A season to build on at Pocklington Cricket Club.

As the 2026 cricket season draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on what has been an enjoyable, competitive and hugely encouraging season for Pocklington Cricket Club’s four senior weekend teams.

With four teams representing the club in the Yorkshire Premier League North, there has been plenty of cricket played, plenty of lessons learned and, most importantly, a real sense of togetherness around Burnby Lane throughout the summer.

While the league tables tell only part of the story, there is plenty to be positive about. Across all four teams there has been a willingness to improve, players have stepped up when needed, younger players have been given opportunities and the club has continued to develop the strong foundations on which future success can be built.

1st XI – Championship Central

The 1st XI finished 9th in the Championship Central division with 72 points, recording six
victories during the campaign.

It was a season of contrasting fortunes for Joel Taylor’s side, with some excellent performances mixed with some difficult afternoons against strong opposition. The team showed on numerous occasions that they were capable of competing with sides higher up the table, and there were several memorable performances throughout the campaign.

The standout moment of the season undoubtedly came at Dunnington in July, when the 1st XI produced a remarkable run chase. Having been set a huge target of 361, Pocklington responded in extraordinary fashion, reaching 361/8 to complete a record-breaking chase. It was exactly the sort of performance that demonstrated the talent and character within the side and will surely go down as one of the club’s results of the season.

There were other notable performances too. The season began with an impressive victory over Selby, with Dave Chaplin producing outstanding figures of 7/29 as Selby were dismissed for 96. Later in the season, Dan Littlewood struck a superb century against Acomb, making 101, while Dave Chaplin contributed an excellent 82 in a high-scoring game.

The 1st XI’s leading Saturday-league run scorer was Dan Littlewood, with 491 runs, while Dave Chaplin was the leading wicket-taker with 38 wickets.

There is clearly plenty for the 1st XI to take into next season. The challenge now is to turn some of those outstanding individual and team performances into greater consistency across the full campaign.

2nd XI – Division 2 Ebor

The 2nd XI enjoyed a particularly encouraging season in Division 2 Ebor, producing a sustained run of strong performances and showing plenty of depth within the senior squad.

The side put together an impressive spell during the summer, with victories over Wheldrake, Sherburn Eversley, Hillam & Monk Fryston, Hundhill Hall and Thorner Mexborough among the highlights. The win at Thorner was particularly impressive, as Pocklington defended well on a difficult batting surface before chasing down 114 for victory. Lewis Chaplin and Max Lovelock were among the key performers with the ball, while Max also produced an important contribution with the bat before Matt Smith finished the chase in style.

The victory at Hundhill Hall was another excellent team performance. After dismissing the hosts for 206, Dan Croft and James Saltmer put together a match-winning partnership, with Croft making 74 and Saltmer finishing unbeaten on 56. The result was the third consecutive victory for the 2nd XI at that stage of the season.

The side also produced an excellent home win against Wheldrake, chasing 177 with John Fiorentini unbeaten on 51 and Andy Anderson contributing 61 in a match-winning partnership.

The 2nd XI’s leading Saturday-league run scorer was Ian Scott, with 617 runs, while Lewis Chaplin was the leading wicket-taker with 31 wickets.

Perhaps most encouragingly, the 2nd XI demonstrated the depth available within the club. Contributions came from experienced senior players, returning players and younger cricketers alike, providing plenty of optimism for the future.

3rd XI – Division 4 Ebor

The 3rd XI finished 8th in Division 4 Ebor with 116 points, recording nine victories during
the season.

There was plenty to enjoy from Wes Smith’s side, particularly as the season progressed. The team produced a number of close contests and some excellent wins, while continuing to provide an important pathway for players developing their cricket and for those stepping up into senior league cricket.

One of the highlights came against Drax 2nd XI in July, when Pocklington successfully chased 228/8, with the game going right down to the wire.

The season finished in spectacular fashion at Selby. Batting first, Pocklington amassed 307/4, with the final-day performance featuring centuries from Smith and Tolley. It was a fitting way to bring the 3rd XI’s campaign to a close and an excellent demonstration of the batting ability within the side.

The 3rd XI’s leading Saturday-league run scorer was Wes Smith, with 716 runs, while Lucas Tanikal was the leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets.

The role of the 3rd XI within the club should not be underestimated. Providing regular cricket, developing players and creating opportunities for players to move between teams is fundamental to the long-term health of Pocklington Cricket Club, and the 3rd XI have played an important part in that throughout 2026.

Sunday XI – Sunday Vale Division 2

The Sunday XI provided another important element of the club’s senior cricket programme, combining competitive league cricket with opportunities for younger players and those looking to enjoy their cricket in a more relaxed Sunday environment.

Pocklington finished 4th in Sunday Vale Division 2, with the final league table recording 60 points.

One of the real highlights of the Sunday season came very early in the campaign when the side produced an excellent away victory at Nawton Grange. The Sunday XI also provided opportunities for a number of younger players to gain valuable senior cricket experience, something which is particularly important for the club’s future.

The final league game saw Pocklington go down by two wickets in a close game against Wheldrake, bringing the Sunday XI’s league campaign to a competitive conclusion.

The Sunday XI’s leading run scorer was Alex Tong, with 274 runs, while David Fairhurst was the leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets.

Perhaps more than anything, the Sunday XI has demonstrated the value of having a fourth senior weekend team. It has allowed the club to accommodate more players, bring younger cricketers through and ensure that there are opportunities for people to play cricket throughout the weekend.

More than just results

Although league positions, wins, runs and wickets naturally provide the headline statistics at the end of a season, there has been much more to celebrate at Pocklington CC in 2026.

The atmosphere around the club throughout the season has been superb. Whether it has been a Saturday afternoon at Burnby Lane, players travelling to away fixtures, Sunday cricket, training evenings or simply people coming down to support the teams, there has been a real sense of community.

That atmosphere doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from players making themselves available, captains putting teams together, supporters turning up, volunteers helping behind the scenes and members being willing to contribute wherever they can. It also comes from a genuine willingness across the club to improve – not just on the field, but in the facilities, organisation and overall experience of being part of Pocklington Cricket Club.

There have been plenty of new faces around the club this year, while returning players have also played an important part in strengthening the senior setup. The combination of experience and youth is one of the club’s biggest strengths, and 2026 has shown just how much potential there is when those groups come together.

A huge thank you

No season of cricket happens without an enormous amount of work away from the boundary rope, and a huge thank you must go to everyone who has played a part in making the 2026 season happen.

In particular, the club would like to thank our groundsman and everyone who has helped with the preparation and maintenance of the ground and facilities throughout the season. The work that goes into producing playable pitches week after week is often unseen, but it is absolutely fundamental to everything that happens at Burnby Lane.

A massive thank you also goes to our Club Chair, Nicola Scott, the wider committee and all of the club officials and volunteers who have given up their time throughout the year.

The captains, vice-captains, scorers, umpires, team organisers, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, player sponsors, supporters and everyone who has helped behind the scenes all deserve recognition.

And, of course, thank you to every player who represented Pocklington CC in 2026. Whether you played every week, made occasional appearances, stepped up when a team needed you, or simply came down to support your teammates, you have all contributed to the season.

Looking ahead

With the cricket now finished, attention can turn towards the Pocklington CC End of Season Dinner and Awards Night in October, which provides the perfect opportunity to come together, celebrate the achievements of the year and recognise the individual performances and contributions that have made 2026 special.

It will be a chance to look back at the memorable moments – from huge run chases and match- winning spells to close finishes, personal milestones and, perhaps most importantly, the friendships and camaraderie that make playing cricket at Pocklington so enjoyable.

Then, before we know it, preparations for 2027 will begin.

There is plenty to work on and plenty that can be improved, but that should be viewed as an opportunity rather than anything else. 2026 has provided some solid foundations, and the aim now has to be to build on them.

The club has four senior weekend teams, a growing group of younger players coming through, an excellent atmosphere around the ground and a clear willingness from everyone involved to keep moving forward.

The results in 2026 have provided plenty of highs, plenty of lessons and plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

For now, though, it is time to enjoy a well-earned break, celebrate everything that has been achieved and look forward to the awards evening in October.

Thank you to everyone who has made 2026 such an enjoyable season at Pocklington Cricket Club.

Here’s to 2027 – and building on those solid foundations together.