The long time Jester Steve Sullivan who currently turns out for Shepley & so is heavily involved in organising this fixture rings me Friday evening to ask if we can make it for a 2pm kick off on Sunday – no problem. One-hour later Caggy rings me saying that Sully had just rung him asking if we could make it for a 1.30pm kick off – a bit strange. With this fixture rained off for the past 3 years I was just hoping we would make a start at any time!
So its an early meet in the RCC car park for the Sunday lunch crew which includes Niall Coleman on debut from the Rawdon club whose Joe Lumb commitments are nearly finished & whose father used to be a team mate of mine at Rawdon! (It does make you start to feel old).
Confident I could lead the convoy through the back roads of Huddersfield & follow the route shown to me 2 weeks previously by Scottie proved to be a bit optimistic. After a couple of “U” turns (a Sunday tradition which adds to the fun) directing duties were handed over to Lee’s ‘sat-nav’ which lead us to the recommended lunch venue; the Farmers Boy pub, which is right next to the ground. Upon entry we were told they had no room for a party of 8 so it was back down the road to the Black Bull for Sunday snacks (no Sunday roast on offer). Confusion reigned with Ives who had arrived just after us at the Farmers & had been told by the staff that we had gone to one of their alternative recommendations which was in the opposite direction to which we had actually gone!
So at 1.15pm it was off to the ground for the early start only to find we were the only ones there, so we admired the close view of Emley mast (a must have view for a Jesters fixture according to some!) & waited for the home side to roll up. Sully had told the home skipper that we liked to bat 1^st so he said that we could but only after we had tossed up! – Strange again.
Niall & Ives opened up with the usual instructions from the skipper; to score at 8-a-over, take no risks & don’t get out. Ives managed this – for 1 over. After that came some batting exhibitions from Nile ( century on debut ) Lee ( 50s in his 1^st 2 games) & Sam Shaw ( 50 on debut ). Macca, batting at 5 had a bad case of pad rash & was chomping at the bit to get in. (something he didn’t consider at Idle a couple of years ago when the shoe was on the other foot). The home side took the policy of everybody having a bowl except Sully for some strange reason!
The Jesters are having a good run of visiting clubs who provide great teas at the moment & Shepley were no exception with a tremendous selection for our hearty eaters.
We took the field with 10 men as Ben Senior had failed to turn up (thanks a lot Ben) & with Macca keeping wicket but under pressure as Ives is after the job. With Sully telling me that Shepley had a strong side I was expecting to struggle to defend our total with a man short but Ritchie Barker tore into the home side taking the first 5 wickets. Dobby replaced Ritchie at the car park end & after some early punishment from the home clubs pro managed to achieve the rare feat of a hat trick & as far as anyone (me, caggy & coco) can remember only the 2^nd in Jester history after the one by Neil Waite at this same venue in 2004.
After the early finish it was socialising with the opposition before getting lost again on the way home!
 

stop press - As this report was going to press news was breaking that Macca had left all his cricket kit at Shepley. When asked for a comment a spokesman replied - "what an idiot!!!"

Catching competition update:- RL=5, DRB=4, Ives=3, Hill tag team=2, Scottie=0