League title solace for Woodhouse Grange captain (From Gazette & Herald)

League title solace for Woodhouse Grange captain

9:55am Tuesday 11th September 2012 in Sport

HOME is where the heart is for Woodhouse Grange captain Steve Burdett.

The skipper declared that winning the Hunters York and District Senior League premier division crown meant more to him than success at the home of cricket.

Burdett’s team came up agonisingly short of a treble when going down by six wickets to Hertfordshire side Reed at Lord’s on Sunday in the final of the Yorkshire Tea Village Cup.

But having added the League title, with victory at Dunnington on Saturday, to their earlier League Cup triumph, the skipper was still able to look back on a tremendous campaign for the Sutton-on-Derwent-based club.

And, with memories of the Lord’s wicket and the Pavilion still fresh, Burdett declared that, for him, success on home soil meant more.

He said: “People have asked me during the last week ‘would you take a League win at Dunnington or a victory at Lord’s?’ “Being greedy, I would have liked both but, ultimately, I have always said you are measured on your success over 22 weeks.

“As a league cricketer, and the standard of cricket we play in the Senior League, winning that for me is a huge achievement.”

Burdett also praised his squad for their performances over a campaign that saw the club compete at the business end of a multitude of competitions.

“The volume of cricket we play at Woodhouse is phenomenal, in comparison to most clubs who play in our league,” he added.

“Credit has to go to the players – that squad of 13 who have been all there all year. For the commitment of the Village Cup, League, League Cup, Black Sheep Champions’ Trophy – the lads have played every single Saturday and Sunday since the second week of April.

“To put that into context, that’s playing two seasons in one. God loves a trier and we will be back – body willing.”

Reflecting on the loss to Reed, Burdett added: “If I am honest, I was thinking we would defend 220. Defending 185, you are in a position where you have to take early wickets and you can’t let them get off to a start.

“Sadly, we didn’t do that and they did. We just weren’t quite there.”

Burdett continued: “I said to the lads that they had to grasp this (experience) with both hands because this might be the first and only time, or the last time, we get back to Lord’s.

“It’s a national competition and, although we are a strong side, in a single game of cricket it is anyone’s game.

“It is not about what’s on paper, it takes that little bit of luck and a good performance. But to stand at Lord’s and take it all in is phenomenal, however frustrating it is to lose.

“It hurts the lads, particularly some of the younger lads but they will bounce back.”