Throughout the 2021 season, we will be featuring a weekly round-up of the best games in club cricket, with a look at the four men’s premier leagues and the Yorkshire Women and Girls Cricket League. We want to hear from you, so if you see or are part of a great game of club cricket in Yorkshire, send us the details to [email protected] and we will include the best games each week.
North Yorkshire/South Durham Premier League, 2021
Through the eyes of: Karl Carver, Barnard Castle left-arm spinner
What happened in 2020: The league was played across half a season, with 12 teams playing each other once. Richmondshire won the title by just a point from Middlesbrough. Barnard Castle finished seventh.
2019 champions (last full season): Richmondshire
2019 top run-scorer: Ryan Gibson – Marske; 835, ave 43.95, best 141
2019 top wicket-taker: Steven Reeves – Richmondshire; 47, ave 9.6, best 5-18
Barnard Castle hopes: “I feel we can definitely challenge to win the league. We have a very strong side, and most of the lads have played together for numerous years. We’ve also been able to get a couple of additions, and hopefully we can knock Richmondshire, who have dominated for a few years now, off their perch.”
2021 title challengers: “My knowledge of the league isn’t as strong as others given last season was my first, but the general view amongst our lads is that there could be a number of teams up there. Saltburn surprised a few last year and were very strong, Middlesbrough have recruited quite well. Richmondshire obviously challenged most years, and then there’s us. This league isn’t like a top six and a bottom six. You turn up every week and everyone could beat each other.”
Your professional: Karl Carver – former Yorkshire left-arm spinner
Best professional elsewhere: “Not a pro, but overseas. We’ve signed a young Indian batsman, Samarth Seth, who sounds like he could be very exciting.”
Best amateur: Gary Pratt, Richmondshire
The Yorkshire connection: “Ed Barnes left Barnard Castle when he joined Leicestershire in the winter. I am currently experiencing life in the working world. I’m a technical administrator at Wessex Foods, which has been good for me. I’ve really enjoyed it. But I still want to get back into the county game, and hopefully I can get some trials this summer and see what happens.”
Future Yorkshire star from YPL South: “There’s a young lad from Stokesley, Craig Baptist, who got fifty and impressed me when we played against them last year. He’s a good little batsman who I’d come across before whilst doing some coaching in the pathways system.”
The YPL final will be between?: York (YPL North) v Hanging Heaton (Bradford League). **As a Durham club, Barnard Castle aren’t eligible to qualify for the final. The highest ranked Yorkshire side from NYSD qualifies for the YPL knockouts.
Season start date: Saturday April 17
