SUCH was the hospitality that the Two Counties Over-50s received on their tour to Yorkshire that they have already agreed to return there next year.

This was the fifth time that the veterans had gone on tour – twice previously to Scotland once each to Devon and Dorset – and they were based in Skipton during their stay.

The Two Counties played four matches, winning one and losing three, against some younger – and very strong – opposition.

Geoff Newman, the tour manager, said: “We had two superb matches and the other two, to be honest, were not really fair contests.

“We played Otley, who are top of the Wharfdale League, and were a very young side.

“I reckon their top three batsmen would get into the top three of any Two Counties Division One side – they were all a bit special.

“The combined age of our side came to over 700 and their combined ages to just over 200!

“But we were made very welcome everywhere we went and the people were so friendly.

“At Steeton on the Tuesday they had their biggest crowd of the season and five former players turned up – four of whom actually played – and apparently they all enjoyed it so much they all want to play for the club again!

“Steeton said they reckoned we had done them a favour by playing them, rather than doing us a favour by agreeing to play against us!

“We have already arranged to play Steeton and Yorkshire Over-60s again next year as well as Embsay, a village situated between Skipton and Bolton Abbey, who have an over-40s team, so we have only one more fixture to fulfil.”

The final match of the tour against the Yorkshire Over-60s side saw the Two Counties Over-50s record their sole success – Graham Penny scoring his second half century of the tour – in what was a 45-over contest.

The other three matches were all scheduled to be timed games, but the Ilkley match was affected by the weather and was played as a reduced overs game, with the strong home team romping in just 12.1 of their 31 overs.