Bold experiment provides day of double delight

Leeds' victory was more than a memorable rugby league match. It was also the first ever to be played at the same time as a cricket match on the other side of the Headingley grandstand.

When the BBC insisted on the quarter-final against Wigan as their Saturday afternoon game, the Rhinos had a choice between cohabiting with the Roses match or giving up home advantage.

Discussions with Yorkshire County Cricket Club suggested that the two could co-exist, and yesterday's events proved that correct.

There had to be a few compromises, such as the Rhinos keeping down the volume of their razzmatazz, that might otherwise have distracted the Lancashire batsmen, and there was the sight of bemused cricket supporters filing through the rugby stands during the tea interval.

"There was a problem when the turnstiles switched over from cricket to rugby, but that was resolved and otherwise everything worked smoothly," Phil Daly, Leeds Rugby's media manager, said afterwards.