I have shown several photos of the picturesque cricket pitch in Roberts Park, but Saltaire actually has two cricket pitches. This one is just a little further to the west, between the canal and the river. It belongs to Salts Sports Association. In 1924, Salts (Saltaire) Ltd (the company who then owned Salts Mill) bought back from the local council 31 acres of land, which it converted to playing fields for tennis, bowls, cricket and football. By 1937 they had built up very good facilities including a club house and social centre. These facilities are still well used today. Very often if you get tired of watching one cricket match you can stroll over and watch another, or maybe a bowls match if you want a change.
This field is lower than the level of the canal and used to be screened by a big metal fence. That was removed earlier this year, so there is now a lovely view over the field from the canal towpath. I have fond memories from a few years ago, when our church used to hold a series of annual cricket matches here against other churches - much fun, fellowship and friendly rivalry. It will soon be the end of the cricket season - another sign of the gradual change from summer to autumn.
Very interesting to track back through the posts and realise that I now know where this is (which I didn't when I first read about the fence) :)
ReplyDeleteI notice the small bench in the forground..:) and Cricket is one of those mysteries that I will never understand! i like to see it in english movies, but I'm never able to understand how it works, and what are the rules!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comments! I'm glad to read you again!
It makes a lovely scene and looks relaxing but I find cricket boring. Does Saltaire have a football Team?
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to attend a cricket match!
ReplyDeleteI hope someday to watch a cricket match in person -- I've read about them often enough.
ReplyDeletepicturesque indeed.
ReplyDeleteLovely greens! I have to confess I know absolutely nothing about cricket... :-)
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about cricket. Is it a bit like baseball?
ReplyDeleteTo all those from afar who have written comments saying that they know nothing about cricket, worry not. Most of us over here who have grown up with the game since infancy still don't understand it.
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