Cricket scorer John takes on county role

Yorkshire county member John, from Batley, was initially asked to score for Yorkshire academy fixtures, which are generally played during midweek.

Around three weeks before season, he was asked to score for Yorkshire Second team until the end of April as their regular scorer was unavailable.

John is regarded as one of the most respected scorers in the Bradford League, where he is scorer and statistician for Hanging Heaton.

John said: “Obviously honoured and thrilled to have been asked.

“I have already scored two three-day friendly matches, one at Headingley against Glamorgan and the other at County Ground, Bristol, for the game against Gloucestershire.

“This week I will be scoring at Yorkshire Second team’s one-day game and a three-day second team County Championship game, both in Leicester.

“I am currently accredited level 2 scorer and working towards level 3(top level) and this has provided valuable experience in multi-day cricket.

“The county scene is much more involved and intense than club cricket with laptop scoring accompanied by linear and summary sheets, plus providing additional information the coaches and fitness teams require.

“Hanging Heaton and, indeed the Bradford League have been a great their help in getting me to this stage and all staff and players at Yorkshire second team have made me feel very welcome.”

John has previously scored at England youth matches and later this year will score when Yorkshire take on a Bradford League XI in a Twenty20 match at Pudsey Congs, which is being played as part of Richard Pyrah’s benefit.

He has also trained to become a scoring tutor, helping younger scorers and past players take it up.

John also spent hours trawling through Hanging Heaton’s Bradford League history from 1980 to provide stats for every player to have represented the club in the last 35 years.