SKIPTON Church Institute Cricket Club are still managing to play some cricket during lockdown, all with the help of a classic dice game.

One of their members, Martin Seward, who lives in Anglesey now but is still on the club's committee, has got the first and second teams to play off against each other in a "Lashes" Test series using 'Owzthat', an old metal dice cricket game.

There have been comedy pitch inspections, an umpire and no shortage of controversy, with one Test declared null and void and a 'match-fixing' scandal.

Taking up the story, club chairman Mel Mason explained: "One of our lads, Martin Seward, who lives in Anglesey, came up with the whole idea.

"He's still a committee member, and his parents live in Skipton. He sometimes even still plays for us, then drives back to Anglesey after a game.

"Anyway, Owzthat was a dice game I played when I was at school, and I'm 68 now. We've been playing with commentary and live video showing the rolling of the dice.

"In one of the Tests, there were three Owzthat appeals in one over from off spin bowler Alex Horsfield, only for three no balls to be the result.

"Neil Robson, who used to play for us but now does a lot of umpiring up in the north-east, is our virtual umpire, and we've put together a (joke) corruption video as a result of those decisions (Robson was found not guilty of 'match-fixing')."

One Test match had to be declared null and void, with all the controversy going on, but after four completed Tests, the seconds hold an unassailable 3-1 lead, with the final match getting underway this Saturday from 1pm.

But of course it is all just fun and games. Seward has been putting together some great videos, with everyone really getting into the spirit of the whole virtual venture.

Mason said: "Martin has done 'pitch inspection' videos. So he's done one on his concrete path, saying you don't want to batting last on this pitch, and things like that.

"He's also made one on his garden lawn and one on a beach in Anglesey. He's also doing match commentaries on the full Test matches.

"The lads have all been tuning in and it's been brilliant. We've even had a legends game with people like myself and those that played in years gone by being brought back into the team."

With no physical cricket likely to be played for at least a couple of months, other clubs might want to think about following in Skipton CI's footsteps.