Barkisland
CC - Woodfield
"It's
not the biggest ground, but it's got to be one of the nicest."
Barkisland - 'Bark' to those who know it well; 'Bark-island' to
those who don't know it at all - is a small village situated to
the north of Rishworth, to the east of Ripponden, and six miles
south-west of Halifax. It is a quintessential Yorkshire community
surrounded by luscious greenery, and in days gone by Barkisland
was the name of an ancient township in the parish of Halifax.
The 1st and 2nd XI's play within the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket
League, which is one of the strongest semi-pro leagues in Yorkshire.
The Development team play in the Halifax Sunday League. All 4 junior
teams play within the Huddersfield Cricket League.
The village has had a cricket club since 1899. In the early days,
home games were played at Norland Moor, but in 1920 the club
upped sticks to Woodfield. At first, Barkisland were members of
the Halifax Association; in the 1930s they moved into the Halifax
League; and in 2001 they switched into the Huddersfield League.
(The Development team still play in the Sunday Section of the Halifax League).
The club's traditional foes are Triangle CC and Stones CC, but
the rivalry is not too intense.
The cricket ground is wedged between Stainland Road and Saddleworth
Road. Close by lie the village church, the local school, housing
both old and new, and two pubs regularly frequented by Barkisland
cricketers: The Griffin and The Fleece. And all things considered
- setting, pavilion, and the quality of the playing surface -
the venue must be one of the most attractive in the Halifax area.
It is no surprise to discover that Barkisland CC have taken part
in the National Village Cricket Championship.
From a distance, the ground has a picture-postcard quality about
it. Close up, it continues to impress. Granted, the playing area
slopes slightly down to the Scammonden Road side, but it is well
kept and has a pristine look about it. The hanging baskets outside
the pavilion add a touch of class, as do the handsome wooden benches
dotted around the perimeter of the ground and the high-quality
net facilities at the far end.
Originally, the Woodfield pavilion was a wooden construction sited
where the scorebox is now. This building was bought from Southowram
CC - and then sold back to the same club. In the early 1970s,
club members set to work on building a new pavilion by the main
entrance, and in 1975 it was officially opened, and that's not
forgetting the fact that, in 1983, the club became the first in
Yorkshire to own a fully automated scorebox. |