The story of Great Habton CC offers a beacon of light to small village teams nationwide, suggesting that finding a point of difference can allow them to compete with large cricket factories. Rich Evans investigates.
Having all but folded in 2001 due to poor player availability after over a century in the Scarborough Beckett League, Great Habton CC were reformed 11 years ago by 17-year-old John Lumley. It started as a family project; the teenager was aided by his mum, dad and uncle, with only the essential equipment and a few grand in the pocket. Between the death and rebirth of the Saturday team, one evening side limped on, but eight regulars has now swelled to 50 members and five teams across several leagues, with 2019 set to see a Saturday second XI introduced for the first time.
The club has achieved five Saturday promotions and triumphed in various night leagues and weekend cups, but the real victory lies not only in their continued existence, but a team culture centred around fun. Unlike many clubs they know exactly who they are and what they represent: “Recreational cricket in its truest sense”.
“When reducing the number of overs and balls you need to consider if you’re getting the balance right so that all 11 players get a decent game. I skippered a team for over a decade and this was a constant issue. T20 is probably the limit from that perspective. When batting you want more than a couple of balls at the crease, and as a bowler if you bowl anything less than three overs you feel short-changed. The danger is that some may not get much of a game and lose interest.” Hector Cappelletti – via Twitter
“The idea that amateur clubs will voluntarily play five-ball overs is a non-starter. Amateurs are going to play the tried and tested formats that work. This is a monstrosity of an idea. Junior cricket games change end halfway through each innings. It saves time with kids, but it’s not necessary for adult cricket, and some of the tactics are lost.” Adam Brown, cricket coach – via Twitter
“No, it can’t. Clubs are already struggling to convert T20 kids into weekend 45- or 40-over match players. The thirty-somethings “who want to still be involved but can’t play 8-10 hours on a Saturday” choose not to play.” Angus Smith – via Facebook
“No. The game has got used to 20-over cricket. The Hundred is only a change for change’s sake. No justification so far. No wonder it is dead.” Prabhakar Kaza – via Twitter
“The 100-ball game could be good for age-group league cricket or for time-pressed fathers wanting to play with their sons, but it will not save much more time compared to T20. Whether the 100-ball is a saviour at grassroots level is anybody’s guess, but it is worth a go.” David Rimmer – via email
“I still hope they’ll discard that idea.” Timothy Monday – via Twitter
