……….and there was a cricket ground there, and a castle, high on the cliffs between two beautiful bays. Well, you get the idea; I like Scarborough. Cricket Festival, fish & chips, waves breaking over the promenade, miniature naval warfare, donkey rides, gardens, and the railway to Scalby Mills. The place has hardly changed in 50 years, apart from some vandal being allowed to knock down the Corner Café and to replace it with Soviet Bloc apartments.

The cricket has actually improved. The old Yorkshire v MCC, Gentlemen v Players and T N Pierce’s XI v Tourists games were fine, but they were not real cricket. I was not old enough to tell the difference, back then, but after a lifetime of playing and watching I know cricket needs a competitive edge, however good the performers on show. The grace and beauty with which these top players delight us are a by-product of the game, not the purpose of it.

This year, on the Sunday, the sun shone on the players of Yorkshire and Middlesex, and both teams responded with an excellent 40-over match. On the best day of the entire summer the crowds poured in, surely the biggest Scarborough attendance since the 1950s. Happily, the behaviour was good, the whole day one to savour. And Yorkshire won.

We made 250, with Jacques Rudolph churning out yet another century, but I thought we were 20 runs short on an excellent pitch. Middlesex were up with the rate and strolling it until they were knocked off course by a fine spell of bowling by Adil Rashid, backed up by Anthony McGrath’s subtle wobblers.

Even then the game had a twist. The visitors’ captain Neil Dexter played a great little innings to put them back in with a chance, but our bowling – notably Mags’ final over – and fielding just passed the test.

If we fail to pull off the County Championship, as now seems likely, a 40-over Lord’s final would be a fitting reward for Andy Gale and the boys. They have entertained us richly in 2010, in both forms of the game.

And so to Monday and the main business of the County Championship. This day was as horrible as Sunday had been glorious, so Yorkshire and Hampshire found themselves contesting a 3-day match when the game got going on the Tuesday.

Again, a splendid crowd turned up to watch a first morning of much playing and missing as our left-handers did battle with the brilliant old show-pony Dominic Cork. Newly capped Adam Lyth battled his way to a half-century but a mini collapse early afternoon required remedial work from Gerard Brophy and Adil Rashid. They did not disappoint.

300+ looked a par score on a pitch that had done a little for anyone with the skill to exploit it. Cork, that is. I had also enjoyed my first in-the-flesh view of Hampshire’s young spinner Danny Briggs. Looks good. Very good. He had a great battle with Adil, who was trying to use his feet against him.

Wednesday morning provided much frustration for another sizeable crowd. While Jimmy Adams looked pretty solid, as he always does against Yorkshire, England hopeful Michael Carberry played and missed so often it was embarrassing. It seemed as though something important was missing in that vital link between eyes and brain and hands and feet. He never looked like getting an edge, let alone finding the middle.

In the end it was our other new cap, Richard Pyrah, who got him, and then a tremendous post-lunch spell by Ajmal Shahzad threatened to put Yorkshire on top. Briefly, all too briefly.

Adams, watchful and organised, and young James Vince came through Ajmal’s test and found themselves in waters as calm as the North Bay as the other Yorkshire bowlers struggled to get anything from what now looked a slow surface. Rashid, so good on Sunday, bowled horribly.

Any chance of victory had gone. Adams and the powerful Vince both fell just short of 200 and a declaration at lunch on the final day forced Yorkshire to apply themselves purely to the avoidance of defeat.

This was achieved without too much trouble, though Lyth was put to the test by Cork, bowling short with bat-pad man and leg-gully. Adam failed this examination and can expect much more of the same next season unless he finds a way of coping. It is a weakness in his method that could prevent him taking the next step up that we, his admirers, would love to see.

Anyway, by the time the game had petered out into the inevitable draw, I was enjoying the dubious delights of the westbound A64.

I shall return next season, now that the agreement between County and Club and Sponsors is signed and sealed, 100 days of county cricket at Scarborough over 10 years, if I understand correctly.

Peasholm Park, Oliver’s Mount, ice-cream and seagulls, the Grand Hotel, the Regal Lady (heroine of Dunkirk), dads & lads playing cricket on the beach, the dappled sunlight on cliffs and castle – all will be the same. Even the rain.

Scarborough without end. Amen.