After narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the 2012 season, Driffield 2nd XI will be hoping to take major strides forward under the tutelage of new captain Andrew Chapman, who takes over from Mick Drury.
Chapman begins his tenure on Saturday with a home fixture against local rivals Beverley 2nds, who are new to the division having gained promotion last season. The reverse fixture takes place at Norwood on July 13.
The horrendous wet weather in 2012 saw both fixtures against another of Driffield’s local rivals, Bridlington, washed out, so both sides will no doubt be eagerly anticipating the chance to clash in 2013.
The Seasiders, who are led this season by Sam Edmundson, travel to Driffield on May 25, while Driffield will have to contend with the summer holiday traffic when they go to Dukes Park on August 10.
Bridlington is also the venue for the first round of the Readman Trophy, where Driffield will play the hosts and Folkton & Flixton in a round-robin format.
After exiting in the first round when they were holders of the cup last season, Chapman will be hoping that the spirit of the 2011 side will shine through. The cup ties will no doubt see a number of Twenty20 specialists brought into the side.
July 6 sees Folkton & Flixton make their way to Kings Mill Road in a game that will spark a lot more interest than usual after Jamie Nesfield’s surprise switch to the North Yorkshire. Driffield make the return trip on the final day of the season.
The August Bank Holiday weekend has thrown up an away fixture at arch-rivals Hull Zingari on the Saturday, whilst on the Monday the Woldsmen will play host to newly-promoted Whitkirk, who return to the division after a number of seasons in the third tier of the York Senior League.
Consolidation will be the name of the game for James Richardson’s 3rd XI in 2013.
After successfully gaining promotion from York Senior League Division 4, the 3rds will be looking to cement their place in Division 3 for another season.
Driffield have been given a tough start to the season by the fixture computer, with their first three games being against Pocklington (Home), Duncombe Park (Away) and Carlton Towers (Home). All three teams were opponents for Driffield’s 2nd XI just a few seasons ago but have fallen on hard times in recent years, which the 3rds will be hoping to capitalise on.
The opening game against Pocklington also doubles up as the first game to be played in front of the newly refurbished back pitch pavilion that has been heavily worked on during the close season.
Pocklington will also bring with them a couple of ex-Driffield players in former 1st XI captain Andy Inns and Ashley Warner. The return fixture at Burnby Lane is on 13 July.
Upon seeing the fixtures, the 22 June will no doubt have been highlighted by many of the 3rd XI players. This date sees Driffield travel to the seaside to take on Scarborough, giving the players the opportunity to play at North Marine Road, Yorkshire’s only remaining out-ground and home of the famous Scarborough Cricket Festival.
Driffield’s longest journey of the season takes them to Ripon. After playing the North Yorkshire side at Kings Mill Road on 6 July, the Woldsmen finish the season at Ripon on 14 September.
The August Bank Holiday has thrown up a home fixture against Hovingham on the Saturday and a long journey up to Sessay on the Monday.
After successfully gaining promotion from East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance Division Two at the first time of asking last season, Matthew Cole’s 4th XI begin Division One life with a trip to the University of Hull, where they will hope to give out a lecture in how to play cricket to hosts Newland.
In what appears to be the EYCA’s final season after they summoned an EGM to discuss a merger with the York Senior League Conference, Driffield will take on a couple of local adversaries in Beverley 4ths and Hull 3rds.
Beverley are the first visitors to Kings Mill Road on May 4, before Cole’s men make the return trip on July 6.
The weekend after (July 13), the 4ths travel to Chanterlands Avenue to take on Hull, with the corresponding home fixture taking place on the penultimate weekend of the season, when Cole will once again be hoping to seal back-to-back promotions, a feat he achieved in his first stint as skipper.
As always seems to be the case, the EYCA have provided the 4ths with a quirky set of fixtures.
The first unusual occurrence sees them play Skirlaugh in successive weekends (May 11 and May 18), while later on in the season their away record will be tested with consecutive games on the road at Pelican, Hull Ionians Cole Exporters 2nds and Sutton-on-Hull 2nds respectively.
The Division One Twenty20 Cup, a competition that Driffield opted out of last season, pits the 4ths up against hosts Patrington 2nds and Skirlaugh in a round-robin format from which the winner will progress to a finals day.
Driffield end the season with a home fixture against HICE 2nds.
After a respectable 7th place finish in their maiden season in Division Two of the York Senior League, captain Nick English will be hoping for more of the same from his 5th XI troops.
English, who has been appointed skipper on a permanent basis after a successful season in interim charge, will for the first time lead his side out on Kings Mill Road’s main square after the league granted them permission to play their home games on a Sunday afternoon.
It is hoped that this move will ensure that the 5ths will always field a side as well as assisting the young players.
The season starts with a home game against Skidby, before a bumper bank holiday weekend sees them take in a trip to Gilberdyke on the Saturday and on the Monday a fixture against Newport 2nds at the Rec.
A quirk in the fixtures has given English’s side a run of four consecutive home games in June against Hessle 3rds, Hornsea 3rds, Roos and South Holderness An XI respectively.
However, these home ties are immediately followed by three games on the road. A Sunday visit to Beeford to play Hornsea provides the first of these tests before Saturday trips to Roos and Skidby complete the away run.
The 5th XI’s league campaign ends with a trip to Hedon to take on South Holderness An XI.
Driffield are also involved in the Dave Conner Trophy, named in memory of the North Dalton stalwart who died last year.
Having received a bye in the first round, English’s team are scheduled to play Hull Zingari 3rds in the quarter-final on June 23.
However, with a league game already scheduled for this date, it is expected that the cup game will be re-arranged for another time. With the winner earning a place in the finals day at Fenner CC, it is sure to be a keenly-fought contest.