Pocklington Cricket Club’s Neal Jackson celebrates World Cup and county title wins
It has been a summer to remember for Pocklington Cricket Club’s Neal Jackson finishing as an Over-60s World Cup winner in August and a County Championship winner with Yorkshire in September.
It was a season where he scored two 100s for Yorkshire and also a century for England Lions, which earned him a call-up to the England World Cup squad for the three-week 14-team tournament in Canada.
Unfortunately while opening the batting for England a hamstring injury in the first game ruled him out for the rest of the competition, which England ended as joint champions with New Zealand after heavy rain washed out the final.
The highlight for England was beating the previous holders Australia in the semi finals.
Due to the injury on returning home he also missed the County Championship final against Middlesex which Yorkshire, who were unbeaten all season, comprehensively won by over 100 runs.
Jackson has enjoyed a great summer playing cricket against like-minded individuals and made many memories and new friends.
The Pocklington CC cricketer said: "This week I set off for a couple of games for England Lions in Spain, (hamstring permitting) against a Spanish over-50s team.
"Early next year holds new challenges with an opportunity to play in India again for England in a tournament against India, Sri Lanka and the USA. But selection and injury being the first hurdle to overcome.
“A big thank you goes to my wife Ruth, Tilly and Callum and the rest of the family who have supported me throughout an intense summer of cricket and to my friends and teammates at Pocklington CC for their unwavering support and encouragement – it was much appreciated.
"Also a final big shout out to Jeremy Ruggles from JS Wright and Sons who provided me a bat, pads and gloves courtesy of Sareen Sports and thanks to Specsavers Pocklington for sponsoring me this season.”
A week after bringing the season to a close at Woodhouse Grange, Pocklington Pixies CC - Pocklington School's invitation outfit of pupils, old boys and associates, did the same at Pocklington CC's Burnby Lane ground with a convincing last-match win over another long-established invitation side, The Forty Club.
Half-centuries for Henry Bayston, brothers Sebastian and Gabriel Hughes, Arthur Savage and Chris Suddaby saw the visitors set a daunting target of 317.
The Forty Club, dubbed 'the largest wandering cricket club in the world', were up against it and it looked as though it would be an early finish as they slipped to 82-5; but they recovered to a respectable 199-6, albeit still 118 runs short of the Pixies' total.