review of the season

April

The season started with a very heavy heart. How can we have the season without ‘The voice of Yorkshire’.

The thought of no Cally was the cause at times over the season for tears to be shed, tears were not the only problems as rain came down and washed out the first match of the season.

I had two days let loose in Headingley and managed to cram in some reading time in my favourite French café there ( sadly now closed as they have gone to greater things in Paris).

Late April the sun shone and and Sophie and I met up with Jim and Rob at Headingley for an afternoon of cricket and friends.

I'm not sure the Skyrack was really ready for us at close of play.

Saturday was equally glorious as Sophie and I took to our seat and cheered our boys on, as the shandy flowed the lines blurred slightly with whose boys were who!

Sunday dawned wet and we hung on until lunch and then went off on our separate directions.

And that was April. We were not on a winning streak though.

May

Weather was a still playing havoc with the fixtures, but I set off at stupid o’ cock to head to London and 3 days at The Oval, it was great to meet up with London friends and also with Mark who had driven the boys down.

Not so nice, seeing HRR in Surrey garb!

Getting hit on by Surrey ‘gentlemen’ who would not take ‘go away’ for an answer.

We were beaten (again) and I left to head back north slightly despondent.

It had to get better, it just had to!

May was gone too quickly and not too much cricket for me!

June

 June saw the arrival of my new 'throne' in Yorkshire colours too, delivered

by the lovely Carole and Philip, what a lovely day although their drive home was less so as the heavens opened and monsoon like rain fell.

the weather turned much warmer and I headed off to Brandon to keep up with Yorkshire 2nd XI.

That was the amount of cricket this month as T20 and one day cricket were lining up.

I was hit with 2 bombshells, one that my beloved Hoddy would be retiring at the end of the season and also Commando Boy!

So not what I wanted to hear!

July

July saw Sophie and I watching cricket in a different league as we tipped up at Todmorden CC and pitched out tent.

It was some weekend, very hot, camels roaming round West Yorkshire town ( yes really, and not a martini induced mirage), midnight discos, and much more.  However as the  saying goes ‘What goes on tenting stays tenting’.

we are booking to go back in 2019!

 Our chairman Steve resigned and I for one  was very upset by this!

I spent many sunny weekends in my chair in the garden listening to any cricket that was on the radio and soaking up the rays.

Mr Funky and I headed to Chester le Street for the Durham v Notts T20, due to a doubtful weather forecast Sophie and El Tel didn't come

Sadly Notts lost as did my boys at Derbyshire

August

Early august saw Susan and I catch up at a T20 match, a lovely warm evening of cricket and friends, what's not to like?

Mid way through August the gang all met up for our annual Yorks v Notts night out, this time in the posh seats. I think we all had a good night!

Next day I headed off to Scarbados for the annual trip and catching up with chums. Ted and Norma were there as they have been for the last 52 years apparently.

Managed to see Rick and Andy as well as John from cricket Yorkshire.

The cricket could have been better we were beaten by Worcestershire.

They were the bottom team in the division………..

Lots of behind the scene work going on to try to organise another gang show at Notts next month , would it happen?

End of the month saw Mr Funky and I hop up to Chester le Street to see Durham v Sussex, it was mighty cold!!!

September

First Saturday of the month saw me at Headingley to cheer the boys on, quick catch up with TLML and much cheering for TLJL and Hoddy who had produced some excellent batting, he left the field giving a full 360 salute....................I cried, he knew and I knew that this was to be the last game he would play for Yorkshire!

Home the same day and an early night.

It was all go,  later that week I headed to Nottingham at stupid o' clock and was knocking on Sophies door at 8.30am.

Off to Trent Bridge to meet Jim and Jay.

Rained washed out first day just after lunch so there was only one thing to do.......go to the pub.

Back home in the blink of an eye.

And the last home game arrived,  as did the tail end of a hurricane which gave the groundsmen some exercise that they probably didn't want!

Some exceptional batting by Adam Lyth saw us getting points but rain was to be the nemesis of the boys and Thursday afternoon was rained off so I met up with Jim and much merriment ensued.

Friday was also washed out and a draw it was.

It was however great to catch up with Craig and Ray  and also  spend the Friday morning in the Long Room with those others who did not want to see the season end.

The last game of the season was at Worcestershire and we only flipping won and saved ourselves in the nick of time.

A season of troubles and losses, but we came good in the end.

We are Yorkshire.

And that was 2018 season.

Roll on 2019