Th'Alma eager to shine

Jun 3 2006 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THEY'RE champing at the bit up at Th'Alma.

But - like the rest of Huddersfield's Evening League cricketers - they are being thwarted by bad weather.

Th'Alma, back in the Wilkinson Rodgers League after an absence of several years, have been able only to play two games since the start of the summer.

But Hubert Murphy and his men are hoping that June and July will allow them to take the field more regularly.

And they are determined to show that they are more than useful cricketers.

The omens look good.

Several of the team have experience at a high level in the Drakes Huddersfield League, notably Barry Brownson (ex Broad Oak), Ashley Conner (ex Linthwaite) and Phil Pither (ex Broad Oak).

Others are well-known on the sporting circuit in Huddersfield as golfers, but all have a love of cricket.

Murphy, a long-serving Drakes League official, took over behind the bar at the Linthwaite pub last August.

"There was a very successful team here for a number of years but my only involvement was that I got to watch them a time or two.

"When I came here I decided it would be good to resurrect a cricket team for the evening league and the idea went down well with my customers.

"We put the word out and we got a lot of interest. A lot of the players are regulars here and some are also members at Crosland Heath Golf Club, where quite a few former cricketers now play.

"The only problem we have faced so far has been the weather. It's been great on days when there is no cricket but shocking every time we have a game, and we have been able to play only one league match and one Emmerson Cup game.

"I know we have a side with lots of promise but all we now need is for the season to get properly started in decent weather so the lads can show what they can do at this level".

Th'Alma are hoping for plenty of runs from Brownson and Connor, while their bowling attack is led by Pither and John Eyre, the golf professional at Crosland Heath.

They were also able to call on the services of Broad Oak player Richard Metcalfe for their league match against Linthwaite Royals and he finished with figures of 6-2 as Th'Alma won comfortably.

In the cup, the side found themselves up against Section I side Walkers Arms but gave a good account.

They finally lost by nine wickets after amassing 81-4.