Malhamdale
Cricket
Club

Match Reports 2006

Sun 15th Jan - Appletreewick - Away

Winter Tour, This year it was Malham's turn to visit Appletreewick for the annual winter tour fixture. Unfortunately the home senior groundsman, Ted Mason had decided to muck spread the sacred turf on the Appletreewick Oval, before fleeing the Wharfe Valley, disguised as a Yeti, for the pistes of Les Trois Vallee.

The match had to be hurriedly relocated to the Appletreewick Lords ground, a majestic seven acre plot strategically located between the Craven Arms and the New Inn, noted for its undulating outfield, and at times ornamental lake.

The combatants having finally been prised by their captains from the warmth of the village's famous pubs, battle commenced with Malham opening the batting, the wicket surprisingly taking bounce off the carefully prepared mud pitch, and a respectable score of 81 being achieved by the visitors. A disputed boundary line was quickly settled by the use of a sheep horn, where a flag marker was missing.

The mighty men of Malham had this year brought with them a secret weapon, Rocky a mountain of a man, reputed to have played for Lancashire, and to have actually touched the trouser turn ups of the legendary Freddie Flintoff.

Appletreewick's batsmen then took the field with trepidation to face the bowling of the fearsome Rocky who was obviously not used to the variation (of mud) in the pitch, and was soon dispatched for a six by home captain Doctor James. The match then went to the wire with one ball to play, and a six needed to force the draw. The umpire correctly adjudged Malham's last ball to be a no ball, and the next ball was duly hit for six, giving an honourable draw.

70 people were counted watching or playing cricket on a freezing cold day in January. Where were The Real Emmerdale cameras? This was possibly more than Yorkshire CCC get at Headingley! The crowd was amazingly swelled by a group of Lancashire cricket enthusiasts, who had traced this annual event on the Malham website, and came to spectate.

Everyone then returned to the New Inn to warm up, and enjoy the supper provided by John Pitchers, and a victory for the home team at dominoes. At 7pm the by then, merry men of Malham were rounded up for their bus tour to drink the remains of the beer kitty, back at Malham.

And Rocky - just a pussy cat really, last seen cosying up to Appletreewick's past captain Steph Fawcett!

Peter B Weatherhead, Appletreewick

The Malham version of events is very similar, but Malham Won!, CMW

Yorkshire Post Report on Malham v Hartlington Match 13th July 2006 - Leather on willow in green fields of Malham by Chris Berry