A brand new episode coming in time for the supposed start of the season, which has been put back at least a week (at least!).

In this show, We caught up with the Premiership title-winning Moorlands boys, eight months after their memorable triumph. Andy Fortis, Mikey Rounding, and captain Eddie Walmsley shared insights on their preparations for the upcoming season. Plus, we got Andrew's perspective, Moorlands' award-winning groundsman, on the frustrating weather conditions and a sneak peek at how teams are shaping up for the campaign.

We also touched on exciting developments like a West End star (who could that be??) performing at one of our clubs and a new prize has been launched centred around our hard-working grounds staff.

In our latest episode, we had the pleasure of hosting Paul Cummins from the Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) and who also plays 1XI cricket for Skelmanthorpe CC, who provided invaluable insights into the crucial role played by the YCB within local cricketing communities. Paul elaborated on the various initiatives and support mechanisms implemented by the YCB to nurture and enhance cricket at the grassroots level, emphasising the importance of fostering inclusivity and accessibility within the sport.

One of the key topics of discussion centred around the Huddersfield League's application for ECB Premier League status, a significant milestone in the league's journey. Paul shared updates on the progress made by the league towards achieving this prestigious status and addressed pertinent questions regarding funding options for essential infrastructure such as double sight screens, a requirement for all Premiership clubs initially.

Furthermore, our conversation delved into pressing issues facing cricket today, including the ECB's stance on limiting teams to only one overseas player and the rapid growth of women's cricket. Paul shed light on the YCB's efforts to promote gender diversity and inclusivity within the sport, highlighting the strides being made to create opportunities for female cricketers.

In addition to discussing senior cricket, Paul provided insights into initiatives like All Stars and Dynamos Cricket, aimed at introducing infants and juniors to the game. He also outlined the availability of interest-free loans and bursaries from the ECB, offering practical guidance on how clubs can access these resources to support their development efforts. Overall, this episode offered a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted efforts being undertaken by the YCB to nurture cricketing talent and foster a thriving cricketing ecosystem in Yorkshire and beyond.

You can find links to some of the areas we covered here:

ECB’s interest-free loan scheme: https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/club-support/club-funding/interest-free-loan-scheme

The YCB: http://www.yorkshirecb.com/

A list of useful contacts within the YCB: http://www.yorkshirecb.com/page/about/west-yorkshire-contacts/contacts-16704/

In this episode of our official podcast, we unveil a brand new segment: 'Champagne Moments.' This exciting addition takes us on a nostalgic journey through the annals of local cricket history, shining a spotlight on memorable matches and campaigns that have left an indelible mark on our beloved clubs.

For our inaugural feature episode, we're delving deep into the archives to revisit a momentous occasion for Golcar Cricket Club – the 2009 Sykes Cup Final. It was a clash to remember as Golcar faced off against heavyweights Elland.

Led by charismatic skipper Ash Pamment, who shares his memories of that campaign with us, Golcar showcased their mettle on the field, delivering a performance that would go down in club folklore. Also joining us on the show are CHCCpod regular co-host Steve Whitwam and Craig 'Jack' Horner, each offering their unique insights and anecdotes from that historic day.

But it's not just about celebrating the victors; we're privileged to hear from the other side of the pitch as well. Ryan Robinson graciously shared his perspective as an Elland player, providing a glimpse into the efforts of the defeated team amidst the exhilarating atmosphere of the final showdown.

A standout moment of the match was undoubtedly 'Jack' Horner's stellar batting performance, earning him the coveted man of the match award. His remarkable feat ensured that Golcar lifted the Sykes Cup for the first time in their history, a triumph decades in the making since their last appearance in 1963.

As we bask in the glory of Golcar's victory, we extend an invitation to all cricket clubs to be part of our 'Champagne Moments' segment. If your club has a special match or campaign that deserves to be commemorated, simply reach out to us via our podcast page. Let's celebrate the rich tapestry of local cricket together, one champagne moment at a time.

In the latest Castle Hill Cricket Chat episode, we hosted former Primrose Hill, Shepley, and Hall Bower player, Wayne Swift. With his compelling experience in Huddersfield cricket, Wayne takes us on a reflective journey through his career, recounting the people and seasons that shaped his time on the field.

Wayne shares the pivotal moment of settling at Armitage Bridge, a club close to his heart, and the satisfaction of witnessing his son's cricketing prowess unfold. Beyond the cricket field, Wayne transitions into the business realm, discussing the inception of Swift Teamwear, his venture supplying top-notch team kits.

As our conversation unfolded, Wayne opens up about his sponsorship of the Huddersfield Cricket League Premiership, revealing the significance it holds for him. The connection between his business and supporting the local cricket community becomes evident, emphasising the role of entrepreneurs like Wayne in fostering the growth and vibrancy of the sport in Huddersfield.

It’s been a while but we felt it was time for a dive into the heart of Huddersfield Cricket as the new season beckons! In this episode, we're shedding light on the latest tweaks and turns in the league's rules and processes.

As we gear up for the upcoming cricket season, this episode brings you a comprehensive overview of the noteworthy changes in rules and procedures within the Huddersfield Cricket League. Delving into the intricacies, we invited Mark Binns, the Admin Secretary of the Huddersfield League, as our guest to go over some under-the-bonnet stuff.

Mark addressed innovative strategies to manage player behaviour effectively. Exploring new concepts and approaches, we shed light on initiatives aimed at fostering a positive and respectful atmosphere on the field.

Additionally, we dissected proposals aimed at modernising and revitalising our cup competitions and considered proposals geared towards hurrying up innings’. The conversation revolved around ideas that aim to maintain the integrity of the game while introducing efficiencies to streamline match proceedings.

The podcast guys discussed their ‘alternative’ awards and the highs, lows and funnies of the season. Contains a heavily used bleep machine and an increasingly deteriorating set of podcast regulars and a guest that frankly, wondered what he’d let himself in for!

Up for discussion were some straightforward choices such as all-rounder of the season and young player of the year. However, they had their take on more abstract categories too.

We discussed the best veteran, tail-end-performance and champagne moment of the year. We got to discuss which umpires we thought cut the mustard and which team were too good to go down (but did anyway). There were some humorous incidents during the summer which we shared and lived long in the memory too. Well, for some of us!

A little capsule show where we followed up on our discussion in Episode 61 about the crisis enveloping Elland Cricket Club. Jamie invited Ben Speak onto the podcast to try and iron out some of the speculation regarding the league’s most successful club.

A huge turnover of players in recent years has left what was always one of the league’s flagship clubs in a state of flux. The last three matches of 2023 they were forced to concede which accelerated their third relegation in only eight years to leave their first team in the fourth tier.

Ben was one of the recently departed players and now plays his cricket at Bradford League club Lightcliffe after spending his whole career up to now playing at Hullen Edge. From starting as a junior in 2003, he was coached by some of the best local players around. He dedicated a lot of his time serving on the cricket committee, so he was well placed to talk to us about his experiences and how he saw the club evolve towards how it is today.

The unique model the club adopted was something Ben enlightened us on, and how they went from a position of strength to tumbling down the divisions.

The dust has settled on another season, a great time to digest what we played in, saw and experienced in 2023. This month, it was Rastrick’s turn to guest on Huddersfield Cricket’s only discussion podcast, and what an enlightening discussion it was too.

Jacob Waterson, first team captain of Rastrick has personally had another excellent season where his team missed out on promotion, but were just about in the running behind Golcar and Delph in the Jedi Championship. He was joined by Rastrick Chairman Paul Shaw who gave us an insight into the club off the field. A club celebrating their 160th anniversary (100 in the Huddersfield League) with a modest history, but a vibrant future.

The regular lads reflected on an exciting campaign, talked about some of the players who appear to have played their last games in announcing retirements and discussed the crisis at Elland, a club forced to concede their last few league fixtures at all senior levels.

It was also a time to announce who won our pre-season prediction game "Finch's Forecast", named after the winner of the 2022 edition. There were some distinct airshots, so you’ll hear about those and the usual other content / guff over the course of the show.

Our monthly chinwag in podcast form had a bumper feel this month as we descended on the bijou and perfectly formed Holmbridge Cricket Club. We were looking forward to interviewing one of local cricket’s best characters in Ian Whiteley. And, since he moved to Holmbridge after three decades at Holmfirth, we thought nothing better than to check in with him, and club chairman Jim Woodhead to get the skinny at Holmbridge.

Recent seasons on the pitch have been a challenge, but there aren’t many clubs lower down the pyramid who are better equipped for success than Holmbridge. A brand new clubhouse, impressively tidy surroundings and one of the pioneers in Clubmark adoption puts them in a position which lots of local clubs can be inspired by, despite their humble league positions.

We also invited Jackie Brook to come on the show and talk about her new role with the league in helping clubs achieve Clubmark, which is a prerequisite for any club with a first team in the top two divisions ahead of The Huddersfield ECB premier League era.

Of course, our usual features are here, although the lack of cricket recently meant that ‘the fallen’, was replaced by a naming and shaming of all the grubby, shameless bounty hunters hoovering up centuries instead. Ian took on our ‘It Only Takes A Minute’ Quiz. and we discussed three clubs whose fortunes had perked up in recent weeks. A couple more news bits and pieces were tied up and we all had a thoroughly jolly time recording it.

It’s the eve of the flagship final. The 103rd Sykes Cup reaches its climax on Sunday. We invited two guests, one from each finalist to come on and share their thoughts ahead of the big day.

Siraj Sajid, one of Moorlands longest serving players joined us to talk about his team’s chances of collecting the trophy for the third year in a row. Their domination this season sees them go into the tie against Broad Oak as warm favourites. However Oak’s Dom Finn, in his ninth season with the club reflected on what is a huge occasion for them and how they stack up going into it.

Our regular contributors Steve Whitwam and Andrew Crawshaw also gave us their thoughts on a mouthwatering final. It’s a nice amuse bouche ahead of Sunday’s big day, held at Armitage Bridge for the first time ever. Enjoy!