Note to readers: Our latest auction of cricket books (of particular relevance to those of you with an interest in Australian and South African cricket, and to collectors of Wisden and other yearbooks) is open to members and non-members alike—an excellent way of supporting our work. Check it out here.
The ACS’s latest publication, a lively history of cricket in Suffolk by Simon Sweetman, is now available for purchase on our website. Buy it here.
The Bradford Premier League hosts three cup competitions, one of which is the Jack Hampshire Cup for teams in Divisions Two and Three. This is a forty-over competition.
This year the final was held at the Liversedge Club, near Batley in West Yorkshire. Established in 1897, it boasts a sloping ground with scenic views, ample parking, and numerous shady spots, of which I took full advantage today.
Hunslet Nelson, formed around 1810, bowled first. They originally played at the Arthur Thornton ground before moving to Gipsy Lane in Hunslet. Their opponents were Scholes Cleckheaton. (There are two other Scholes in the Leeds area: one between Leeds and Tadcaster, and the other in Huddersfield.)
Scholes won the toss and chose to bat, but soon lost their first wicket with the score at 38. All the runs were scored by Shafaqat Ali, who hit two sixes. Otherwise, Scholes batted steadily against reasonable bowling. The standout bowler was Matthew Varley, who took five for fifty with his off-spin. The highest scorer was Mahleb Mahmood, who remained unbeaten on 53, helping Scholes to a total of 206 in forty overs.
Hunslet Nelson started strong with a partnership of ninety. However, wickets then began to fall steadily, despite three dropped catches, and it was up to the sensible Alastair Finn to guide Hunslet Nelson to victory, finishing on an unbeaten fifty. He brought his team home with fourteen balls to spare. You can watch the match here:
This was Hunslet Nelson’s first cup win in several years, and I’m sure they will celebrate well into the night.
Brian Sanderson is an ACS member. He serves on the Yorkshire Cricket Archives Committee. If you would like to contribute to this newsletter, please either respond to the email in which you received it, or leave a comment below.