KIRKBURTON PARTNERSHIP MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

GOLCAR 172 ALL OUT KIRKBURTON 211 FOR 8
HUDDERSFIELD CRICKET LEAGUE PREMIER @ SWALLOW LANE
4 AUGUST 2018 --- 1PM

GOLCAR CRICKET CLUB TOWARDS SCAPEGOAT HILL

The visitors were grateful for a partnership of 87 between Toby Booth [67] and Rohan Randhawa [54] which made the difference between a win and a loss today which saw Golcar fall shot of the four an over target thanks to frugal bowling from Alex Scholefield with 4 for 18.

TOBY BOOTH TOP MATCH SCORE FOR KIRKBURTON

Big decisions with the start of some non league football today it was the pull of the Huddersfield League that won the day hands down especially with some once more glorious weather.
The day could be placed into two pots dreadful and wonderful the latter will feature large in the blog a superbly set cricket ground and village, with the former the woes of public transport coming once again too the fore.
The journey started off with a late bus to base station followed by a delayed train all was well when boarding the Penistone Line at Sheffield until Barnsley when the train overloaded with standing throughout, apparently this was due to a food and drink fayre in Huddersfield.

WILL HINCHLIFFE PUTS IN THE EFFORT FOR GOLCAR

Upon arrival this was self evident placed in the square outside the station the whole site was packed with a wide and varied selection of food and drink to sample.  Time was tight of course and with a smart walk to the adjacent bus station a First Bus 301 was used for the journey three miles to the west of Huddersfield and our destination today.  The first challenge was local pronunciation for Golcar and luckily I got away with it 'return to Goker' a bargain at £3 and with Yorkshire Tiger seemingly in competition on the route it was a very well served destination that took you up hill down dale and around some tight streets until final departure in Golcar just short of 1230pm.

IF ITS YORKSHIRE ITS CRICKET WITH WHITEWASHED WALLS

Golcar sits in a lofty position in the Colne Valley with the village and ground offering fine views over to Emley TV mast, again, Holme Moss and into the valley below.  The village is not quite top of the hill though with a selection of views offered to the even more lofty Scapegoat Hill.  As with all these villages some of the small nooks and crannies offer 'last of the summer wine' references and with a scattering of former mills still in place the areas past is well represented.

EXCITEMENT IS HIGH AS GOLCAR APPEAL

As usual a Yorkshire village isn't a Yorkshire village without a Coop and Golcar is well catered for here with a smart store indeed three of its central buildings have coop stonework on their fascia.  Moving along Swallow Lane the short distance to The Commerical public house who in years gone by the club rented a smaller version of todays ground from you gain entry by a lane at the side.
With a driveway to the left that leads to a dour coloured clubhouse with a newer changing room block and smart scoreboard, which was very well operated today, beyond the business end a fine view down the valley and on to Holme Moss is there for all to enjoy.  White stonewashed walls well in evidence again today with to the right a double banked raised viewing area, much like Delph and Dobcross offering a fine view and a selection of raised bench seating, there clearly was more seating in the past but todays coverage is more than enough for the 50 or so who gathered during the afternoon.  The view beyond here is really what makes the setting the back yards of stone terraces that climb Swallow Lane towards Scapegoat Hill towering above the ground with its houses offering a view back over Gods own county.  The latter statement is something that constantly has me throwing objects at the TV when local BBC programme Look North describe Yorkshire, of course being from a neighbouring county, but today I have to relent alright it is!
Back to the clubhouse which is well operated and is a saving break for a couple of hefty soft drink refills during the afternoon and outside a friendly chat with a gentleman whose friends run 'cricket heritage' blog which is well worth a viewing, indeed much of the afternoon was spent passing the time with a friendly local bunch of spectators as another circuit was completed.

ALEX SCHOLEFIELD 10 WITH THE BAT BUT WATCH OUT WITH THE BALL

Kirkburton fancied a bat and when they fell to 9 for 2 and then 76 for 5 they maybe questioned the call but when Randhawa joined Booth in the middle the innings stabilised and then progressed Booth his 67 off 80 balls and the former 54 off 70 balls.

RANDHAWA MATCH WINNING PARTNERSHIP FOR KIRKBURTON

It wasn't looking easy to score runs too quickly and after the start made the visitors would be pleased with their final total.  For Golcar Australian Sam Mills took 4 for 58 and a few of the home side appeared happy with this score and suggested they would have taken that before the start and indeed it did look an achievable target.
Tea interval saw the one and only visit to the Coop and alongside the usual food culprits there was a chance to sample a Jones of Huddersfield pie something that I had not experienced since Denby Dale last year.  With the final crumbs mopped up the umpires were on their way back out to the middle.

SAM MILLS GOING ALONG WELL

It had a familiar start to the second innings of the day with openers Abdul Wahid and Staurt Whitwam back in the pavilion before the score could reach double figures, indeed the first run did not come until the fourth over and at 27 for 3 Golcar were in need of a Kirkburton stand.
It fell to Ifran Amjad [30] and Mills [32] who were gong along nicely and having put on 59 they looked to be developing the partnership that could get the home side close that was until the latter got a leading edge of the bowling of William Reeves to be caught by Andrew Smith.

IFRAN AMJAD PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP

Wickets fell at regular intervals and at 138 for 8 all looked lost and indeed it was when just shy of 7.45pm Will Hinchliffe was bowled by Alex Scholefield who returned with 4 for 18 in a tremendous effort.  There was a spirited effort from Liam Rothery [29*] at number 10 but it proved futile as Kirkburton wrapped up the victory by 39 runs.

JACOB MULHALL GOLCAR CC

The setting here made it one of those ground that you just didn't want to leave a superb afternoon and with one of the backdrops about to disappear, I'm told, with building of 17 houses in the adjoining field much of the view of the terraces rising up to Scapegoat Hill will be lost so if you fancy a trip get along now to take in a further unique ground in the Huddersfield league.
Back to the town centre and having squeezed through the masses at the food fayre who were now slightly the worse for wear there was enough time to board the train back to Sheffield and as the train became fuller at departure time the well oiled customers sang and shouted their way back down the Penistone line with strangely a more acceptable noise level being returned after departure from Barnsley.
Arrival back in Sheffield found the connecting train cancelled and when finally returned to base station  there was nearly an hour wait for a bus the visit to that famous fast food take way was undertaken before the final journey of the day, on time[!] saw arrival at base just after 11pm,.