Don Bradman Would Have Struggled To Play Cricket At This Village Cricket Field!
The beautiful cricket fields at the Bowral and Sydney cricket courts in Australia have allowed Don Bradman to showcase his impeccable ball hitting skills to the delight of thousands of cricket fans. I wish there was better television coverage in those days because his heroic batting technique went unnoticed. I have always wondered how he would have handled cricket conditions on the Cropton Village cricket field prior to the 1970s.
The Cropton cricket field has a long history. Cropton had a cricket team back in 1858, and that same year he played against his local rival, Cawthorne, in an eight-on-one match. The locals enjoyed playing cricket and over the years the village team has made great strides. The only break occurred during the two world wars.
Until the 1970s, cricket fields were never mowed and short grass depended on what kind of animals the farmer kept that year. If the farmer had sheep, the grass would be short, but there were sheep everywhere in the field. If the farmer kept cattle, the grass would be longer and the cow would be all over the field. If the farmer decided to mow the hay, then cricket was played on astronomically high grass, and during the hay, there were large hayfields everywhere on the cricket field. So the life of a cricketer at Cropton was tough and the field was always a challenge.
Due to the field conditions, Cropton cricketers have developed some of the best agricultural hits in the area. Cow Stroke Corner has been a favorite spot for many batsmen. Fielding was a nightmare because the tall grass meant “lost balls” were a constant problem. Our team once scored 10 points because the opposing team forgot to call out “lost ball” before finding the lost cricket ball. Picking up a cricket ball among sheep and cows has led to some amusing incidents.
One of our players wanted to pass the ball to the wicket so much that he picked up the cow and the ball at the same time. The wicket keeper caught the ball and the cow went all over his body for cricket, much to everyone's delight. In another case, the player caught the catch while diving into the hay. Many cricket balls were lost in the hayloft. It was very funny to watch the hay flying all over the place during a cricket match as the fielders tried to find the ball.
Could Don Bradman handle these conditions? His excellent cover had to travel approximately 3 yards before breaking out of the tall grass. The pitch was also a little questionable. One ball could fly around his ears and the other a daisy cutter. The thought of Don Bradman covered in cow dung also crossed my mind!
I'm sure Bradman would have handled any conditions, because he must have been the most phenomenal cricketer the world has ever seen. But I'm wondering how a great man would have fought on the Cropton cricket field in North Yorkshire, England!
The Cropton cricket field has a long history. Cropton had a cricket team back in 1858, and that same year he played against his local rival, Cawthorne, in an eight-on-one match. The locals enjoyed playing cricket and over the years the village team has made great strides. The only break occurred during the two world wars.
Until the 1970s, cricket fields were never mowed and short grass depended on what kind of animals the farmer kept that year. If the farmer had sheep, the grass would be short, but there were sheep everywhere in the field. If the farmer kept cattle, the grass would be longer and the cow would be all over the field. If the farmer decided to mow the hay, then cricket was played on astronomically high grass, and during the hay, there were large hayfields everywhere on the cricket field. So the life of a cricketer at Cropton was tough and the field was always a challenge.
Due to the field conditions, Cropton cricketers have developed some of the best agricultural hits in the area. Cow Stroke Corner has been a favorite spot for many batsmen. Fielding was a nightmare because the tall grass meant “lost balls” were a constant problem. Our team once scored 10 points because the opposing team forgot to call out “lost ball” before finding the lost cricket ball. Picking up a cricket ball among sheep and cows has led to some amusing incidents.
One of our players wanted to pass the ball to the wicket so much that he picked up the cow and the ball at the same time. The wicket keeper caught the ball and the cow went all over his body for cricket, much to everyone's delight. In another case, the player caught the catch while diving into the hay. Many cricket balls were lost in the hayloft. It was very funny to watch the hay flying all over the place during a cricket match as the fielders tried to find the ball.
Could Don Bradman handle these conditions? His excellent cover had to travel approximately 3 yards before breaking out of the tall grass. The pitch was also a little questionable. One ball could fly around his ears and the other a daisy cutter. The thought of Don Bradman covered in cow dung also crossed my mind!
I'm sure Bradman would have handled any conditions, because he must have been the most phenomenal cricketer the world has ever seen. But I'm wondering how a great man would have fought on the Cropton cricket field in North Yorkshire, England!
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