Hundreds of cricket fans celebrated the 150th anniversary of Yorkshire County Cricket Club during a gala dinner at Elland Road, Leeds. President of the club Geoffrey Boycott led the celebrations with the help of Test Match Special and BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew.
Awards were presented to players including Ryan Sidebottom who was named Player of the Year by supporters. Batsman Gary Ballance, now also part of England’s Ashes squad, took Players’ Player of the Year, Alex Lees was named Young Player of the Year, Liam Plunkett was named Fielder of the Year and Karl Carver, Academy Player of the Year.
More than 500 guests including veteran players Ray Illingworth and Brian Close were at the event which raised many thousands of pounds during a charity auction with prizes including a week’s holiday at Geoffrey Boycott’s home in South Africa which fetched £11,000.
Geoffrey Boycott said about the landmark anniversary: ‘We should all be proud and grateful to the Sheffield cricket lovers who on January 8th 1863 met at the Adelphi Hotel to form the Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Soon after that momentous day the club achieved success, becoming county champions in only their fifth season, and have continued to play winning cricket.
‘Even if we add all the good and bad times together Yorkshire, with 32 wins and two joint firsts, has still won more championships than any other county, Surrey being our nearest rivals with 21 wins and two joint firsts.
‘At international level, 79 cricketers whilst playing for Yorkshire have represented England in 1,313 Test Matches. During those Tests our bowlers have taken 2,285 wickets and our batsmen have scored 53,734 runs for their country. On top of that, eight of them have captained England four of those have been outstanding Ashes-winning captains. That is a lot to be proud of as we celebrate our 150th anniversary.
‘Now we have a crop of very talented young players. My advice to them is to be ambitious, win things, achieve distinction and join the long list of illustrious players who have played for Yorkshire and England. Make your own history, for you are part of a truly great cricket club.’
Photographs by Alex Whitehead SWpix.com
