HAROME'S cricketers usually just travel a few minutes down the road for a Ryedale Evening League match, but this weekend they will be experiencing something quite different - setting off at 11.30pm on Friday night for a match starting at 2.30pm on Sunday.
They face a journey of about 375 miles and a nine-hour trip to the north of Scotland to play Ross County CC - who are based 15 miles from Inverness - for a sixth round npower Village KO Cup tie.
Victory against the Highlands side would leave Harom
e - a village just outside Helmsley, who do not have a Saturday side and only play evening league cricket - just three wins from a final at Lord's, a feat they achieved in the Village KO Cup in 1992.
Skipper Phil Marwood, who is a teacher at Ryedale School, said: "As you can imagine, arrangements for this tie have taken quite a bit more planning than our normal matches.
"We have had to hire a coach to take us up there, and we will be leaving late on Friday evening and travelling through the night. We should arrive in Inverness some time on the Saturday morning and the players are staying in a hotel there for the night ahead of the Sunday afternoon game.
"Then it will be straight back on the Sunday evening - and hopefully arriving in time for work on the Monday."
And the Harome players will even face very different conditions when they arrive at the Ross ground.
"Ross play on a plastic wicket which might take some getting used to - most of us won't have across one of those since our school days," added Marwood.
"The pitch obviously doesn't worry the Ross players - they got 333-3 in their last win, although that was against a Crathie side who normally play Ross' second team."
Harome's Friday departure means the likes of Marwood, who plays his Saturday cricket for Duncombe Park, as well as vice-captain Dave Greenlay and pace bowler Mark Haines who turn out for Pickering on a Saturday, will not be available for this weekend's York League games.
"All the Harome players are keen to be available for the Ross trip, which is great as we have a good team spirit particularly after our group final win at home to Barton."
Harome sneaked home by one wicket in that tie thanks to a last-wicket unbeaten stand of 33.
For this weekend's trip the club are looking for sponsorship, while places may be available on the team coach for friends, family and supporters. Anyone interested in making the weekend trip up to Scotland should contact club chairman Ian Otterburn on 01439-770265.
