NYSD expansion

posted by John Winn

'Shildon Railway becomes the latest club to join the NYSD family' is a headline taken from the Darlington CC website dated 18th January and there follows a detailed history of the South West Durham club. Founded in 1909 and known for many years as Shildon BR, the town's railway heritage is still recognised in the club's name. Even the club's address, Hackworth Road, reflects the era of steam for the road is named after Timothy Hackworth, the first locomotive superintendent of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

When first established the club largely served as a recreational outlet for men employed at the local wagon works which closed in 1984. Its first experience of league cricket was in the Mid-Durham Senior League before joining the Durham County League in the 1950s. The club's honours board records three championships and numerous cup wins. Dame Fortune's bus pass has not taken her  to Hackworth Road in recent years and the move to the NYSD is seen as an opportunity to allow a young side to develop. The first team will begin life in the third division with a trip to Wolviston, near Billingham, on the 18th of April. The first visitors to Hackworth Road will  be Northallerton II, the following Saturday. I believe both Tony and Brian can count Shildon on their long lists of grounds visited but should I make the trip it will be a first for me.

 

Expansion has come relatively recently to the NYSD. That newcomers were not welcome is illustrated by the experience of Richmondshire CC. In the seventies they were among the strongest clubs in the Darlington and District League but their annual application to the NYSD brought no profit until 1981, when to their amazement they were accepted. This seems to have been the result of significant ground improvements including social facilities. That their playing strength merited promotion was shown by several successful campaigns in the 80s and their eyes turned towards A Division cricket but there were some in high places within the league who were opposed to any promotion/relegation between the two divisions. Club President then and now, David Crane* spoke of an 'aggressive despondency'** within the club over the issue which was not relieved until 1994 when pressure from second division clubs overcame the resistance and allowed the Swaledale club to become one of the most successful clubs in the league in recent years winning the championship in 1995, 2012 and 2013 and runners up to Darlington in 2104.

 

Darlington v Richmondshire 2014

This dramatic move came one year after the league celebrated its centenary, no point rushing things, but with almost indecent haste 2011 saw the introduction of two up two down between the A and B Divisions. If accusations of a closed shop were appropriate in the past they cannot be made today for the league seems to have taken on an expansionist position. Evidence for this is of course provided by Shildon's entry and the news that the league is in discussions with two long standing and successful members of the Darlington and District League, Rockcliffe Park and Barton who have expressed interest in joining the league.

Finally the answers to last week's quiz which asked for the ten oldest living English test players. They are as follows, caps in brackets and with their years of birth.

DV Smith Sussex (3), 1923, F Ridgeway Kent (5), 1923, R Appleyard Yorkshire (9) 1924, GHG Doggart Sussex (2) 1925, DJ Insole Essex (9) 1926, JG Dewes Middlesex (5) 1926, DB Carr Derbyshire (2) 1926, TW Graveney Gloucestershire and Worcestershire (79) 1927, JJ Warr Middlesex (2) 1927 NI Thompson Sussex (5) 1929

If you want to chew this list over with like minded folk you might like to consider who should have had more caps than they got and who were lucky to get as many  as they did.

ps Jim the Dog visits one of his favourite kennels on Wednesday, Todmorden CC, 12:30 for 1:00

* and co-author with Randall Orchard of NOT OUT!, the excellent club history published in 2010.

** a quote from an article by Mike Amos supporting the club's cause in 1991 although judging by Mike's luxuriant facial hair the accompanying  photograph was taken when Noddy Holder was in his pomp

 

I am grateful to Tony Hutton for this picture of cricket at Shildon in 2005