Boost for Nidderdale thanks to cricket festival
NIDDERDALE is preparing for the arrival of hundreds of evergreen cricketers as the 2010 Golden Oldies Festival officially gets underway.
Grounds in the area will be used during the week long event with teams from South Africa, Australia and the United States taking part.
Among the sites hosting top names from the other side of the world are Pateley Bridge, Ripley, Dacre Banks, Lofthouse and Glasshouses.
For Pat Becker, from Summerbridge, it was quite a surprise to hear that cricketers from Nowra in Australia were to be among those playing in Nidderdale – she used to live in the tiny new South Wales town.
"It was really a case of total astonishment, that two such remote places as Nowra and Summerbridge were actually getting together to play cricket.
"It's very exciting, and it will be for lots of different people in Nidderdale. The hope now is that we get the summer sunshine to go along with it."
The festival is expected to bring a boost to the local economy, with visitors using nearby hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants and transport services during their stay.
It is the first time the event has been held in the northern hemisphere and the largest sporting competition Harrogate and the surrounding area has ever hosted.
The festival will see more than 800 evergreen cricketers don their whites.
Sir Thomas Ingilby, festival chairman said: "After three years of preparation all the loose ends are finally coming together and we are delighted to welcome so many cricketers from around the world.
"To be a Golden Oldie you only have to be over 40 but the oldest two players registered so far are both 78 and the oldest eleven players have an aggregate age of 813!
"Three former test players and several former first class cricketers should add a bit of spice to the proceedings."
The festival will hold a lavish opening ceremony on Sunday when teams will walk through Masham's Market Square before a reception at Theakston's Brewery. The first games take place on Monday.
Among the former first class and test players due to take part are ex-Aussie spinner Bob Holland, former Yorkshire and England players Martyn Moxon and Kim Love and former Yorkshire captain Richard Blakey.
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Weather for Harrogate
Friday 10 February 2012
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