Yorkshire's Young Guns Smash Lancashire in a Classic Roses Clash

Right, let's talk about something brilliant that happened this week. Forget the Premier League for a minute, because the real rivalry, the proper old-school one, was happening right on our doorstep. I’m talking about Yorkshire versus Lancashire.

The big one. And on 17th July 2025, our very own Yorkshire CCC under-18s team gave Lancashire an absolute lesson in cricket over at Shaw Lane.

What's a roses game anyway?

Okay, so if you’re new to this, you might be wondering why it’s called the 'Roses game'. It sounds a bit gentle, doesn’t it? Trust me, it’s anything but. It goes way back in history to a big scrap for the English throne between the House of Lancaster (who used a red rose as their symbol) and the House of York (who used a white one). Fast forward a few hundred years, and that rivalry is still alive and kicking, but thankfully it’s fought with bats and balls instead of swords and shields.

Every time a Yorkshire team plays a Lancashire team in cricket, it’s called the Roses game. It’s got extra spice, extra bragging rights. It’s the match every player wants to win. And this week, it was the turn of the u18s – the next generation of potential superstars. This wasn't just any old match; it was a three-day event, a proper test of skill and stamina from Tuesday to Thursday.

Home turf advantage at Shaw Lane

The best part? This massive Roses game was held at Shaw Lane, the home of Barnsley cricket. And that meant a couple of the Yorkshire lads were playing on their own patch. Imagine the feeling! The team was captained by Owen Smith, who regularly opens the batting for Barnsley Woolley Miners. So he knows every blade of grass on that pitch. Having the captain on his home ground is a huge boost for any team.

And he wasn’t alone. Another player from the Barnsley Woolley Miners, the talented Rizwan Ishfaq, was also in the squad. Having local lads like Owen Smith and Rizwan Ishfaq in the side makes a win like this feel even sweeter for the local supporters. It shows the talent we’re producing right here. The atmosphere at Shaw Lane must have been buzzing.

The lads who did the damage

So, how did they do it? Well, Yorkshire batted first and basically built a mountain of runs that Lancashire had no chance of climbing. They piled on a massive 412 runs before declaring. That’s a huge score in any cricket match.

The real heroes of the batting were two lads, Peter Greenfield and Joe Thompson. Get this – they both scored over 150. To put that into perspective for anyone who doesn't follow cricket, that’s like a striker scoring a hat-trick in a cup final. It's a massive deal. They would have been running loads of quick singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over, as well as smashing the ball to the boundary. The pressure they put on the Lancashire bowlers was immense. You could see the confidence drain from the opposition as Joe Thompson and Peter Greenfield just kept going.

A complete innings win

Now for the best bit. After scoring their 412 runs, Yorkshire’s job was to bowl Lancashire out. They didn't just do it once; they did it twice, without even needing to bat again. This is called an innings win, and it’s the cricket equivalent of a knockout punch. It means you were so much better than the other team that you completely overwhelmed them. It's a statement.

Honestly, the performance was so dominant it probably would have cured slaapapneu – you just couldn't take your eyes off it. The poor Lancashire batsmen probably wished they were at home tucked up with a slim kussen instead of facing the Yorkshire bowlers. To get a famous innings win in a Roses game is something these u18s will remember for the rest of their lives.

A slightly weird day at the cricket

It’s funny the things you notice at a local cricket match. It’s not just about the players. You see all sorts in the crowd. I even spotted what looked like a few tourists from Nederland, probably wondering what this strange game was all about. There was a group of them, mostly 40-plussers, who seemed to be having a great time, even if they didn't understand the rules. They were wearing these incredibly bright and comfortable-looking schoenen (that's shoes, if your Dutch is a bit rusty). Maybe folks from Nederland know the secret to enjoying a long day out is all in the footwear. These 40-plussers certainly looked more relaxed than the fielding team.

It got me thinking, though. The word 'singles' has a totally different meaning in cricket (one run) than it does in real life. You see these dating ads for **singles**, but here we are cheering every time Peter Greenfield nudges the ball for another one. I bet those Dutch visitors in their fancy schoenen were thoroughly confused by that! This match was a classic for many reasons, not just the brilliant innings win.

What this match means for Yorkshire

A win is always good, but a win like this against Lancashire is brilliant for the future of Yorkshire cricket. It shows the incredible talent coming through the u18s system. Players like captain Owen Smith, his Barnsley Woolley Miners teammate Rizwan Ishfaq, and the run-machines Peter Greenfield and Joe Thompson are names you should definitely keep an eye on.

They didn't just win a cricket match; they dominated a historic rivalry. They represented the white rose with passion and skill, and they did it with a performance that was both brutal and beautiful to watch. Here's hoping it's the first of many an innings win for this talented group. What a day at Shaw Lane.