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THE
HISTORY OF WALSDEN CRICKET & BOWLING CLUB – CRICKET SECTION
The early beginnings of Walsden Cricket & Bowling Club are shrouded in mystery.
Although officially formed 1870 records can be found of matches played as early
as 1856. It is believed that the club played at White Scack
and Heights Houses prior to its move to the present ground in 1870. The
addition of the
When the club joined the C.L.L. in
1892 it was guided into the league by the local vicar J R Napier who learnt his
cricket at
In 1915 Henry Smith scored 205 runs
against Moorside, a record for amateurs which still
stands today. It is interesting to note the opposition professional was a very
young Maurice Leyland, who scored 53 and took four wickets for 108, bowling 18
overs.
Another famous local was Frank Scott, who was the
local signalman. In a long career he scored 6,175 runs and took 966 wickets:
his obituary claimed. “He never bowled a wide or a no-ball”. Frank Scott began
a family trail (initially through the Scott and then the Barker families) which
continues to the present day. His son, grandson, and great-grandson have all
captained the first XI whilst his two great great
grandsons have both recently made their first team debuts.
Being a small village (population
2,000), the club has always had to struggle to compete against the big town
clubs like Rochdale, Middleton and Oldham because it could never afford the big
name professionals, but in the past managed to keep afloat by organising
bazaars, carnivals and field days. In 1910 the club purchased an old Salvation
Army hut from Moorside for £12.10 shillings and
transported it by horse and cart to the ground and re-erected it in time for
the 1911 season. In 1912 the professional
Up until 1954 the club had no major
trophy wins, although the second XI won the 2nd division
championship in 1898 (undefeated) and again in 1915. In 1946 the club signed
its first international player in Edwin St Hill (
In 1950 Walsden
signed a West Indian test player of Chinese descent, Ellis Achong
whose previous clubs were Rochdale, Heywood and
Walsden professionals up to 1952 has been
mainly bowling professionals and it is amazing fact that the first time a pro
scored over 500 runs was S W Hunt in 1952, who scored 542 in his only season at
Walsden.
In 1954 the club won their first major
trophy, the Wood Cup. The professional Ronnie Wood was called up to play for
In 1955, struggling for success and
still struggling to survive, economies at the club had to be made. As a result
the club turned the clock back and resigned Hatchman for
three seasons despite his advancing years. In 1960 things began to look up. A
young Australian, Alan Preen, arrived on the scene and made an immediate impact
taking 100 wickets with the club achieving a place in the top half of the
table. In 1961 the signing of Bob Bartels was a major turning point. The
arrival of this all rounder from
These off the field changes inspired
the team and in 1962 the Wood Cup was back in Walsden.
A dramatic last league match which was drawn and the League Championship was shared with
In 1964 the arrival of former
Middlesex and Nottinghamshire batsman John Springhall
combined with Walsden’s local talent saw the club
finally win the league title outright, followed in 1965 by a losing Wood Cup
final appearance. In 1968 aided by West Indian Keith Barker, Walsden again reached the Wood Cup final but lost out yet
again, this time to Heywood. 1969 saw the club sign West Indian Cec Wright who stayed at the club for five seasons taking
over 500 wickets and taking the club in 1970 to, yet another losing Wood Cup
Final.
In 1975 still unable to sign big names
because of their higher wage demands Walsden signed
the then unknown Trevor Chappell who became the first player in Walsden’s history to do “the double” scoring 1,264 runs and
taking 106 wickets. The Wood Cup returned to Walsden
after defeating Werneth in the final at Littleborough with Chappell scoring 124 not out, and taking
5 for 32. He too moved on for bigger money.
In 1978 Walsden
engaged Queenslander Rod Lawrence who brought fellow Queenslander Alec Parker
with him. The side enjoyed a lot of success and amateur David Lord took a club
record 93 wickets. The team eventually finished third in the league.
The late 70’s saw the introduction by
the league of the controversial “overseas amateur”. This has led over the years
to the batting talents of Parker, Toshack, Walsh, Skuse and Blake from
In 1981 yet another Cup Final defeat
occurred at Middleton, this time to Werneth. West
Indian all rounder, Neil Phillips, was Walsden’s
professional. 1983 saw Walsden’s biggest capture when
they signed
A lean spell for honours on the
playing front followed in the late 80’s. However in the 1990’s the astute
signing of economically priced professionals and hard work from the home players
kept the club to the forefront of the league . Over
the years the club gained a reputation for signing up and coming talented young
players such as Andrew Dykes (
1995 was a celebration of the clubs
125th year, and what a year. The sun shone, and a relatively unknown
Victorian Jason Bakker broke the club batting record, scoring 1,596 runs and
also taking 85 wickets. Two amateurs Richard Eastwood (1154 runs which
previously was the club amateur record) and Mark Hoosen
(1,067 runs) also made hay. The season culminated in a memorable Wood Cup final
victory over Ashton at Milnrow and a fourth position
in the league, a great season! 1998 saw the club again let slip from their
grasp the Wood Cup in a high scoring final defeat against Littleborough
at Werneth.
Fast bowling South African, Deon Kruis, arrived on he
scene in 1999 and became the second player in the history of the club to do the
“double”. Amazingly scoring exactly 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets, but the
club again only managed to finish mid table.
Professionals and overseas amateurs
apart, most of the players representing the club over the years have been
brought up in the village. In the 1960’s there were several occasions when four
brothers of the Connor family were playing members and in the 1970’s four
brothers of the Bailey family were in the first team. There are numerous
occasions of father and son representing the club. Young sons will practise in
the intervals and after the game and then eventually follow in their father’s
footsteps through the clubs teams. Wives and other family members have turned
out regularly to assist with fund raising and providing teas. This ongoing
tradition with whole generations and families involved has been one of the
major strengths of the club and is still very evident today.
Although the clubs 1st and
2nd XI’s play their senior cricket in he
C.L.L. mention must be made of the contribution of the 3rd XI which
was formed in 1978. The team started as an outlet for older retiring players
and grooming younger players, but has created great benefits for the club as
some players who took up cricket later in life have progressed into 1st
and 2nd XI cricket and became active within the club off the field
as well. The 3rd XI joined the Halifax Cricket Association and won
promotion to the first division at the first attempt. They spent the next
twenty four years in and out of the first division. Their best season was in
1991 when they ended runners up in division one and also won he Calder Valley
Cup. The team played its first few years at
The club made a decision in the year
2000 despite having been turned down twice for lottery funding to demolish the
old wooden pavilion, which was originally built in 1911. A great fund raising
effort, club support and generous donations and loans from the late Allen
Marshall and the club president Gordon Rigg, resulted
in sufficient funds being raised to demolish the old pavilion in April 2000.
The pavilion had served the club so well for over 80 years as dance hall,
tearoom, cinema and as a venue for many other varied
events.
The new function room (The Millennium
Suite) opened on New Year’s Eve 2000 to herald a new era for the club and was
officially opened by the club president, Gordon Rigg,
at the A.G.M.
in January 2001.
Walsden had a good season in 2003 when a very
useful pace bowler and late order batsman, Paul Hitchcock who played ODIs for
In
2004 the club signed the young Australian batting star Shaun Marsh (son of
Geoff Marsh). His all-round ability
coupled with talents of some very good senior players including Hooson, Blake
and Hanson, and some emerging young players resulted in Walsden
winning the Wood Cup final by beating Heywood at Milnrow’s
Lady House ground. Heywood batted first
on a poor wicket and scored a modest 116 runs with wickets being shared by
Blake, Marsh, Hooson, Plane and a young Stevie Barker. Walden’s run chase faltered with the loss of
early wickets including Marsh, but the resolute Hooson and Nick Barker batted Walsden to victory.
Mark Hooson was named player of the tournament and saw his emergence as
a real quality all-round cricketer, arguably the best the club has produced
along with the late Lenny Moss. Hooson
also won the best all-round cricketer award for the league in 2004.
In
2006 with South African swing bowler Jandre Coetzee
as professional the club became a real force in the league and achieved second
place, the best since 1978. In the same
season skipper Dave Blake had a prolific season with the bat winning the Sir
Frank Worrell trophy for the most runs in the league, 1206 runs which at the
time was also a record for a Walsden amateur. Sadly Heywood narrowly pipped Walsden to the title, however a
very strong second team meant that the club won the aggregate trophy for the
first time in their history. This feat
was also achieved in 2008 when the club engaged in the services of the
all-rounder Janaka Gunerathne
from
In
2010 local batsman James Rawlinson achieved a major feat by breaking the club
batting record held by Blake (1210 runs) by scoring 1376 runs which was the
most runs in the league thereby winning the Sir Frank Worrell trophy, following
in the footsteps of Toshack (1987), Hooson (2003) and
Blake (2006).
After
another mid table finish in 2011 expectations for 2012 were high with the
return of several players and the recruitment of an exciting left arm spinning
all rounder. The expectations were fulfilled and Walsden
won the League for the first time in 48 years. For the full
story CLICK HERE.
In
2013 the Club had the most successful season in its history when the First team
won the League again & reached the Wood Cup final,
the Second team won the League and reached the Burton Cup Final. The club also
won the Aggregate Trophy for the fourth time in seven years. For the full story
of the First team league triumph in 2013 CLICK
HERE
2014 Was
anticipated to be another good season with the same Team as 2013 plus Sri
Lankan Spinner Batsman Umesh Karunaratne
as Pro. Unfortunately Norden CC had strengthened
their Team significantly as well. They ran out as League Champions with Walsden First & Second Teams being League
Runners-up. Walsden also reached the Semi Final of
the LCB Trophy whilst the Second Team were again Runners-up in the Burton Cup
Final. A successful season but no Trophies!
2015 Was the
final season of the CLL with the CLL joining the Saddleworth
League to form the Pennine League from 2016. The 2015
season was a near mirror image of the 2014 season, with Walsden
again being runners-up in the Premier League and again LCB Cup semi finalists.
The Second Team were again runners-up in the 2nd Eleven Premier
League.
2016 Was the
first year of the newly formed Pennine Cricket League (PCL) which was an
amalgamation of the Central Lancashire League and Saddleworth
League, comprising 2 divisions of 12 Teams. Walsden First Team, again with Umesh
as Pro had the most successful season in the Clubs history, winning both the
Premier League (outright), and the Wood Cup in a thrilling final verses
Rochdale at Redbrook. The Second Team also had
another successful year to become runners-up in the Second Eleven Premiership.
The combined success of both Teams meant that the Club won the Aggregate Trophy
for the fifth time in the last eleven seasons. A very successful year!
2017 Was
another very successful year for the first team (with the second team finishing
4th). Despite early Cup exits (2 due to Bowl outs) the First Team
lost only 1 League game all Season and won the Final PCL Premiership by 7
points. Professional Umesh had a superb Season
accompanied by the very strong Amateur side. Walsden
CC became the only winners of the PCL Premiership before the PCL finished at
the end of the 2017 Season with the majority of the PCL Clubs joining the
Greater Manchester League and 7 Clubs (including Walsden)
joining the Lancashire League for the 2018 Season onwards.
Interesting facts in the Clubs
History
|
1888 |
The Rev Russell Napier represented Lancashire twice
scoring 48 runs and taking 11 wickets for 102 including 4 for 0 against |
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1937 |
With
six seasons as professional only leg spinner Jimmy Hatchman
served longer as professional than any other Walsden professional. Jimmy had two spells of 3 seasons
1937-38-39 and remarkably again in 1955-56-57. In
1937 Hatchman took 123 wickets, a club record which
stands today. |
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Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Average |
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577 ==== |
81 ===== |
1,761 ===== |
123 ===== |
14.7 ===== |
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1950 |
The club has only ever produced one player who has gone on
to play county cricket |
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Sydney Starkie left Walsden to join Northamptonshire in 1951 playing until
1956 mainly in 2nd X1 cricket. |
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His figures in first class matches were as follows: |
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Matches |
Inns |
N.O. |
Runs |
H.S. |
Ave |
|
95 |
110 |
33 |
857 |
60 |
10.71 |
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He took 166 wickets at average
34.25. Best bowling 6-33. Catches 64. |
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1951 |
P B Wight played as an amateur in 1951 for ten matches. A
West Indian he went on to play for Somerset and later became a first class
umpire. |
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1958 |
Dick Pollard played two matches as an amateur for Walsden. Pollard had played for Lancashire from 1933-1950 and represented England four times against Australia. |
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1969-73 |
Cec Wright who was professional for 5 years 1969 to 1973.
He took a remarkable 538
wickets for the club. His figures are as follows: |
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Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Average |
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1969 |
345 |
61 |
1104 |
116 |
9.51 |
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1970 |
396 |
57 |
1,273 |
114 |
10.72 |
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1971 |
332 |
56 |
1,208 |
114 |
10.59 |
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1972 |
389 |
35 |
1,225 |
90 |
13.61 |
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1973 |
378 |
53 |
1,265 |
104 |
12.01 |
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_____ |
_____ |
_____ |
_____ |
_____ |
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Total
|
1,840 |
262 |
6,075 |
538 |
11.29 |
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===== |
===== |
===== |
===== |
===== |
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The eighth ball over was still in place
meaning Cec took a wicket every 3.5 overs or every
27 balls. |
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1996 |
After only 12 games professional Paul Hutchison had taken 62
wickets and looked set to break the league record. A dislocated shoulder
meant that he could not bowl for many weeks and he finished the season with
75 wickets. |
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2012 |
Left arm Spinner Ranil Dhammika took an incredible 119 wickets at an average of
7.9 runs per wicket. The 119 wickets are an overs cricket record beating Ces Wrights total of 116 in 1969
& was only 4 wickets behind the all time Club record of 123 wickets by
Jimmy Hatchman in 1937. The miserly average of 7.9
is certainly the best by any player in the Central Lancashire League for the
last 10 years and may be one of the best averages in the history of the
League. |
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COPY OF
AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY DONALD RIGG IN 1991
Copy Of Article Written By Jon Green Chairman In March 2014
Copy Of Article Written On 30 Year History By W.Barker
1971
1964
Season - Walsden are CLL Champions
1962
SEASON - WHEN NOUGHT NOT OUT WON THE LEAGUE
NEW
ENLARGED LANCASHIRE LEAGUE
2018
was Walsden's first season in the new enlarged
Lancashire League of 24 teams. It was a wonderful season when the sun shone for
most of the season and Walsden as a club lost very
few games. The first team lost only one game all season to become league
champions at their first attempt. Our second and third teams were also crowned
league champions with the seconds also winning the Telegraph cup. This was the
first time in Lancashire League history that all three teams had won their
league in the same season.
A truly remarkable event.
The
first team also got to the last 8 of the Lancashire Cricket Board trophy losing
in a tight game to eventual Liverpool competition winners Northern CC.
Old Drainage Map of Walsden
C & BC.
Walsden Pavilion History – Please Click Here, (Opens In Adobe as PDF)
1949 Season - It Pays
To ask First.
Clockwise from top
left -
Frank Scott
Billy Scott
Will Barker
Chris Barker
Since then Nick
Barker has also been first eleven captain - 5 generations.
A short history of Walsden C&BC written by A S in Oct 2018
Walsden
Cricket and Bowling Club
Season 2018
is one the players and members of Walsden Cricket and
Bowling Club will never forget. The club became champions of the famous
Lancashire League at their first attempt, losing only one match in the whole
campaign. In addition the second and third eleven also won their respective
leagues with the seconds also winning the Telegraph Challenge Cup. This was the
first time in Lancashire League history that all 3 teams had become champions
of their leagues.
The
village club has come a long way since its foundation in 1870. The club became
a founder member of the Central Lancashire League in 1872 competing against
large towns such as Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and Stockport. Success was a long
time in coming and not until 1954 did the club win any silverware when they won
the Wood Cup Competition (aided in no small way by a certain Everton
Weekes).1962 saw the club become joint League Champions and Wood Cup winners
followed by becoming outright League Champions in1964. There were no more
league championships until the successes of 2012 and 2013, although there were
three more Wood Cup successes in between. Following the demise of the Central
Lancashire League in 2015, the club joined the newly formed Pennine League
where it won the Premier League both in 2016 and 2017, before moving to the
Lancashire League and the championships of 2018. The club has always prided
itself on the fact that the vast majority of its players have been born or
lived in the village with the exception of the professional. Although known for
their prudence in signing professionals some stars of the Test Arena who have
graced the Scott Street ground as Walsden
professional include Everton Weekes, Trevor Chappell, Mohsin
Khan, Andy Bichel and Shaun Marsh.
Off the
field the Club has always been the centre of Walsden
village life, along with St Peter’s Church. The original wooden club pavilion
built in 1910 (a converted Mission Hall from Oldham) purchased for £25, was
over the years used for weddings, funerals, plays, dances and many more events.
In the late 1950’s the club was close to folding, but in a bold move with a
superb fundraising effort the new dressing rooms and bar were added alongside
the 1910 building. As the years went on the team became one of the harder clubs
to beat on the field and off the field the club managed to stay in the black
due to a great team of hard working committee and members. By the 1990s the old
Mission Hut was really showing its age so with the Millennium looming the
Committee decided to demolish it and with the help of Lottery Grants and
donations from local residents and local businesses the new Millennium Suite
was built and opened in 2000. The new building remains the centre of village
life for the local community and has recently had a major facelift. The building
is environmentally friendly with solar panels and air source heat exchange
system. All weather practice wickets and a digital scorebox have been installed
on the ground and great emphasis has been placed on coaching and coaching
facilities for its five junior teams.
The
future of the club looks well set for the next generation but it will take a
monumental effort to top the triple league winning season of 2018.
Author:
Allan Stuttard
Nov 2018.