Newton Le Willows Cricket Club are founder members of the Wensleydale Evening league, and have a Saturday team playing in the Nidderdale league.
To get to the ground you have to cross the relatively new Wensleydale Railway line. History suggests cricket has been played at the ground as far back as 1879, making the club over 130 years old.
The ground shows the ridge and furrow pattern on the outfield of medieval farming methods and the day I visited a suckler cow was grazing peacefully at about mid off - perhaps the original home of “cow corner”.
There is a small changing room, score box and groundsman shed. No running water or electricity and the toilet facilities are definitely not 21st Century.
Thanks to Ellie Jackson form Pateley Bridge for the suggestion of this ground. Another fine example of village cricket.
December 27 2009
About
Cricket is the greatest game - played on all sorts of grounds. This blog is about those grounds that are a little bit different from the norm, those that add to the variety of the game.
I currently play my cricket at Pateley Bridge CC in the Nidderdale League in the Yorkshire Dales. I have previously played in the Lincs League for East Halton CC and Grimsby Town CC, the Devon League for South Devon CC and for Malmesbury CC in the Western League.
If you have a ground with unusual features, locals rules or facts that make it curious please let me know and it can be added to the great variety that is the world of cricket. If you have any interesting stories or photos of cricket grounds, then email me at curiouscricket@gmail .com
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mick
