Lives in Cricket No 52 - Schooled in Cricket (2nd edition)

129 – on September 4 – Wakefield faced and ‘humbled’ British Ropes in the quarter-final of the Yorkshire Council play- offs at College Grove. Ropes were all out on a ‘soft wicket’ for 38 against an all spin opening attack with Johnny taking six for 20 and off-spinner Ralph Mayhew four for 18. Colley and Wilson ensured that Wakefield won by ten wickets. This lined Wakefield up for an away semi-final with Sheffield United. The match venue was Rotherham as the shared venue at Bramall Lane, Sheffield was required for football. It was played on a soaked wicket which proved to be in the bowler’s favour – but Johnny had to bowl with mean economy against some noted league batsmen. Bowling through until United were all out for 79 with 21.4 overs, seven maidens, seven wickets for 34 runs, this was yet another of Johnny’s remarkable days at the Wakefield club. He second-top scored with nine precious runs as Wakefield lost six wickets to eventually muster the runs required to win thanks hugely to 45 not out from opener Colley. The final was against Heckmondwike at College Grove on September 18 and continued the sustained rivalry of these two sides. Johnny was the only bowler to trouble the first five batsmen and his wickets (ending with seven for 55), included son Miles. Late wickets for Mayhew coming into the attack left Heckmondwike 105 all out. Miles had been batting patiently thwarting his father’s efforts before giving his wicket away with a rush of blood. Wakefield made an uncertain response and appeared to be losing when 67 for eight and Johnny having been run out in a suicidal pursuit of a single. A famous ninth wicket partnership between John Scott and Mayhew took Wakefield to a nail- biting victory and their first winning of this trophy since 1924. It could have been a treble but the weather intervened. Wakefield still had a league match left at Liversedge. Johnny top scored with 55 as Wakefield were all out for 137 and Jack Birkenshaw taking four for 32 for Liversedge, but rain came after only four balls of Liversedge’s reply, A star again in league cricket