pierce, taking 3/10 in the Yorkshire Gentleman match.
Romany_Batting_Averages_RS_20181228 Romany_Bowling_Averages_RS_20181228
Romany Cricket Club

Romany CC vs Lofthouse & Middlesmoor CC – Match Report

The match at L & M was another close game that lasted the full 70 overs and Romany managed another victory by 9 runs.

The weather was perfect for cricket, at this super ground in the Dales.
We won the toss, and as we were still waiting for George to arrive we decided to bat.
A new player Marcus Robinson and Knight opened the batting and got off to a solid start. (George had now arrived.) We made good progress and kept the scoreboard moving taking us to 103-2. Knight retired and then Keon and Matt Walker kept the score moving, both scoring 50.
It was the sort of blissful, sunny afternoon that one could have a siesta on the balcony, and George had done just that, so when he was called to bat he was away with Fairies. Once woken he and Geoff ( just touched down in Blighty from Marbella!!!!) Completed our innings of 209 in 35 overs.
We then had the most lovely home cooked tea, which brought some of our players, George, back to life.
Lofthouse got away to a good start, even with George gliding in on fumes to bowl his 7 overs for 1. Marcus also bowled very well to take 3 wickets, one being a fine catch by Geoff heading DOWN the slope.
Then 2 of their middle order made a stand of over 100 and took them close to victory, however Keon came on to bowl at the end and the extra pace slowed the scoring. They were 200 for 6 off 35 overs.
It was a super day of cricket and the pint in the pub with the opposition afterwards ( water for George) was a perfect end.
 – Matt Knight, Match Manager
Romany Cricket Club

Romany CC vs Yapham CC – Match Report

Sunshine, Pizza (!) and cricketing drama….

Following the theatre of the 2017 fixture when it came down to the last ball with Romany needing 6 to win and President Hockin on strike, could this year’s game possibly be as tense……?

The Romany ‘caravan’ headed over to Yapham a couple of players short despite the daily pleas from the match manager and the assurance of a fine tea and glorious weather awaiting us. President Hockin made his seasonal debut alongside the sprightly John Walford and Richard Reynolds for whom it was a local encounter. Yapham very kindly lent us a player (Andy) so at least we could take the field with 10, well 9.5 really, as Matt Knight seemed to be still on the dance floor at the 21st he had attended the night before….

It was the hottest day of the year and as we rocked up, listening to the England football starting, it was slightly dispiriting to see that the opposition had half a dozen 18 yr olds from Pocklington school warming up! No matter, we took the field and two of their young bucks strode out to open their innings.

George opened the bowling from the top end with a tight 5 overs including the dismissal of one opener, clean bowled. After the scorer had asked the name of our other opening bowler, response: ‘Walford’, his response: ‘what as in EastEnders?’, a slightly bemused John opened up with an equally tight spell removing the other opener with only 20 or so on the board. Number 3 and 4 bats weren’t of the same athletic build as the openers and their run rate quickly slowed. Tight slow bowling from Walford, Hockin and C.Read (with over 150 years’ experience between them – and Charlie is 12, so you do the maths…) meant that their scoreboard progress was thankfully limited. Richard Reynolds also bowled a very economical spell and it was only when we picked up another wicket courtesy of C.Read and a retirement did their score board accelerate with a couple of youngsters at the crease at the end. Fielding was tight with John Surtees and Sam Smith sharing the gloves for a tidy display of keeping.

Tea was as good as promised by the match manager (phew,….!), hummus, carrot sticks, pizza, wedges, ciabatta sandwiches, strawberries and meringues, and soon it was time for us to chase down their posted 148 in 35 overs.

D.Read and Sam opened the batting and got off to a brisk start with Sam hitting the first 6 of the match in to the adjoining corn field. Other boundaries followed but then a top edge from Sam saw him back in hut, quickly followed by Read.  Read was slightly unsure how/why he was given out by the overzealous Yapham loan player, however he followed the rule imposed on his children and didn’t question the decision but walked back with dignity – only to then moan a bucketful for the rest of the afternoon!! Knighty was now at the crease, sweating the beer out from the night before and complaining of having to run 2s never mind 3s. Yapham bowled tightly with their Pock lads fast and straight and once George was caught at slip (at the second attempt) we needed to steady the Romany ship. Richard decided the best form was attack and he slapped several boundaries and a huge 6 in a display of power hitting before being unlucky to be out to a great catch at mid-on. Knighty contributed a very important 26 before being bowled off his pads but soon we were heading towards 100 up with still a few wickets in hand. C.Read chipped in a valuable few, as did Andy the loan player, but a couple of wickets fell and things started to look tense…..

What you need in these circumstances is experience – our 8th, 9th, 10th batsman all certainly had that and John Surtees sensibly picked off the singles and kept the fast bowlers at bay. John Walford hit a lovely straight drive for 4 and suddenly the scores were tied. Their opening bowler returned, John got one that jumped on him a bit and now it was down to the President again, our last batsman, to find that winning run. The field came in tight, the Pocklington 18 yr old extended his run and the ground fell silent in anticipation…. Peter showed him the makers name with a text book defensive shot straight out of the first edition of the MCC coaching manual. The fielders came closer, the run up got longer, and the next ball slightly faster. Unfortunately, Peter Hockin is just far too good a batsman to get the streaky edge or a Chinese cut which would have done it for us, and instead he hit it too well and the bowler managed to pluck it out the air to secure a tie!

Who would have believed it – two years in a row tension down to the last ball. It makes you think about that extra run we could have perhaps pinched, the generosity of not giving wides when umpiring, but no matter – this was Romany cricket and whilst the win would certainly have been nice, it was as always, an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday. Who doesn’t like being in the sunshine, playing a close game, with great teas and good company? So why not get your name down for the next few fixtures…….

Romany CC vs Mutineers CC – Match Report

Romany 198/2 Mutineers 198/9. Sunday 1st July 2018. Match tied.

The match commenced with a minute’s silence for Rupert Wyard, who tragically passed away this week. He will be sorely missed. It goes without saying that if Rupert had played we would have won.

The match itself was probably the most exciting Romany game I’ve ever played in, from the moment Sam Smith was run out before facing a ball, to the final over bowled by Rupert’s son, Ben, who ran out the Mutineers’ number 10 to secure the tie.

Earlier Harwood Williams had retired at the second drinks break on 94 not out enabling me to join Ben Wyard at the crease for the last 12 overs. It was a fitting tribute to Rupert that Ben was able to complete his 50 in the fortieth and final over.

Mutineers reached 107/0 with their opener, who made 70, lucky to survive a caught behind by John Surtees before he reached his half century.

Romany, for once, had a team stacked with bowlers and up stepped Matt Graham with a diving caught and bowled off his first ball He went on to bowl his 8 overs straight through and ended up with 5 wickets. Newcomer Dan Kilby bowled some left arm spin magic at the other end and it looked like we might grasp an unlikely victory. Unfortunately Stoddy, Mutineers’ captain, manager, owner, spokesman and rules arranger, made a defiant 25 not out to thwart us. Still, as Mutineers had won their last 11 matches on the trot, it has to go down as a success for us of sorts.

Other plaudits go to Rob Bielby and Harwood Williams for their tight bowling and to commiserations to Dan Pitt, who was padded up and raring to go, but didn’t manage to get a bat or bowl, and had to leave before the excitement of the final 10 overs.

Final Fun Fact. Romany have tied their last 2 matches. Club Record. Anyone got a Wisden handy?

 – Howard Elgot, Match Manager