Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2022

19 caught my 2021 eye when I checked through. None more so than a hugely signi cant one. at rst game of mine, I now read, was the LAST that Johnny Wardle ever played for the County. He wrote an article in a daily newspaper which was critical of the Yorkshire committee. It was a huge story at the time and not only did Yorkshire drop him for the next game (the Roses clash with Lancashire) but also the MCC responded by removing him from the touring party chosen for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia. Not so much a fond farewell then although his cunning le arm spin did provide one because he took 6-46 in the rst innings and snared a couple more in the second. at’s when Fred Trueman bagged six wickets (6-42) to reach 850 rst class wickets. And, believe it or not, there were even two milestones for those two joking Aussies. Bill Alley (later to be a Test umpire) passed 2,000 runs in County cricket - he was only halfway through his second season with Somerset - whilst McCool passed 9,000 runs for them. It would be remiss of me not to note that Yorkshire won easily by an innings and 84 runs. In response to 347-8 declared, Somerset were dismissed for 162 and 101 (Alley, 45, and McCool, 28, the only ones to make double gures). But this was no vintage Yorkshire season - they nished 11th. Somerset ended up third. So, for me, I’ve now added a bit more to the faded memory bank of that particular rst time. e last time would have been shared by a few more I guess. Some 15 years later and the last-ever Yorkshire game at Bramall Lane in 1973, the draw with Lancashire. Like plenty others I went out and cut myself a piece of hallowed turf, wrapped it in the Daily Mirror and carried it back on the bus to Rawmarsh. I tted it neatly on the edge of the lawn right next to the drain cover and, as far as I’m aware, it’s still there. As for Ken Taylor...a few months later I was pushing my autograph book towards an arm reaching down out of the Hudders eld Town team coach window outside Millmoor. I’d no idea whose arm it was until the book was dropped back down. It was signed by the Hudders eld Town centre half and Yorkshire opening batsman! And nally, there was a 2020 link with that rst Bramall Lane visit in 1958, sparked by the excellent initiative and encouragement of our SCLS Secretary, Dorothy Betts, which urged members to communicate a er the commencement of national lockdown - a splendid idea, which helped many, was greatly appreciated by all and provided some wonderful stories, tales and anecdotes in reply. One was about Yorkshire facing the great 1948 Australians ( e Invincibles) at Bramall Lane. I remembered that my Dad had kept the scorecard a er he went on the second day. No way could I ditch it. I quickly dug it out and guess who played in the Aussie side that day? One Colin McCool. Immediately I remembered when... Colin McCool.