Driffield CC 1st XI Season Review 2015
We start with the first team, with the remaining four teams from Kings Mill Road being covered over the coming weeks.
April – Driffield 1st XI started the final Yorkshire League season with a home fixture against Cleethorpes. Once again led by Dave Brent, the Woldsman got off to a winning start, beating the Lincolnshire side by two wickets. The away side managed to score 200 with Ollie Ezard taking 4-4 before Driffield scraped home by two wickets thanks to Sam Drury’s 57.
An abandonment with Sheffield Collegiate followed the opening day victory before the month ended on a disappointing note with a poor nine wicket defeat against Burnmoor in the ECB National Club Championship.
May – The month began with another game that fell victim to the weather, this time at Harrogate where Nick Hardgrave had put Driffield in control with 3-15.
A trip to Rotherham followed, and Brent’s side got back to winning ways with a six-wicket victory. Brent picked up 3-36 but the highlight of the match was George Drury’s 3-9.
However, Driffield were brought back down to earth in their next game, as they were crushed by 140 runs by Barnsley, despite George Drury’s 4-60.
The weekend after, the Woldsmen faced a double-header against Appleby Frodingham, the first of these in the league at Kings Mill Road. Driffield emerged victorious by 66 runs after making 247-7. Runs came from George Drury (90) and Owen Goldsworthy (52) before Jamie Hopper returned to form with 4-32.
Yorkshire League Cup action followed the next day at Appleby Frodingham, but this time Driffield were on the wrong end of the result, losing by 21 runs.
Lincolnshire wasn’t a happy hunting ground for Driffield, and they suffered another defeat in the county at Cleethorpes. This six wicket defeat proved to be Brent’s last game for Driffield as he made the switch to Dunnington via North Dalton.
Danny Broumpton stepped up from vice-captain to lead the side, and he started his reign with a high-scoring defeat against York. Driffield scored 275-6 in their innings, with Ali Asad scoring 105 in his first game of the season after arriving late from Pakistan A duty. Despite the high score, York ran away with a seven-wicket victory.
June – Driffield started June with a heavy 178 run defeat at Sheffield United, and they were at the same venue the next day for the first round of the Yorkshire League T20 Knock-Out.
In a low-scoring first game, the Woldsmen overcame United by six wickets meaning a straight shoot-out between them and Cleethorpes for a place in the next round. Alas, it was not to be as they fell to a narrow two wicket defeat to bow out at the first hurdle.
Driffield didn’t dwell on these defeats, and they roared back into form with a fantastic victory over 2014 champions Yorkshire Academy. Broumpton’s side batted first and scored heavily to make 296-8. Asad scored his second century of the season with 131, whilst George Drury made 61. In a thrilling contest, Academy finished just two runs short, sealing an impressive victory for the Woldsmen.
With no play possible against Castleford, Driffield’s next game was against Doncaster, and thanks to Hardgrave’s 6-55 and Sam Drury’s 82, they came home with an eight wicket win.
July – Hull were Driffield’s first opponents of the month, and they were easily swept aside by five wickets at Kings Mill Road. Hopper (4-46) was the thorn in the Hull innings before Asad saw his side home with an unbeaten 78.
A seven wicket defeat at Sheffield Collegiate followed, although George Drury continued his excellent form with 56. Drury’s prolific season continued in Driffield’s next game against Harrogate, as he scored his maiden century, whilst Asad’s 138 was his third of the campaign. However, despite being set a target of 283, Harrogate eased to an eight wicket victory.
The Woldsmen suffered a third straight league defeat when they succumbed to Barnsley by five wicket to end a disappointing month.
August – An abandoned game at Appleby Frodingham kicked off the month, although with Driffield sat on 177-3 in pursuit of Frodingham’s 220, and with Asad and Sam Drury at the crease they would have been confident of victory.
They did get back to winning ways in their next game at home against Rotherham. In a game that fluctuated back and forth, Driffield made 249 thanks to Asad’s 69. The away side looked to be in cruise control, but they collapsed dramatically to be dismissed for 245, with Hardgrave claiming 4-60.
An awful batting display saw Driffield slip to a seven wicket loss at York but they bounced straight back in another close game at Kings Mill Road, this time against Sheffield United. The home side could only make 155, but this proved to be enough as United were bowled out for 140 with spin twins Hardgrave and Alec Drury picking up 5-39 and 4-31 respectively.
Driffield were involved in yet another thriller but this time it ended in defeat as a strong Yorkshire Academy side won by one wicket despite 121 from Asad.
The month culminated with a wash-out at Hull.
September – The final month of the season started poorly for Driffield when their batting folded horribly at Castleford, resulting in a 26 run defeat.
However, Driffield ended their season a high note with an easy seven-wicket victory over Doncaster. In a rain-affected contest, Doncaster could only manage 122-9. This was mainly thanks to a great spell of bowling from Hardgrave, who claimed season-best figures of 7-24, before the batsmen did the business.
This victory sealed 6th position for Driffield, who will be looking to start the 2016 season with a bang in the new Yorkshire League North.
Top 3 run-scorers
Ali Asad – 899 runs at an average of 74.92
George Drury – 579 runs at an average of 26.32
Sam Drury – 543 at an average of 27.15
Top 3 wicket takers
Nick Hardgrave – 57 wickets at an average of 17.84
Ollie Ezard – 27 wickets at an average of 30.44
Alec Drury – 23 wickets at an average of 29.91.
