SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY 2024
FOREWORD
Being asked to write the foreword for this spectacular cricket photography publication that celebrates the grassroots game was the easiest yes.
As you’ll see throughout these pages, Mark captures Yorkshire club cricket from so many perspectives. Yet, the theme for this Year in Review is the emotion on faces and expressions writ large.
Pride, dedication, triumph and sometimes disaster too. Usually with stumps rearranged or an edge off the bat nestled into grateful hands.
We are kindred spirits; both seeing the beauty, humour and drama that recreational cricket has in such abundance.
We first met at a Nidderdale Cricket League game; not one but two long lenses trained on somewhat puzzled village cricketers who nonetheless savoured their moment of fame or notoriety.
He came prepared with a folding seat, as well as a distinctive, wide-brimmed hat that is still a way to see if Mark is at your match in any given season.
Alongside the pin-sharp professional photography that is his trademark, Mark’s superpower is observation. A knowledge of the game to set up a particular shot, conscious of angles, mannerisms and ever-mischevious light.
I’m fortunate that some of these images have graced the Cricket Yorkshire website, along with match reports, to significantly add to our breadth and quality of coverage.
To flick through here is to be reminded of the sheer volume of games that Caught Light Photography has visited. Different formats, age groups and parts of Yorkshire are all given the pro treatment.
It’s another trait that chimes with me; the way that the lower reaches of league cricket are awarded the same profile as a Premier League showdown. All standards are equally important and as a result, this is a comprehensive review as well as a representative one.
I will remember 2024 for an incredibly wet start, discoveries of absolutely stunning village grounds and meeting up with Mark at Duncombe Park CC. His skill is elevating the everyday and a photo of a player scoring on a tablet leaning against the aging wooden scorebox was a nice juxtaposition.
Enjoy this Year in Review. It is a celebration as well as being fantastic publicity for the individuals, teams and clubs featured.
JOHN FULLER | cricketyorkshire.com
CONTENTS
APRIL
Harrogate CC 2XI v York CC 2XI
MAY
Kirk Deighton CC 2XI v Knaresborough Forest CC 3XI
Pool CC 1XI v Bilton CC 1XI
Beckwithshaw CC 1XI v Bolton Villas CC 1XI
Whixley CC 2XI v Bishop Monkton 1XI
Beckwithshaw CC 1XI v Bardsey CC 1XI
Knaresborough CC 2XI v Ovington CC 1XI
Scotton CC EL v Bilton CC EL (Addison Cup)
Beckwithshaw CC v Woodlands CC (Heavy Wollen Cup)
Killinghall CC v Whixley CC (CB Atkinson Cup)
Pannal CC 1XI v Pickering CC 2XI
JUNE
Sharow CC 1XI v Ripley CC 1XI
Wrenthorpe CC Womens 1XI v University of York CC Womens 1XI
Yapham CC Womens 1XI v University of York CC Womens 1XI
Yapham CC Womens 1XI v Wrenthorpe CC Womens 1XI
Harrogate CC Eve v Whixley CC Eve
Pudsey St. Lawrence CC Women v St. Chad’s Broomfirld CC Women
Beckwithshaw CC Eve XI v Corinthians CC Yorkshire Eve XI
Beckwithshaw CC Eve XI v Studley Royal CC Eve XI
Beckwithshaw CC 2XI v Bolton CC 2XI (Birtwhistle Cup)
Ripon CC 2XI v Spennithorne & Harmby CC 1XI
Beckwithshaw CC v Harrogate CC (Addison Cup)
Ripley CC v North Stainley CC - Division 4
Harrogate CC Women 1XI v Menston CC 1XI
Harrogate CC 2XI v Fairburn CC 1XI
Beckwithshaw CC 1XI v Addingham CC 1XI
(Waddilove Cup)
Knaresborough Forest CC Willows v Richmondshire CC Women - Softball
JULY
Ilkley CC 3XI v Kirkstall Educational CC 3XI - QF (Chappell Cup)
Spofforth CC 2XI v Starbeck CC 1XI
Harrogate CC Women 1XI v Skipton CC Women 1XI
Harrogate CC 1XI v Driffield CC 1XI
Harrogate CC 1XI v Stamford Bridge CC 1XI
Harrogate CC 4XI v Rainton CC 1XI
Harrogate CC 3XI v Knaresborough Forest CC 1XI
Beckwithsaw CC Eve XI v Dacre Banks CC Eve XI
Dacre Banks CC Eve XI v Killinghall CC Eve XI
Duncombe Park CC 1XI v Ripon CC 1XI
SEPTEMBER
Ingilby Shield 2024
Darley CC 2XI v Birstwith CC 2XI
Beckwithshaw CC 1XI v Follifoot CC 1XI
Sessay CC Women v Sheffield Colligiate CC Women
(Yorkshire Cricket Board Finals Day Headingley)
Saxton CC Women v Doncaster Town CC Women
(Yorkshire Cricket Board Finals Day Headingley)
Sicklinghall CC v North Stainley CC
Yorkshire Cricket Board Finals Day - Walton Park
AUGUST
Bolton Abbey CC 2XI v Upper Wharfedale CC 2XI
Skipton Ladies CC v Menston Ladies CC
Darley CC 1XI v Burnt Yates CC 1XI
Crossflatts CC v Bradford Park Avenue Ladies CC
Hampsthwaite CC v Bolton Abbey CC
Theakston Nidderdale XI v MCC XI - 2024 Ripley
Beckwithshaw CC 2XI v Bardsey CC 2XI
Harrogate CC 1XI v Easingwold CC 1XI
Burton Leonard CC 2XI v Crakehall CC 1XI
Birstwith CC 1XI v Blubberhouses CC 1XI
GROUNDS
Harrogate Cricket Club (Main Oval)
Pool Cricket Club
Beckwithshaw Cricket Club (Beginning of season)
Whixley Cricket Club
Sessay Cricket Club
Knaresborough Cricket Club
Scotton Cricket Club
Killinghall Cricket Club
Pannal Cricket Club
Sharow Cricket Club
Yapham Cricket Club
Adwalton Cricket Club
Ripon Cricket Club
Ripley Cricket Club
GROUNDS
Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club
Ilkley Cricket Club
Spofforth Cricket Club
Dacre Banks Cricket Club
Duncombe Park Cricket Club
Bolton Abbey Cricket Club
Skipton Cricket Club
Crossflatts Cricket Club
Hampsthwaite Cricket Club
Burton Leonard Cricket Club
Birstwith Cricket Club
Walton Park Cricket Club
Darley Cricket Club
Beckwithshaw Cricket Club (End of Season)
Headingley County Cricket Club
Sicklinghall Cricket Club
Slaughthwaite Cricket Club
Kirk Deighton Cricket Club
Harrogate Cricket Club (Second Oval)
AND FINALLY...
A few more moments we couldn’t leave out!
Well, to be totally honest, there was a lot more images that I wanted to include, but this season review is way too long as it is!
I hope you enjoy looking through a small sample of our summer of rain in 2024.
INTRODUCTION
Last year’s cricket season review showcased over 30 of the games I covered during the summer of 2023, with the total number of games I ended up going to just north of 50. I made an effort to get to as many new grounds as I could, or back to grounds that I hadn’t been to since before COVID.
I continued that theme this season, travelling around Yorkshire to visit as many games as I could. This year’s review contains images from around 65 games, and at a quick count I have actually seen just under 80 games between April and the end of September.
Of course I’ve ended up revisiting grounds for various reasons, primarily as a result of poor weather and trying to ensure I get to see a game on any given day.
I also promised last year to dedicate Sundays to covering as many Women’s cricket games as I could, and I’ve kept that promise in 2024…enjoying getting to see a lot of both hardball and softball cricket. It has been a real highlight of my season to meet new people and cover new teams in both North and
West Yorkshire.
I’ll be honest, I was genuinely disappointed when the games I planned to get to were postponed, or there were gap weekends. Women and girls’ cricket has been changing over the past few seasons, growing quickly, morphing into an increasingly competitive and exciting set of leagues and competitions.
Watching the emerging depth of quality players, while still welcoming new people into the game is so inspiring. The role that the Yorkshire Cricket Board is playing in the continued development of grassroots cricket is vital, and the YCB team are providing a range of initiatives to inspire, lead and build the knowledge required within the clubs.
Adding to this, there are so many people who are driving change within their own clubs, setting up teams, creating a friendly and inclusive environment for all, and building communities.
This season more than ever, I’ve seen how many clubs are investing in new facilities to help attract
new players, with a clear intent of building for the future. New practice nets installed, new pavilions built, new changing room facilities, new electronic scoreboards, and even new drainage to help improve the playing surface.
Both the men’s and women’s game in Yorkshire is booming. However, with the increased pressures of modern life, there may be a need to consider the format of cricket being played in the league and cup competitions, but that is a conversation for another day.
These pages record games in the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League, the Theakston Nidderdale League, the Harrogate and District Amateur Evening Cricket League, and the Yorkshire Premier League; as well as many of the associated cup competitions.
It has been so very difficult to select just two or three photos from each of the games, but I’ve tried to choose images that show passion, and show the expressions on the faces of the players that hopefully tell a story of their own. They may
not necessarily be the best photos I’ve taken this season, but I hope they do tell a story.
I’d like to thank John Fuller for providing the foreword at the beginning of this book. His site, Cricket Yorkshire, is a superb resource for anyone playing or simply interested in the game - and I would recommend signing up to his free newsletter, bookmarking the website, and following on social media. I have been privileged to have had some articles and images published by Cricket Yorkshire this year, and I would like to thank John for his support in 2024, and indeed in past years.
Finally, I’d like to thank my family - Monica, Connor, and AibhlÃnn - for putting up with me disappearing for hours on end most days as I head out to games, training, or to interview people. Their support is greatly appreciated, allowing me to spend an obscene number of hours on the boundary rope, or in front of the computer writing articles and editing photos and video.
Thank you for reading this far, and I hope you enjoy the images presented here. I’d love to hear about your 2024 cricket journey, follow us on social media and drop us a message!
APRIL
HARROGATE CC 2XI v YORK CC 2XI
MAY
Beckwithshaw
Whixley CC 2XI v Bishop Monkton 1XI
Beckwithshaw CC 1XI v Bardsey CC 1XI
Knaresborough
Beckwithshaw CC
Killinghall
v Whixley
JUNE
Sharow CC
v Ripley CC
Yapham
Yapham
Harrogate CC
Eve v Whixley CC
Eve
Pudsey
Lawrence
Beckwithshaw
Beckwithshaw CC
2XI
v Bolton CC
2XI
(Birtwhistle Cup)
Ripon
Beckwithshaw CC
Harrogate CC (Addison Cup)
Harrogate
Harrogate CC
2XI v Fairburn CC
1XI
Beckwithshaw
JULY
Harrogate CC 1XI v Driffield CC 1XI
Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate
Duncombe Park CC 1XI v Ripon CC 1XI
AUGUST
Skipton Ladies CC v Menston Ladies CC
Darley CC 1XI v Burnt Yates CC 1XI
Hampsthwaite CC v Bolton Abbey CC
Beckwithshaw
Harrogate CC 1XI v Easingwold CC 1XI
SEPTEMBER
YCB
YCB Finals DayWalton Park
GROuNDS
ILKLEY CC
WALTON PARK CC
DARLEY
And FinallY...
YORKSHIRE CRICKET BOARD CRICKET COLLECTIVE AWARDS 2024
YORKSHIRE CRICKET BOARD DISABILITY CRICKET AWARDS 2024
