Sunday Cricket
24/04/2007Sunday Cricket at Mytholmroyd CC
By Russell Eggar
Sunday...the day of rest, a day associated with the traditional roast, Yorkshire puddings and falling asleep in front of the television in the afternoon. But Sundays at Mytholmroyd CC mean so much more.
For those who have a passion for cricket and who are associated with the club, Sunday is a great opportunity to play for the club they love in a relaxed environment. As the club's 1st and 2nd teams continue to battle for league titles, the Sunday team slowly goes about its business, often with a lot of success. Cricket is a valuable pastime for both the old and the young for a number of reasons. The Sunday team provides this without the pressures of an expectant and competitive club, but allows the sport of gentlemen to be played in such a way that provides laughs and excitement in a (semi) competitive environment.
The Halifax Sunday Section is traditionally a league that consists of teams full of older players, and for Mytholmroyd it has been no different for many years. Players such as captain Lee Walker and batter Mark Henshaw are the experienced and knowledgeable cricketers who have become the nucleus and the focus of the Sunday side. They have played at a high level but their best cricketing years are behind them.
But with experience comes a passion for the game. Their passion is such that they have joined the club's Sunday team not only to relax and enjoy the relief that a sunny afternoon on a cricket pitch provides, taking them away from their busy working weeks, but also to give something more to the community. At MCC, the Sunday team is more than just a chance to relax and get a tan. As captain Lee Walker emphasises: "The Sunday side is an invaluable way of nurturing the progress of the junior players at the club".
Sunday cricket is seen as the first step in the progression from junior cricket - which is played over only 20 overs - to senior cricket, which is played over a gruelling 45. As one of the most competitive clubs in the Halifax League, and with such a promising collection of young cricketers, the club's aim is for the Sunday XI to allow the youngsters to progress as players and hopefully allow them to experience winning over 45 overs and at a higher level of cricket.
Lee Walker suggests that Sunday cricket is "all about finding a balance" - a balance between fun and seriousness, between experience and youthful exuberance, between teaching and learning, and between the past and the future of the club. If all of these can be found at Royd, the Sunday team will continue to be better than any training session, course or schooling could be.