Close of Play

Just before 6pm on Sunday 13^th September, Chester Le Street 2nds clinched the Banks Bowl by dismissing Tynemouth 2nds for 160 to win by a margin of 79 runs. Comfortable enough in the end and perhaps no great surprise, considering Tynemouth had been forced into 7 changes due to unavailability, almost entirely occasioned by the Great North Run. Perhaps it was also a case of justice being done, as on August Bank Holiday, the first attempt at staging the final saw Chester Le Street amass 280 or thereabouts, before the rains came and washed away any chance of play before Tynemouth had a go at such an imposing target.  On a personal level, the conclusion of the game was tinged with sadness; not just because Tynemouth lost, but because it meant we had reached the end of the 2015 NEPL season. Well, possibly we have, but more of that later.

My previous cricket blog (http://payaso-de-mierda.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/summertime-in-england.html) at the end of last month was written with South North poised to win the Premier Division in the penultimate round of games on the first Saturday in September; this not unexpected event duly occurred with a 9 wicket win away to Stockton, who were bowled out for 89. At the same time, Chester Le Street had a losing draw with Durham Academy to erase their slim, mathematical hopes. On that particular Saturday, with Benfield away to Marske United, I’d stayed local for my football, taking in a half at a couple of Tyneside Amateur League games between Newcastle East End and Wardley (3-0) and West Jesmond against Killingworth YPC (2-2), played on the superb 4G astro at Walker School, in my role as league chair. Not only was this a responsible thing for me to do, the earlier kick offs of 2pm in the TAL allowed me more time to see some cricket. At least, that was the plan…

On a rare day without the bicycle, I was reliant on public transport. The initial plan had been to head to Jesmond for Newcastle versus Benwell Hill.  However, the visitors were bowled out for 76 and the home side knocked the runs required off in 20 overs, so the game was over before I’d even made it to the Fossway. Consequently, I had no option but to head south side to the crunch relegation clash between Gateshead Fell and Blaydon. The good news is the mythical number 1 which goes from Whitley Bay to Kibblesworth heads through Low Fell. The bad news is it goes down Durham Road and not Old Durham Road, meaning I had to get off at Valley Drive and slog it up there on foot. Compounded with the fact that the bus takes an age, it meant I only saw about an hour’s play. Contrast this with my mate Raga, who had been to the 3pm kick-off 0-0 draw between Dunston and Ashington, before driving to the Fell in a matter of minutes, arriving before me. It was great to catch up with him and set foot in Fell’s ground for the first time in more than three decades.

Blaydon had to win this game if they were going to avoid relegation; sadly for them they were bowled out for 156 and saw Gateshead Fell achieve the target for the loss of four wickets. It must have been a crushing blow for Blaydon, but what genuinely moved me was the sincerity of the post-game handshake, especially when one considers what had been at stake in this meeting of local rivals.

The next day, Sunday 6^th, was glorious; just the sort of cloudless, late summer day on which to watch cricket, providing you could see properly that is. Waking in plenty of time at mine, I realised I had neglected to bring any of my newly delivered (to Laura’s) disposable lenses with me. Consequently, I had to throw myself at the mercy of Vision Express in Eldon Square, who found me a couple of pairs (spare set for emergencies), enabling me to head for the Banks Salver final at Eppleton against Tynemouth.  Again I was on public transport; this time the X1 to Easington Lane. It’s a great cricket bus; not only does it go up Old Durham Road, right past Gateshead Fell, but it also passes by several NEPL clubs in the former sunderland coalfields that must be on my agenda for visits next season: not only Eppleton, but also Hetton Lyons, Philadelphia and on to South Hetton, while Burnmoor and Washington aren’t too far off the X1 flight path. I’ll take it as read it goes close to South Hetton, as I got off at Hetton Le Hole, where Eppleton is located rather than continuing to the romantic terminus of Easington Lane.

Having only previously been in the area on a couple of occasions to see the former Northern League club Eppleton CW in what is now the Durham FA ground, I assumed the cricket club was in the same complex; not a bit of it. Thank goodness for phone GPS technology, which got me there without further mishap. Eppleton are blessed with a lovely, earthy, traditional ground as well; Jimmy Adams was the professional here back in the 90s. Sadly the enforced route march back through the village and messing around with lenses that caused me to get a later bus than I’d intended, resulted in me arriving after 10 overs, with the home side 31/2. For the first time when watching NEPL cricket, I was charged an entry fee; £1 with a programme. Perhaps more clubs should try this, as it must have earned Eppleton at least £100 with the healthy, partisan crowd in attendance.

Eppleton attract a very different following to Newcastle, South North or Tynemouth; you only have to hear the accents of both the players and supporters, who grew increasingly passionate and raucous as the game went on, to learn this. Alternatively, contrast the kind of dogs you see at games: Labradors and King Charles spaniels at Tynemouth; pit bulls and Jack Russells at Eppleton. This is unapologetically working class cricket and wonderful to see, including a knot of local Asian teenage lads following the game intently. Eppleton had all but secured the Division 1 title and promotion spot the day before, seeing off the challenge of both Burnmoor and Washington and will be a credit to the top division. I’d seen them once before this summer; easily disposing of Newcastle at Jesmond in the 20/20 quarter finals, with some lusty batting. 

They’d also scored 340 to beat Newcastle in the semi-final of the Salver, so it was no surprise to see Gary Burlison and Kamran Shah both hitting 75 to set Tynemouth a total of 225; exactly 5 an over. This total could and should have been much lower, but Tynemouth couldn’t hold their catches, unlike Eppleton who took the first 3 Tynemouth wickets with blinding bits of fielding. From that point, defeat became firstly likely, then inevitable as Tynemouth stumbled to 124 all out and a loss by exactly 100 runs. However, there was a silver lining to this defeat; ambling back down to the bus stop and preparing for a lengthy journey home, I was deeply humbled by Tynemouth Director of Cricket Vince Howe offering me a lift, not just part of the way, but to the end of my street back in High Heaton. Another reason for me to be grateful for discovering the wonderful world of local cricket.

And so to the last weekend of the season; on Saturday 12^th I played for Winstons in the Over 40s in the morning, drawing 1-1 away to sunderland Oddies in Pennywell (got lobbed for their goal; 3 yards off my line… schoolboy stuff), then headed to Benfield to see us lose 3-1 to a rejuvenated Bishop Auckland, who had lost 7-0 at Whitley Bay on the Tuesday. Well done to them. The weather, until around 4, was truly filthy; sheeting rain and a strong wind. As a result, the choice of either Tynemouth v Whitburn or South North v Newcastle (or the reverse fixture for the 2nds) was an academic one; all NEPL top division games were abandoned without a ball bowled. Therefore, Blaydon were relegated and replaced by Eppleton, who managed to reduce Boldon to 63/6 before their game was washed out by the second wave of rain across the region. Sunderland’s game fell foul to the weather as well, enabling Chris Youldon to turn out for Benfield. I bet South Shields wished Jonny Wightman had been available for them in Northern League Division 2; despite the goalscoring debut of Julio Arca and a crowd of nigh on 800, their stumbling start to what was assumed to be inevitable promotion continued with a 1-1 draw against hitherto pointless Stokesley.

Back to cricket; South Hetton finished bottom of the first division, but their relegation has not been confirmed just yet. Ordinarily, they should be replaced by Esh Winning (I’ve played Over 40s at their ground; we lost 7-0) who have won the Durham League, but there are concerns about the facilities and club infrastructure there (promotion would theoretically be for 3 Esh Winning teams, not just the first XI of course). Consequently the NEPL management committee have rejected Esh Winning’s application, though the club have appealed. A decision is expected this week; if their appeal is unsuccessful, South Hetton will host a play-off against Durham League runners-up Mainsforth (I’ve played there in the Over 40s against West Cornforth; won 2-0) next Saturday, or Sunday if it rains. Complex and exciting times; I don’t know anything about the 3 clubs involved, so I’ll remember the words of Thumper’s pa; “if’n you can’t say nuthin’ nice, then don’t say nuthin’ at all.”

Thankfully Sunday 13^th  saw splendid sunshine, providing the final chance of sunstroke for the season. Buses take forever to Chester Le Street, so I took the train. At the station, there are direction signs pointing to the cricket ground; they mean the Riverside of course, though Chester Le Street’s home of Ropery Lane is another lovely spot to watch cricket. The floodlights of the test venue in the distance show the proximity of the two grounds.

On arrival, with Chester Le Street 30 without loss, I was greeted by Vince, who again offered me a lift home; my gratitude abounds to him for that. The home side clocked up 239/9, with 15 year old Tynemouth bowler Owen Gourley, who had played football for Wallsend Boys Club in the morning, taking 7/53. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for either victory or the Man of the Match, as Matthew Cranston made 106 for the home side to take the award. Interestingly, players don’t get trophies for playing in finals; instead they get 2 pint vouchers to be used in the bar. Vince purloined a couple and we toasted the end of the season with some delicious Shropshire Gold for me and Bitter & Twisted for him. Perhaps the assembled grumpy and glum faced Mackems who’d made it back from their home defeat to Spurs should have been drowning their sorrows with that one.  

There weren’t many home players imbibing though; apparently the night before they’d had a serious end of season do. Newcastle 2^nd XI captain Phil Hudson, soon to be unveiled as a Popular Side contributor in issue 9, had also severely been on it the night before, celebrating his side winning the title. I felt his pain as he attempted, through the chokehold of a hangover, to explain the intricacies of the bonus points system in the NEPL. You need a degree in statistics to grasp the nuances and I was minded to agree with the apparent response of Captain Nicotine himself, Jacques Du Toit, when being told of the complexities of the system; “ach, if we fucking win, we fucking win and if we fucking lose, we fucking lose.” Well said that man!

So, as the sun sets on the 2015 season, statistics show I’ve now been to 7 Premier Division grounds, with Hetton Lyons, South Shields, Stockton and Whitburn still to be ticked off, but only Felling visited in the First Division. I can see what I’ll be doing on Saturdays and Sundays from next April onwards. Can’t you? Though I know I'll divide my support equally between Newcastle and Tynemouth, as South North are rich enough and successful enough without me following them. I'll still go to the beer festival of course.

In the First Class game, the county championship has 2 rounds of fixtures to go (even as I speak, Durham will be conjuring up more and more unlikely ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, to flirt agonisingly close to the relegation trap door; has John Carver got the job of batting coach at the Riverside I wonder?), not to mention the final of the Royal London Cup. While the bewildering pace of test cricket continues unabated, with tours against Pakistan and to South Africa on the horizon, the local club game has now gone into hibernation, though there is the small matter of the Tynemouth beer festival this weekend; tough decision whether to attend that or not, as it’s the same night as the  victory celebration for renowned cricket devotee Jeremy Corbyn at the Irish Centre. What would CLR James do? Attend both probably; it’s what I intend to do.