News Round Up – April 2023
Well, the season has started (sort of!) with the first practice match played on Saturday 8th April against Barnard Castle. However, the following Saturday, where two 20/20 games were due to be played against York University, was washed out. The latter would have given opportunities to several younger players but now means that they all go into league action without any preparation on grass.
The one game that got played was a comfortable win for the 1st XI with a good half century from Dulash Udayanga, our overseas player from Sri Lanka, who joined us again this season. The bowling honours were shared, with both Freddie Collins and Ash Watson performing well.
The work on the grounds has been restricted due to the weather. Despite this the Bridge is in pretty good nick. The Castle is a little wet and will need some sunshine to turn it round. There has been some serious work from ground-staff to get things ready.
Workdays, to put the finishing touches to the clubhouses at the two grounds, took place over two weekends. The turnout was low at the Bridge but a good response at the Castle meant we got a lot of work done there which as usual makes a great picture with the backdrop.
The season will not be an easy one for any of the sides. The 1st XI is aiming to maintain top four or five in the league, the 2nd XI staying in the Championship with contributions from the younger element and 3rd and 4th XIs pushing for mid-table in their respective leagues at the same time bringing through the 13/14 and fifteen-year-olds. Hopefully, our new girls’ team will further develop and maybe initially play in the boys’ teams until a proper system is established for the girls in their own right.