Out Ground Revival

CLIFTON PARK EXCELS ON DEBUT

By Graham Hardcastle yorkshireccc.com

Yorkshire are hoping to create a festival of limited overs cricket at York’s Clifton Park next year after the success of last week’s historic Championship fixture against Warwickshire.

The first county fixture in the Minster city since 1890 was hailed a triumph by White Rose Chief Executive Mark Arthur, despite rain interruptions on days one and three and Yorkshire ending up on the losing side.

With Yorkshire committed to taking two home Championship matches per year to Scarborough, they will not be taking four-day cricket to Clifton Park in 2020.

But York CC, who have regularly hosted Yorkshire Diamonds Kia Super League games for the last two seasons, will be rewarded for their magnificent staging of an enthralling contest which constantly swung this way and that and attracted a combined crowd just short of 8,000 across the four days.

“The biggest compliment I can pay York is that you’d have though they would have been holding such events for the last 20 years,” said Arthur.

“For day one, for example, to go as well as it did in inclement weather was testimony to their organisation, professionalism and absolute commitment to making sure the city’s first game of county cricket for 129 years was a success.

“The pitch played well, especially when you consider the build-up to the game and how wet it’s been.

“There’s been floods around the country, and they back onto the River Ouse. But the drainage put in 18 months ago and the quality of the pitch, which we’ve always known about having played second-team and Yorkshire Diamonds cricket here, has been wonderful.

“How they framed the ground with the 2,000 seater temporary stand and the marquees gave it the picture postcard effect.

“Can they do Championship cricket? Yes, definitely. But we have to remember what our commitment is to Scarborough, and they continue to perform superbly well. It’s a very popular destination.

“We’ve also got wonderful facilities at an international venue.

“If at some point, the members decide they want to take more games away from Emerald Headingley for example, that would be considered.

“We’re looking to do two one-day games at York next year. There is also a possibility we will stage a women’s Hundred match.

“If we can get them all in a festival block, we can build on the legacy this fixture will create.”

Yorkshire captain Steve Patterson said: “It’s been great – really enjoyable – and we’ve been well supported, which we knew we would be. It’s created a really good atmosphere.

“It’s been a very good cricket wicket – not a huge amount of pace, which you’d expect at an outground. There’s been a little bit of sideways movement when the ball’s newer. It’s swung quite a bit for lads, but if you batted well you got value for shots.

“There’s a few lads in each team with links to York, who have played here in the past or who currently do. They’ve had family here, which is great.”

This was Yorkshire’s seventh game of the season, with their next at their more regular outground, Scarborough’s North Marine Road, against champions Surrey, which starts a week on Sunday.