Star Green ‘un – Saturday 21 May 1910
Mexborough and District League
The league is well on its legs again. The Whitsuntide matches have not been without points of interest.
The honour of scoring the first century of the league season falls to W Smith of Denaby, who compiled 100 not out against Monk Bretton.
On the same day in a friendly Roy Kilner, of Mitchell Main, got a hundred against Barnsley, his club, by having much the best of the game, once again proving that there is very little difference in the class of cricket played in the Yorkshire Council and the Mexborough and District League.
Time alone saved Barnsley from defeat, and yet Barnsley on Tuesday easily defeated Rotherham’s full Yorkshire Council team. Which shows that Mexborough league cricket, taking a line through the Barnsley v Mitchell Main match is not to be sneezed at.
But to return to the centurions. It is a confirmation of my “season’s prospect” remarks to find two of the youngsters I expressly mentioned so early distinguishing themselves.
“Billy” Smith of Denaby is right for a county nursery at any moment. But as he belongs to the County of “the Lambs” he has no choice of wearing the white rose. But with Roy Kilner it is different. He is a Yorkshire lad, and his cricket is coming to him fast, favoured as he is with the interest in coaching of Irving Washington, the one-time brilliant County left-hander.
Coming on top of his performance it is pleasing to note that the young Mitchell Mainer is, with Alban Turner, of Hickleton Main, selected by the County authorities, to go up for a period of special coasting under Mr Weigall. So that with two of our Mexborough League players already in the “Counties eye,” there is an inducement for the many other promising players in the Mexborough competition to do their best to get recognition and a chance of improving themselves.
Reverting again to the League matches of the last week, some curious results have to be recorded.
Denaby of course easily defeated Monk Bretton, who could only total 75 in reply to the home teams 215 for 8 wickets (declared).
Denaby have certainly started the season well, and on their present form they may easily develop into strong aspirants for the championship. They have yet to meet with their first defeat.
Mexborough are certainly not so strong this year. Yet their performance in beating Rotherham at Clifton Lane by a big margin clearly shows that there are promising possibilities in the players. In that match W.P. Turner, the Mexborough captain, ran up the score 60, while H Williams contributed 40, the side at the drawing of stumps having scored 136 for 6 wickets. Rotherham, who had taken their first innings were all out for 74. They could make nothing of the bowling of Tom Field, who took six wickets for 37 run. But two days later Mexborough had the mortification to lose to Wombwell Main by the narrowest margin possible – a bare run.
It was a sad “curl up” after Billy Brown’s fine bowling had paved the way for a comparatively easy win.
Wombwell were all out for 78, Brown, who will be remembered as the Yorkshire second XI player, and one of the county’s rising Colts, taking six wickets for 15 runs.
That was an effort worthy of batting support, but after Mexborough had scored 58 for three wickets, or only 20 short of victory, the rest of the batsmen failed lamentably, Pepper and Thomas doing the mischief with the ball. Wombwell have thus beaten Mexborough twice this season.
On that form Wombwell must be a greatly improved team, particularly as their Whitsuntide victims also included Swinton, only defeated by 15 runs after a display of good all round cricket.
Swinton certainly atoned somewhat by gaining a handsome victory over Rotherham at Clifton Lane on Whit Monday. They then scored 200 for 49 wickets declared and then dismissed Rotherham for 56. Turner and Simister bowling remarkably well.
It is a coincidence at Mexborough and Swinton should each have lost to Wombwell and each have defeated Rotherham during Whitsuntide.
The batting of W Fletcher has been a feature of Swinton’s innings. Against Wombwell he scored 65, and against Rotherham 54 .
Which is quite good enough to be going on with. Wath Athletic made a rather belated start, and did what was expected of them, vis easily defeated Stairfoot. Stairfoot were only able to aggregate 71 runs, and these Wath knocked off for the loss of one wicket.
The debut of Tommy Hakin, the old Mexborough favourite was entirely to the liking of Wath supporters. He took a couple of wickets, and subscribed 27 not out with the bat. He is one of the best all-rounders in the League, and should do Wath heaps of good service.
Hickleton Main have opened the season quietly but satisfactorily. They were much too good for Rawmarsh, notwithstanding Alban Turner, the County colt was dismissed for eight. Turner has not got off the mark as well as usual, but we shall not have to wait long before he will be keeping the fielders busy.
Beckett, the Hickleton veteran, took five Rawmarsh wickets cheaply, and I notice that their new bowlers, Brown and Roberts, also got into the “timber yard.”