25th June 2026
For the traditionalist followers of county cricket – of whom I am one – the current structure of the Championship season leaves much to be desired. Of the 14 matches played by teams in the First Division, only two are scheduled in the three-month period between mid-May and mid-August. The remainder of this time is left clear for various forms of one-day game.
For Yorkshire, one of those games was the 4-day match that began in Leicester last Friday. I took in the second day. It was my first visit to Grace Road – now the Uptonsteel County Ground – which, having been Leicestershire’s home ground between 1877-1901, has also fulfilled that function since the end of the Second World War.
The match represented the beginning of the second half of the County Championship season and was of importance for both sides. Having been promoted from the Second Division last season, Leicestershire had not won any of their first 7 matches this year and were rooted at the foot of the table. Yorkshire were in 7th position in the 10-team division, though only 16 points behind leaders Essex, who were one point ahead of Sussex and three points ahead of Somerset. It promises to be a closely contested Championship this year.
In my teenage years, my immersion into the history of Yorkshire cricket revealed the strong Leicestershire connection, as several former Tykes had successful careers with their second county. Between the 1950s and 1970s, these included Willie Watson, Dickie Bird, Jack Birkenshaw, Chris Balderstone and, of course, Ray Illingworth, who also went on to captain England. After being released by Yorkshire in 1968 at the age of 36, Illingworth captained Leicestershire for 10 years during which time they won 4 one-day trophies and (in 1975) the County Championship.
[An aside:
when also in my teens, I was invited for a trial at Leicester by the then
secretary, Mike Turner. For various
reasons, I did not take up the invitation, so – in theory at least – it is a
case of the road not travelled. In
reality, probably not, I think].
Leicestershire had had much better of the first day, dismissing Yorkshire for 185 and then registering 177 for 3 in reply. On Saturday, they consolidated their position with the overnight batsmen Rehan Ahmed and Nick Kelly both making centuries. The efforts of the Yorkshire seam attack met with meagre reward and it was the spin bowlers Dan Moriarty (4 for 85) and Dom Bess (2 for 47) who had more success, the innings closing at 453 all out at 10 minutes to six.
Towards the end of the Leicestershire innings, I noticed a curious piece of play. With one ball left of the 110th over, the total had reached 447, meaning that, if the home side scored another 3 runs off that delivery, they would secure a fifth batting bonus point. The Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow (successfully) posted all his fielders on the boundary in order to prevent this happening. I interpreted this as Bairstow perhaps recognising that that single point might be of significance at the end of the season when the league table is finalised and the two relegation places are decided.
Yorkshire had an hour’s batting to safely negotiate in their second innings, the day having been extended following an earlier rain break. They were not successful: 32 for 2 was their overnight score.
And so I saw a disappointing day from a Yorkshire perspective. But I had also now visited Grace Road, an established part of the fabric of the English county game.
I had entered at the southern end of the ground and walked past the Mike Turner Cricket Centre. I don’t think that even the keenest Leicestershire supporter would describe Grace Road as a picturesque ground – there are too many functional buildings from the 1960s and 1970s for that – but it does have its particular characteristics. From my vantage point under a pagoda on the far side from the entrance – one of the few locations at which to take shelter from the drizzle and then the sun – I had a good view from third man as the right-handed batsman takes guard at the pavilion end; the surrounding streets had a good quantity of mature trees; it was possible to walk round the ground without losing sight of any of the play; a window table in the first-floor Meet café and bar provided an excellent view over the playing area; and, not least, there was the Friends of Grace Road cake stall which, on this occasion, offered a very good Yorkshire Parkin. (I secured the last available piece). I should also report that the stewarding was pleasantly friendly and the two scoreboards were operated very efficiently.
Given that there were two scheduled days left to play, Yorkshire would have resumed their innings on Sunday knowing that they would probably have to bat until lunchtime the following day to get anywhere near saving the match. They fell well short, being dismissed for 229 by teatime, that total having been reached only due to the last two wickets contributing 95 runs. (Moriarty, batting at number 10, made a maiden first-class half-century). Leicestershire secured their first First Division win since 2003 by the substantial margin of an innings and 39 runs.
With six Championship matches still to be played (from the 3rd week of August through to end-September), Yorkshire are now 8th in the table. Below them, are Hampshire and Leicestershire, both of which have now inflicted heavy defeats on the Tykes this season. On the current evidence, it would appear that Yorkshire could be entangled in the relegation battle, which will recommence immediately on the resumption of the Championship fixtures: their next two games are against Hampshire at Southampton and Leicestershire at Scarborough.
Finally, I should also mention that my cricketing day in Leicester on Saturday had started with the taxi ride to the ground from the railway station. I learned that my driver had been born in Pakistan and been something of an all-rounder in his day, also playing for club sides in London and Leicester, both of which had been hugely supportive in assisting him with his cricket expenses. He informed me – not that I needed telling – that it was absolutely ridiculous for the England seam bowlers to be consistently pitching the ball short to the New Zealand tail-enders. “They need to be bowling yorkers”, he said, “Two or three yorkers each over”.
The wonderful power of cricket: to create a mutually respectful and informative – if only temporary – connection between complete strangers.
An Ordinary Spectator 