The Scarborough Cricket Festival is held at the end of every season and is a series of matches featuring Yorkshire County Cricket Club and which takes place at the North Marine Road Cricket Ground.
The event has been held in Scarborough since 1876, so it has a long and august history with many of the world’s most famous cricketers taking part. Indeed, two of the greatest batsmen of all time scored double hundreds during the Festival. In 1925 Jack Hobbs achieved a score of 266 not out and Sir Len Hutton amassed 241 in 1953 – both as Players in Gentlemen versus Players matches. But they were both surpassed by the one-time Captain of New Zealand, Ken Rutherford, who managed an outstanding 317 for the NZ tourists against an XI led by former England Captain Brian Close in 1986. But great scores from batsmen are only half the story. The legendary Wilfred Rhodes took 9 wickets for just 24 runs against the Australians in 1899, Johnny Briggs also had the better of the Aussies in 1890 with a majestic 9 for 31, and in 1888 JM Preston took 9 for 23 for Yorkshire against the MCC.
The North Marine Road Cricket Ground has a capacity of 11,500 and has been used as cricket venue since 1863. Yorkshire CCC play many of their first class matches there. The ground has an excellent pitch, a hard outfield and comparatively short boundaries and so spectators often witness some high-scoring matches.
The Festival attracts many holidaymakers, who can sit and enjoy some fine cricket in the mellow sunshine typical of an English September.
Web: www.cricketfestival.scarborough.co.uk
E-mail: info@completeinternetservices.co.uk