150 not out: County cricket club toasts landmark anniversary

Star names from past and present, including Geoffrey Boycott, Michael Vaughan and current club captain Andrew Gale, gathered at the Crucible Studio Theatre for the club’s Sesquicentennial Soiree yesterday.

The sold-out event marked the date that the club was formed at a meeting in the Adelphi Hotel, Sheffield, on January 8 1863. The Crucible now stands on the very site where the initial meeting was held.

Geoffrey Boycott said: “I’m privileged to have been involved in Yorkshire cricket club from a young age, first as a player and now as president of the club. It’s a wonderful evening for the club and everyone associated with it.”

Club chairman Colin Graves said: “It’s fantastic that we can celebrate this. We have had some great coverage and a lot of people have been interested in this anniversary. It’s been great for the club.”

BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration was master of ceremonies for the night, 
which featured readings and memories from players, past 
and present.

Lance Pierson, an actor and lifelong cricket fanatic, presented stories and sketches spanning 150 years, including pieces by Stanley Holloway, Lesley Garrett and a memory of Fred Trueman.