2005 – Gary Yates Testimonial

Staying with the cricket football fusion theme of our last Vault post, we’re going back to 2005 again when a thunderstorm put paid to an all-star cricket match at Prestwich, but not before former Manchester City ace Nigel Gleghorn had struck a lightning-fast 66.

Gleghorn raced to his 50 in just 30 balls in the Gary Yates (main photo above) Testimonial match between professional referees and ex-footballers and cricketers, held at The Heys.

Nigel Gleghorn on his way to 66.

Alongside Gleghorn, whose innings was ended when given the red card by umpire Ray Austin, were ex-City stars Richard Jobson and Jim Melrose, together with former Lancashire players Peter Martin and Steve O’Shaughnessy.

Leading the refs was Mark Halsey and Steve Bennett, who found themselves chasing leather as the Yates Select XI raced to 186 for 6 in 27.4 overs before players dived for cover.

Richard Jobson on the left and referee Mark Halsey on the right.

Unfortunately, the heavy downpour forced the abandonment of the game.