Walkington Playing Fields Association

The first Walkington Hayride Cricket Sixes on June 20th was a great success. On a day that started on the chilly side, but finished in blazing sunshine we had a great turnout for an enjoyable & very entertaining day.

Spectators and players were sustained by another excellent barbecue run by Lawrence Webster, and by the cream teas served up by the Hayride team in the pavilion.  Children had their faces painted, and really enjoyed our new facilities - the Playground and the MUGA.

We were all entertatained by the guitar drums & accordion of the band, and from the semi-finals onwards every boundary and wicket was celebrated in style as DJ Jamie blasted out an appropriate tune.

On the pitch we had some great cricket.  The round-robin stages were dominated by Cherry Burton and Dalton Holme who won their leagues comfortably. They were joined in the semi-finals by Walkington and Brandesburton.  Walkington All-Stars were really unlucky to go out at this stage having just been edged out in their two very tight games.  And thanks to the MKM Barrel team for putting up a creditable performance in their games, but the experience of regular cricketers ruled their day.

Walkington's under-15s then put on an exhibition match which was notable for some fine batting from Will Webster and Ben Malkin in the first innings, and especially from George Kirby and Ben Watson in the reply.

In the first semi-final Cherry Burton batted first and reached 58 thanks to some big hitting from Darren Spruce who retired on 33.  On a high-scoring day this didn't seem enough, and so it proved as Walkington knocked off the runs with James Dowson hitting 34.

In the other semi, Dalton Holme made a competitive 69 thanks to their openers Matty Arnold and Mark Stocks - who were the day's on-fire batsmen. In Brandesburton's reply only guest player Colin Suggitt with 42 not out made any significant contribution as they fell 8 runs short.

The final was a repeat of a round-robin match in which Dalton Holme had thrashed Walkington, but this time Walkington's bowling was a lot tighter.  Stocks and Arnold again put on a good opening partnership, but 64 was not an imposing total.  A special mention must go to Matty Arnold who was player of the day.  He was unbeaten in his 4 innings, with an aggregate of 120 runs.

The final was decided early in Walkington's reply when Matt Scattergood played the innings of the day, having to retire on 31 in just the second over. It was a brutal innings of three 4s and three 6s, and it left teammates Chris Cook and James Dowson the job of coasting to victory.

James Dowson receives his award for the Champagne Moment from Lawrence Webster.  James took a stunning one-handed catch in the first innings of the day.

Winning captain, Ben Gardiner, receives the Walkington Hayride Cricket Sixes trophy from Club Chairman, Dave Scattergood

The winning Walkington Team - James Dowson, Pip Pearson, Ben Gardiner, Matt Scattergood, Rich Jobling and Chris Cook