DIE-HARD Tykes' fan Charles Hutchinson at last witnesses the end of 33 years of hurt
Ninety minutes and counting to destiny, and already the Cricket Park and Ride buses were doing brisk business to North Marine Road.
Ever sceptical, Yorkshire cricket supporters looked to the grey, fretful Scarborough skies.
"Forecasting rain by dinner-time," said one. "Aye. Could be," came the reply.
"Drizzle," rejoined the first, in what passed for a Yorkshire conversation.
At the rapidly-filling old ground, the mood was euphoric, and not only because admission had been free (a Yorkshireman's favourite price, they say). Never mind "30 years of hurt" for England's footballers, Yorkshire's cricketers had suffered 33 since last winning the County Championship - once the county's divine right - in 1968.
Yorkshire's players warmed up in the Australian vogue with a game of football; Glamorgan, aptly for a Welsh side, preferred rugby. Souvenir scorecards for this historic day were in demand, so was the ubiquitous Dickie Bird, agreeing to be photographed with all and sundry - and if Dickie did not look perturbed by the spots of drizzle, why should anyone else.
Eleven o'clock, and David Byas in his bushman's hat led out his team, the smell of imminent victory in the air. Cameramen settled by the boundary for spinner Richard Dawson's opening over, and suddenly the camaraderie disappeared as the Yorkshire faithful took exception to their view being blocked.
"You can't sit there. You'll have to move." One photographer did so, another took his place. Another complaint. It was ever thus in Yorkshire!
An early wicket for this season's cult hero Steve Kirby, a sulphuric bowler with Bash Street Kids looks, then another; then one for Darren Lehmann, the talismanic Australian. Seagulls rather than vultures were circling, and Glamorgan's number 11, Simon Jones, caught the holiday mood with a clatter of sixes before one final slog was pouched, appropriately by skipper Byas, who had first made hay batting in the Scarborough XI.
It was 12.13pm, and the famine was over. The players huddled, children leapt on top; cameramen rushed to the dressing room; Lehmann lit a celebration cigarette in the manner of bygone days. The rain duly arrived in time for dinner.
Glamorgan players left, unnoticed, silently pulling their cases through the cheering hordes as each Yorkshire player spoke effusively on the champagne-soaked balcony. No one mentioned Darren Gough.
In the pavilion, Yorkshire's new Australian coach WayneClarke and Byas somehow found a quiet moment. The Australian reached out, shook hands, and said: "Well done, big fella." And so say all of us.
THE HISTORIC SCOREBOARD
CricInfo County Championship
Division One
Yorkshire v Glamorgan
at Scarborough
Glamorgan first innings: 223 (A Dale 59; R K Dawson 6-82)
Yorkshire First Innings
White b S D Thomas 183
Wood lbw b Cosker 124
Kirby c Wallace b Jones 0
Vaughan b Watkin 45
Lehmann c & b Cosker 1
McGrath lbw b Cosker 29
Byas lbw b Jones 104
Hamilton c Wallace b Watkin 1
Blakey c Maher b Cosker 54
Dawson not out 9
Extras b6 lb16 w2 nb6 30
Total 9 wkts dec (164.5 overs) 580
Fall: 1-34 2-277 3-353 4-354 5-374 6-434 7-435 8-548 9-580
Did not bat: R J Sidebottom.
Bowling: Watkin 32-8-71-2 Jones 23-2-135-2 Cosker 60.5-13-168-4 Davies 21-4-73-0 S D Thomas 21-3-93-1 Dale 6-2-14-0 Maher 1-0-4-0.
Glamorgan Second Innings
Thomas c Wood b Sidebottom 21
Maher lbw b Hamilton 21
Powell c Byas b Lehmann 21
Newell lbw b Dawson 30
Dale not out 45
Wallace lbw b Kirby 6
Thomas b Kirby 0
Davies c Blakey b Kirby 7
Cosker c Byas b Kirby 6
Watkin c Blakey b Lehmann 8
Jones c Byas b Lehmann 46
Extras b5 lb21 w4 nb4 34
Total (80 overs) 245
Fall: 1-36 2-54 3-102 4-127 5-136 6-138 7-150 8-162 9-189
Bowling: Kirby 20-10-40-4 Sidebottom 12-1-36-1 Hamilton 10-2-21-1 White 4-3-4-0 Dawson 25-7-62-1 Lehmann 9-1-56-3.
Umpires: A Clarkson and D J Constant
Yorkshire (20pts) beat Glamorgan (3pts) by an innings and 112 runs
Yorkshire are County Champions
Updated: 10:32 Saturday, August 25, 2001
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