Arthington Cricket Club

History
In June 1864 William Sheepshanks of Arthington Hall saw St Peter's Church, which he had built, consecrated. That same month also saw the inauguration of the new cricket ground. The first ground appears to have been situated in a field nearly opposite 'The Wharfedale Pub' about a mile away from the present ground in Arthington Park.
The ground is a typical rural Victorian layout insofar as it is almost a square of 100 yards each side. The square is properly constructed with a coke layer under the top soil, accounting for its remarkable drying and drainage qualities. For the first forty years or so the pitches were laid north/south. This was changed to the present east/west alignment when the Sheepshanks family built the large house between the church and the grounds - obviously too many sixes were landing in the garden.
From 1864 to 1989 only friendly cricket was played by Arthington CC. In 1990 the club joined the Dales Council League playing nine seasons before entering the Nidderdale League. The Harrogate Evening League accepted Arthington from the 1995 season onwards, with fixtures being played from May through to early August on a Wednesday evening.
At the end of the 2012 season the club merged with Hawksworth CC who had previously played in the Dales Council and had previously rented the ground on alternate Saturdays. At the start of 2013 this meant that the club was able to field two teams for the first time in its history. 2013 proved to be a fruitful season with the both the first and second teams gaining promotion from their respective leagues [Division 7 & Division 9]. Steady progression through the leagues has continued and the start of the 2018 season will see the first team playing in Division 4 and the second team competing in Division 7.
Friendly cricket is still played at the ground as the ground is available for hire, predominantly in June and July. Indeed this is part of the agreement with Arthington Hall that there should be both league and friendly matches played on the ground.
The Arthington Festival takes place each year with fixtures played on Saturday and Sunday in late September and into October - the latest recorded date for a game so far is 21 October. The Festival attracts many a cricket lover to come down to the ground and watch cricket after the end of the regular cricket season. Some travel from as far afield as Lancashire and Nottinghamshire in order to watch the cricket before the onset of winter.

Arthington’s tradition of October cricket lives on

OCTOBER 6, 2016 BY JOHN FULLER

As if to prove that cricket is very much alive and kicking in this part of Yorkshire, as I got out of the car at Arthington Cricket Club last Sunday, a straight six thudded the ball into the grass behind me.
It was a spectacular afternoon in this slice of Wharfedale, north of Leeds, proving once again that October can often be more hospitable than April.
Since 1990, Arthington Cricket Club, whose two Saturday sides play in the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League, have extended their season by taking on touring sides in a series of friendly fixtures on Saturdays and Sundays in late September and early October.

As we arrived, one of the evergreen Arthington bowlers, Dennis Nash, was seeing his bowling dispatched repeatedly into the gardens of the private residence that flanks one side of the ground next to the church.
In fairness to Dennis, who is still going strong at 80 years young, the opposition batsman (whose side Doghouse CC hails from the North East) was from Norton CC in the North Yorkshire South Durham Premier League so it was somewhat mismatched but the wily octogenarian took it on the chin.
‘I bowled rubbish’ he admitted to a spectator who ambled round the edge of this scenic cricket ground and when we caught up later, it transpired he had taken up cricket again at the age of 50 to play alongside his son.

Arthington’s HQ is surrounded by fields on three sides in which cattle and a frisky bull resided.
When sixes were routinely carted into the vicinity, a reluctant fielder would vault over the barbed wire fence, cross his fingers that the bull was otherwise distracted and get back out of there sharpish.
I was tickled to learn that the tourists Doghouse CC got their name from players being in the doghouse for playing both days and after their powerful top order came and went, so the scoring rate was calmed as this Arthington Select XI sought to reassert themselves in the field.
A red kite watched the cricket from up on high, circling overhead and traversing the air currents with aplomb, before soaring off in the direction of Harewood House.
There is a sense of community here at Arthington. For seasoned watchers of the grassroots game, this is a sanctuary to come back to year after year and a group of ten or so, most of whom know each other, sat on benches in one corner putting the world of cricket to rights.
I got talking to Rupert, who is apparently a chess champion from Papua New Guinea, about social cricket and the nomadic sides that are scattered across Yorkshire.
Clubs like Penguins, St George, Railways Sleepers, Romany and Yorkshire Gentlemen play friendlies though sadly this was believed to be the final ever fixture for Doghouse who have struggled to put out sides and the organiser had decided to pull the plug.
There was time for a fruitful conversation with Martin Binks, Arthington’s secretary and the man behind stretching the season beyond its conventional league framework, to get a sense of the affection others have for the club that stoically plays on as late as any across the UK.

The cricket tea was a tour de force, spoken like a true gannet, with a cake stand teeming with promise and the presence of both samosas and scones speaking for Yorkshire’s cultural and calorific diversity.
The result when it came saw Arthington surpass 233 to win but it was about much more than a dramatic run chase as the evening shadows stretched across the square.
This was rich reward for those who had ventured out in search of the last dregs of the cricket season.
Arthington is a delight to visit and their last cricket of 2016 is this weekend, if you are tempted to go and along and support. If you can’t make it this time, squirrel this article away in your memory bank for next season.
Cambridge Methodists are the visitors on Saturday 8th October and St Georges Church travel to Arthington on Sunday. Start times may vary but getting there for midday should ensure you don’t miss out.

http://www.arthingtoncc.co.uk/