For the second year running the start of the cricket season was postponed due to the wet weather throughout the winter, which left ground staff with an impossible task of trying to get pitches prepared and dry enough to start.
Most leagues, throughout the country, decided to postpone the first weekend of cricket, with the North Yorkshire and South Durham League following suit.
But Aycliffe’s first XI have since started the season with a win – see round-up below.
Aycliffe have been denied the presence of three players, who are members of HM Forces, and are all away on tours of duties for the majority of the summer.
Young fast bowler Joey Hayman has also left the club to play cricket elsewhere.
With the need to bolster numbers the club have moved quickly to bring in four players, Ben Howard, Alex Pollard, Matthew Thompson and Charlie Cayless, who has returned to the club.
Meanwhile last year’s all conquering ladies – after winning three trophies last year, including the inaugural NYSD Ladies 100 competition – they have decided to test themselves against different opposition and have left the Durham League, which they have won for the last two years, to join the Hambleton League.
Aycliffe will again have junior teams playing at all age levels from under 9 through to under 17 with the junior season starting in early May.
They will also be running the highly successful All Stars Cricket sessions starting on Thursday, May 30.
Here’s a round-up of the first two weekends of Aycliffe cricket action:
Saturday 27th April – NYSD Division 2
Newton Aycliffe 1st XI v Barnard Castle 2nd XI – weather was cloudy and very cold. Newton Aycliffe won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Barnard Castle 2nd XI 231 for 6 after 50 overs
Luke Telford 3 for 58, Tom Dearden 1 for 21, James Layfield-Carroll 1 for 32
Newton Aycliffe 1st XI 232 for 2 after 44.5 overs
Adam Gittins 78 not out, Sam Telford 74 not out and Tom Dearden 46
On a bitterly cold day, the first team began their new season with an excellent eight wicket victory at home to Barnard Castle 2nd XI.
An unbroken club record 3rd wicket partnership of 142 by Adam Gittins (78 not out off 112 balls), (sponsored by BHP Law) and Sam Telford (74 not out off 56 balls), helped their team to what seemed an unlikely victory after Barnard Castle had earlier piled up 231 for 6 in the first innings.
Saturday 27th April – NYSD Division 4
Marske 2nd XI v Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI – Match cancelled as ground was unfit for any play
Saturday 4th May – NYSD Division 2
Hartlepool 2nd XI v Newton Aycliffe 1st XI – Match postponed due to heavy overnight rain making the ground unplayable.
Saturday 4th May – NYSD Division 4
Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI v Northallerton 2nd XI – weather was overcast and cool. Newton Aycliffe won the toss and chose to bat first.
Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI 227 for 7 after 40 overs
James Layfield-Carroll 66, Will Dearden 61 and Dan Weldon 35
Northallerton 2nd XI 119 for 6 after 40 overs
Dan Weldon 2 for 25, Patrick Howe 2 for 31 and Will Dearden 1 for 10
Aycliffe’s 2nd team worked hard all game, but still only came away with a frustrating winning draw in their opening game of the season at home to Northallerton 2nd XI.
James Layfield-Carroll top scored with an impressive career best 66 off just 38 balls including seven big sixes and two boundaries and he shared a new 2nd team club record of 93 for the sixth wicket with 15 year old Will Dearden (sponsored by Community Spirit). The talented Dearden, who batted with maturity beyond his years, also hit a career best score of 61 from 85 balls, stroking eight boundaries and a six in the process.
Bank Holiday Monday 6th May – NYSD Division 4
Rockliffe Park 2nd XI v Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI – weather was cool and overcast. Rockliffe won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI 125 for 9 after 40 overs
Matty Greaves 39, Leon Patel 29 and Terence Smit 14
Rockliffe Park 2nd XI 126 for 4 after 38.4 overs
Leo Stout 2 for 24
Aycliffe’s 2nd XI were beaten by six wickets away at early season table toppers Rockliffe Park 2nd XI, who were made to fight all the way for their victory, which came with just eight balls of the game remaining.
Matty Greaves (sponsored by Athena Sports Academy and Britannia Fire) had an excellent all round game for Aycliffe. Firstly he top scored with 39 runs from 62 balls with five boundaries in the Aycliffe innings, then when the homeside batted, he ran out two opposition batsman and bowled ten overs for just 17 runs.
The second team picked up 21 points from their weekend double header, taking their points total this season to 27 from three games and they sit in eighth place in the NYSD fourth division table.
This week’s senior cricket fixtures:
Saturday 11th May at 1.00 pm – NYSD Division 2 – Newton Aycliffe 1st XI v Richmond 2nd XI
Saturday 11th May 1.00 pm – NYSD Division 4 – Yarm 1st XI v Newton Aycliffe 2nd XI