Sleights Cricket Club is experiencing a new injection of life since a return to action in 2023.
They briefly left their Lowdale Lane home, for four years, but are now back in rude health with a walking cricket team for all ages and junior coaching for primary school youngsters through the ECB’s Dynamos and All Stars programmes.
The senior Esk Valley Evening League team are third in the division as of time of writing and a tournament took place on Sunday, at Sleights Sports Field involving a number of under nine teams playing softball.
The 2023 reboot involved a thorough top-down rebuild, instigated by Chairman and Safeguarding Officer, a modest Grahame Gregory: “I just help the groundsman and make a decent cup of tea.”
Around 12 players play a very relaxed walking cricket session every Tuesday lunchtime through the summer at the field, with some softball followed by tea and biscuits, with Paul Carr coaching.
“The project is to get older people to learn a sport in relaxed surroundings in the fresh air rather sitting at home. “We find the post match chat is very popular and the social side is very popular.” Grahame adds.
One of the many raffle prizes on Sunday was a signed Yorkshire shirt from England test opener Adam Lyth. The Whitby-based cricketer’s family are heavily involved with Sleights CC. Lyth’s wife Lily and father Alastair have coached young players at the ground. There’s training on Friday evenings 6-7.15pm open to all.
While the tone is inclusive and social, the club has had real success on the field and is steadily growing.
The young softballers were recently treading the same ground as Lyth and his county colleagues as they took the field at Scarborough’s famous old North Marine Road venue.
Highly-respected groundsman John Hutton is still going strong into his ninth decade and producing excellent tracks for all ages at Lowdale Lane.
“It’s a cracking pitch and a great set up”- Jon Stokoe typifies the draw for players: “I played for Sleights juniors as a kid. Since then I’ve been at Ravenscar for about 30 years. However, Ron Lyth of Sleights got in touch back in early 2023 to say they were setting up an evening league side. So it was surreal playing down at the pitch again after about 35 years.”
It seems the appeal keeps dragging people back in too, Jon adds: “So I’ve enjoyed playing a bit as – aged over 50 now – I had been thinking of winding down a bit. But after a few wickets (and some awful batting) I’m not quite ready to pack up for good, especially after 6 for 4 at Fylingdales earlier this season where I got to play against my nephew.
“We’ve a good bunch at the club and it’s always nice to turn out alongside my brother Ben too (Ben tells me privately: “I tend to just follow him and play cricket wherever they let me”).
“Safe to say there is plenty of sledging between us despite being on the same team. So as long as my creaky old bones keep moving, and I’m selected by the skipper, I’ll enjoy turning out for a bit yet. Or until I win something on the 200 Club”, says the elder Stokoe in hope.
The 200 club helps keep everything afloat. Anyone wanting to get involved with Sleights CC or the draw itself, can contact the club through Grahame or the Facebook Group.
With the Football Club back at what will be named ‘Sleights Sports Field sponsored by Hollou Sports’, (after the footballers’ new kit provider), following a four-year absence of their own, from August 23, there’s a spirit of cooperation in the village too.
Fixtures fell a week before the football’s usual takeover date of September 1, but the cricketers have kindly agreed to vacate a week early. They’ll stay busy though with junior training at the village hall in winter.
With that in mind, young or old, whether it’s softball or football, tea and coffee or biscuits you’re after, you’ll find it all year round in a busy, bustling Sleights.
