Remembering Len Hutton

 Posted by Tony Hutton 

Len Hutton (no relation by the way) was a wonderful opening batsman for Yorkshire and England who is still best remembered for making the then highest ever Test match score of 364 for England against Australia at the Oval in 1938, beating the previous record of 334 set by Australia's Don Bradman. He went on to become England's first professional captain, with great success against Australia crowning the later years of his career.

Don Bradman and Len Hutton.

Having grown up in Fulneck, Pudsey mid-way between Leeds and Bradford, his earliest cricket was with the local Bradford League side Pudsey St. Lawrence, where he is still remembered with the Len Hutton gates and items of memorabilia in the club house. He soon came to the attention of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and made his first appearance just before his eighteenth birthday against Cambridge University in 1934. Sadly he ran himself out for a duck, which was also his score when he made his Test debut some three years later.

The final match of the 1938 series against Australia changed his life with all the publicity which went with the record Test match score. Here are the two teams which took part in that memorable game together with the full scorecard.

 Hutton went out to bat on Saturday morning, August 20th, and was out at half past two on the following Tuesday afternoon having batted for thirteen hours and twenty minutes. Sunday of course had been a rest day. There was no time limit on the match and he could afford to take his time on a perfect batting wicket. Only one chance came along when Ben Barnett missed a possible stumping when Hutton had reached forty. For much of the innings he was supported by his county colleague Maurice Leyland, with whom he shared a partnership of 382.

The Australians were handicapped by the loss of one of their opening bowlers just before the game and suffered further injury problems which meant that both Bradman and Fingleton were unable to bat in either innings. This all happened before the days of television, but thirty thousand were at the Oval and millions listened on the radio to hear Bradman's record broken.

Bradman (left) was the first to congratulate Hutton along with Joe Hardstaff the other batsman.

An interesting picture shows Hutton being congratulated by Bill Brown but you wonder what Bradman (extreme right) is saying to his bowler Fleetwood-Smith who finished with figures of 1-298.

Unlikely to be seen again - last player 364.

My own personal memories of Len Hutton were during the late 1940s and early 1950s, when as a young schoolboy I saw the start of his century against South Africa at Headingley in 1947, then 100 not out in my first county match at Huddersfield in 1948. After that the two most un-memorable innings were seeing him run out for nought against Lancashire in 1949 and clean bowled by Ray Lindwall for nought in the 1953 Test at Headingley. I can to this day remember the eerie silence as he walked slowly back to the pavilion on each occasion.

I also remember his outstanding performances during the month of June in 1949 when he scored a record 1294 runs including seven centuries and rather surprisingly three successive ducks. On the 14th June in the second innings of the Headingley Test with New Zealand he was caught Mooney bowled Cave 0, the next day at Worcester he was lbw bowled Reg Perks 0 and the following day in the second innings bowled Perks 0.

In 1951 he completed his one hundredth century against Surrey on yet another memorable day at the Oval, where he also led England to an Ashes victory in 1953 before repeating this feat in Australia.

Hutton's hundredth hundred at the Oval in 1951 applauded by the Surrey team.

Although a successful captain with England, Hutton was never officially appointed captain of Yorkshire. The next picture is quite unique for two reasons, showing Hutton as acting captain and including Joe Lister, later to become the county secretary, in a very rare first class appearance.

Harry and Basher's last stand

By Mike Latham

Harry Pilling trudges off after his final innings

It’s a privileged sportsman who ends his playing days on his terms.

In my experience of many years of watching rugby league, football and cricket around 90percent of players don’t end their careers in that way and as a result often harbour disillusion about the sport they served so well.

Injury, loss of form, old age, politics are all among the factors that feature.

I was reminded of this adage the other day when I found lost long photographs that I took of a Second Eleven Championship game 35 years ago.

Way back then I was an articled clerk in Manchester, just about the most boring and pressurised existence on the planet. Bored to death 90pc of your working life, pressurised the remaining 10pc, knowing one examination failure would mean your P45.

Not a great different to playing county cricket.

Somehow, I managed a few hours off work on Friday, 6 September 1985, maybe on the pretence of attending a stocktake or the opening of an envelope. Life as an articled clerk in those un-lightened days was one step up from slavery.

I must have had the presence of mind to pack my trusty Praktica camera on my way to work and a few hours later was finding it useful.

The Second Eleven Championship game at Towncroft, Middleton’s wonderful ground was ruined by rain but finally the clouds lifted and there was a chance of play.

It had been a dreadful summer weather-wise and the previous day I’d attended the finale of the Bolton League’s showpiece game, the Hamer Cup Final. The long-running saga was finally concluded on a bitterly cold but bright evening, originally scheduled for Sunday 4 August at Egerton, finished 33 days later at Westhoughton, Farnworth beating Bradshaw by eight runs.

Incidentally, Rod Tucker, now a renowned international umpire, was Farnworth’s professional that day though it was my mate Phil Hall who was crucial in his side’s victory by eight runs, his miserly off-spin taking 3-4 in a late collapse. Tucker 1-75 off 23. Thanks for coming. Though in fairness he did make 53 earlier, much earlier.

Anyway, back to Middleton. On the Thursday play finally began at 4.30pm, a one-innings game agreed.

Notts struggled against a strong Lancashire attack, David Fraser-Darling the mainstay of their 111 in 37.5 overs. Patrick Patterson, a fast Jamaican bowler already established in the Lancashire first team and on his way to Test honours with West Indies took 4-37. Dane Soren Henriksen, following Derbyshire icon Ole Mortensen into the English game, 4-42.

It was the final game for Basher Hassan, a Notts stalwart, Kenyan born, 332 first-class games, over 14,000 first-class runs, batting three, bowled Henriksen 7.

And on the Lancashire side Harry Pilling, proudly sporting his Lancashire cap and sweater was also bowing out, his services as second eleven captain/coach dispensed with by the committee.

Harry had made his county second eleven debut in 1959, played 333 first-class games, scored over 15,000 runs for the Red Rose, been a hero of their successes in the early years of the one-day game, at 5ft3 one of the smallest first-class cricketers ever, but few had a bigger heart.

As I said earlier, few players finish on their terms, but Basher and Harry both deserved better than this, a rain affected late season second team game watched by the proverbial two men and a dog. Sadly, as I’d set off that day intending to go to work, my dog stayed at home.

Notts had a young Zimbabwe born fast bowler on trial. Name of Hugh Page. 20-years-old, hungry, rapid. After two days cooped up in the finest hotel the Middleton area had to offer, he was unleashed.

On that Friday morning Notts looked inspired, captain Mike Bore, a highly experienced left-arm bowler who’d begun his career with Yorkshire, leading his troops, Chris Scott an impressive wicketkeeper. Young aspirant David Millns, later to take over 500 first-class wickets at a rapid pace reduced to fielding duties, Hong Kong born paceman John Bacon (later three games for Cheshire) opening the bowling with Page.

Page was superb, though the pitch was dubious. My notes refer to balls lifting alarmingly off a length and generous turn afforded to Bore. It was never going to be a long day at the cricket.

Hugh Page to Michael Atherton

Hugh Page to David Hughes

In retrospect the Lancashire top five looks decent, Mark Chadwick and David Varey the openers, Andy Hayhurst at three, David Hughes four, a young Manchester GS product from Woodhouses CC at five by the name of Michael Atherton, two years before his first-class debut and a subsequent stellar Test career, wicketkeeper John Stanworth at six, Pilling at seven.

Michael Atherton lbw Page 11

One by one Page dismantled the early order, Atherton the key wicket, lbw 11.

John Stanworth b Page 0

David Hughes b Page 21

In no time it was Harry’s turn. Batting seven, cometh the hour, cometh the man at 49-5.

A classical cover drive off Bore got Pilling runs.

Harry Pilling lbw Page

But in no time at all, he was leg before Page 4 and trooped off, his wonderful career at an end. Careers rarely end to the adulation of thousands.

Ian Folley survives a chance

Ian Folley came in at no8 and took the attack to Notts, finally caught and bowled by Bore for 39.

Lancashire 95 all out (Page 5-41, Bore 3-31, Bacon 2-23), Notts winners by 16 runs at 1.57pm, thankfully just before the excellent fish and chip shop near the ground closed for business until tea-time.

Page had a good career, later played for Staffordshire and Essex in this country, South Africa Cricketer of the Year 1985, but never reached the heights that day in Middleton suggested he would.

That Notts side, in retrospect, was decent. It included Mike Newell, Kevin Evans and Andy Afford among others, players who gave so much to the county.

In the days long before the internet there was a bush telegraph among Cricket Badgers. And the more enlightened already had a Plan B in place in case of an early finish.

Half an hour later we were at Werneth CC, a Lancashire Cup semi-final between Werneth and Preston, 2.30pm start.

A thrilling game watched by a growing and attentive crowd, boosted by the arrivals from Middleton. Preston’s pro was the Australian Colin Miller, Werneth’s the left-handed West Indies batsman Elvis Reifer.

Werneth CC v Preston 1985

Elvis Reifer hits out for Werneth

Preston 138-8 in 40 overs.

Werneth 139-9 in 40 overs, pro Elvis Reifer 55, the winning runs a bye off the last ball at 7.53pm.

I finally got home at 9pm, a hard day at the office.

The Higson Cup- a great cricketing tradition

 By Mike Latham

 

By all accounts Tom Higson was a modest cricketer, but he left an indelible mark on the game by donating the Higson Cup to be competed for by clubs comprising the North Lancashire and District League, now the Cumbria Cricket League, via a compromise as the North Lancashire & Cumbria Cricket League.

 

The knock-out trophy, inaugurated in 1923, is eagerly contested, the final one of the highlights of the cricketing year in the far north-west of England, where the passion for the game still burns brightly. In 2019 Furness won the cup, thanks largely to a superb all-round performance by their Sri Lanka international professional, Sachith Pathirana. He scored 83 in his side’s 195-8, then took five wickets as Keswick were bowled out for 95 in reply.

 

Tom Higson was a former Oxford University, Derbyshire and Lancashire player who captained Kendal CC in the North Lancashire League for several seasons. Born Stockport in 1873, he played 29 first-class games between 1892 and 1923, scoring 584 runs at 12 and taking 41 wickets with slow off-breaks at 28.

 

His contribution to cricket was more marked off the field; he was a member of the Lancashire Committee for 49 years and succeeded the late Sir Edwin Stockton as chairman in 1932, serving in that role until 1949 after a previous stint as honorary treasurer for eight years.

 

Tom Higson

 

Between 1931 to 1934 Higson was a member of the MCC Selection Committee, a Test selector, alongside Sir Pelham Warner and Percy Perrin.

 

Another great servant to cricket is the Cumbrian stalwart Gilbert Johnstone, a man familiar to many who read these pages. Gilbert, who now resides in Workington, was, by his own admission, no great shakes as a player but contributed so much as an umpire and later administrator, serving on the Cumberland CCC committee for many years.

Gilbert Johnstone

Gilbert has also spent many years researching the history of the game in Cumbria, ensuring scorecards are recorded for posterity on the Cricket Archive website.

As well as researching every scorecard for a Cumberland CCC game, he combined with me to research the Higson Cup and now every final is recorded on the CA website, many previous games in the rounds also.

Millom were the first winners of the Higson Cup, then played as a midweek competition with no limit on overs. In the inaugural final they played Ulverston at Dalton, a low-scoring game watched by a large crowd.

Railway Meadow, Dalton-in-Furness, pictured at the 1954 Higson Cup Final – and again, at a club game, in 2018 (below)

Played on Wednesday, 8 August 1923, the Millom Gazette recorded: “The crowd was a big one and the vocal exercises of those in it left no doubt as to the conglomerate nature of its composition.

“Ulverstonians predominated but Millom had taken a fairly large number of supporters.”

Millom batted first, mustering 89, Alex Rigg and Herbert Thomas adding 42 in the only partnership of note.

“The total was not formidable, but it was too much for Ulverston,” the Gazette added. “Only Brockbank reached double figures as Gill and Thomas bowled with deadly effect.”

Maurice Gill, a native of Burnley, was the Millom professional, a left medium bowler of cunning and accuracy.

Gill took 5-25, Thomas 5-13 as Ulverston were bowled out in 24.3 overs. “(Syd) Mudge kept a grand wicket and the fielding was better than usual,” the Gazette reporter added, generously.

A great crowd awaited the triumphant team as they returned later that evening to Millom station.

Many a great tale has been told of Higson Cup Finals since and thanks largely to Gilbert, with a little help from me, they are recorded here:

Higson Cup Finals 1923-2019

1923 (8 Aug) at Dalton CC: MILLOM 89 (F Boon 4-23) defeated Ulverston 40 (M Gill 5-25, HH Thomas 5-13) by 49 runs.

1924 (27 Aug) at Dalton CC: FURNESS 85 (W Ormanby 7-23) defeated Millom 46 (H Ogden 6-22, WG Collinge 4-24) by 39 runs.

1925 (27 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 144 (S Youren 5-37) defeated Dalton 40 (AE Bancroft 6-21, J Tyldesley 4-18) by 104 runs.

1926 (25, 26 Aug) at Dalton CC: MILLOM 169-8 (WF Pennington 4-31) defeated Kendal 166 (H Hall 64, HO Walmsley 8-65) by 2 wickets.

1927 (25 Aug) at Barrow CC: FURNESS 121 defeated Morecambe 105 (J Melville 6-28) by 16 runs.

1928 (13 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW was awarded the Cup by default after Millom refused to play after the date was changed from 15 Aug.

1929 (12 Aug) at Furness CC: DALTON 165 (H Hall 9-85) defeated Kendal 111 (EB Jackson 4-31, J Walker 4-14) by 54 runs.

1930 (11 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 108 (G Hargreaves 4-33) defeated Whitehaven 52 (HO Walmsley 6-28, HH Thomas 4-20) by 56 runs.

1931 (10 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 59-5 (RD Pickthall 4-34) defeated Kendal 57 (HO Walmsley 9-26) by 5 wickets.

1932 (8 Aug) at Barrow CC: NETHERFIELD 178 (WH Davies 99, RH Ayres 5-42) defeated Vickerstown 123 (WH Davies 4-31, F King 4-25) by 55 runs.

1933 (14 Aug) at Furness CC: DALTON 189 (S Redhead 62, G Stephenson 4-20) defeated Barrow 144 (V Smith 5-73) by 45 runs.

1934 (8 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 109-9 (R Wilson 6-29) defeated Cumberland Motor Services 108 (AC Williams 7-48) by 1 wicket.

1935 (8 Aug) at Barrow CC: DALTON 190 (S Redhead 78, J Graham 6-57, A Denison 4-80) beat Kendal 135 (V Smith 5-65, G Gibson 4-48) by 55 runs.

1936 (13 Aug) at Barrow CC: FURNESS 157 (J Walker 57, A Graves 5-69, E Steele 4-46) defeated Whitehaven 122 (R Ayres 5-47, WRC Houston 5-46) by 35 runs.

1937 (5 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 103 (E Steele 5-26) defeated Whitehaven 102 (G Higgins 5-30, R McIntosh 4-35) by 1 run.

1938 (4 Aug) at Barrow CC: CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES 108 (WH Davies 5-38) defeated Vickerstown 87 (W Kinrade 5-34) by 21 runs.

1939 (10 Aug) at Furness CC: KENDAL 127 (RJ McIntosh 5-58) defeated Barrow 107 (W Stead 4-54) by 20 runs.

1945 (6 Aug) at Dalton CC: FURNESS 139-7 (WH Davies 66no) defeated Millom 111 (W Horne 53, W Ormandy 4-13) by 28 runs.

1946 (8 Aug) at Furness CC: BARROW 214-8 (CJ Tomkin 58, C Clarkson 57, H Dalzell 5-62) defeated Kendal 76 (J Holroyd 5-40) by 138 runs.

1947 (7 Aug) at Furness CC: MILLOM 103-5 defeated Kendal 102 (W Harrison 52, W Horne 6-47, J Procter 4-47) by 5 wickets.

1948 (5 Aug) at Furness CC: KENDAL 86-0 defeated Barrow 83 (E Leeming 4-42) by 10 wickets.

1949 (4 Aug) at Barrow CC: FURNESS 149-8 (W Horne 58, K Bennett 58, FW Anderson 4-25) defeated Ulverston 106-9 by 43 runs.

1950 (10 Aug) at Barrow CC: WORKINGTON 96 (B Reed 5-25) defeated Kendal 51 (R Wilson 6-31, J Bowes 4-20) by 45 runs.

1951 (9 Aug) at Barrow CC: FURNESS 179-5 (JH Coombe 60no) defeated Netherfield 139 (BS Ramchand 5-67, H Gibbon 5-66) by 40 runs.

1952 (7 Aug, 27 Aug) at Barrow CC: WORKINGTON 189-8 (A Allan 61, E St Hill 4-82) defeated Vickerstown 186-6 (A Burrows 65, R Wilson 4-109) by 2 wickets. (NB: rain stopped play on 7 Aug after the conclusion of the Vickerstown innings; the match was resumed 20 days later).

1953 (5 Aug) at Barrow CC: MILLOM 176-9 (K Reid 7-62) defeated Carnforth 141 (SK Girdhari 6-74) by 35 runs.

1954 (4 Aug) at Dalton CC: MILLOM 134-1 (RK Arnold 59no, SK Girdhari 69no) defeated Barrow 131-9 (R Sharp 6-40) by 9 wickets.

1955 (3 Aug) at Dalton CC: CARLISLE 175-8 (A Ashman 78) defeated Carnforth 163 (E Miller 50, N Baxter 7-53) by 12 runs.

1956 (8 Aug) at Barrow CC: DALTON 45-5 defeated Haverigg 44 (R Polkinghorn 7-17) by 5 wickets.

1957 (8, 9 Aug) at Vickers SC: BARROW 124 (F Gibson 6-60) defeated Dalton 64 (JI Harley 6-33, B Probert 4-12) by 60 runs.

1958 (30 Jul) at Dalton CC: VICKERSTOWN 118 (EJ Purdon 4-35) defeated Workington 75 (T Wood 5-28) by 43 runs.

1959 (6 Aug) at Millom CC: CARLISLE 90-4 defeated Whitehaven 88 (AH Clapperton 5-53, D Williamson 5-32) by 6 wickets.

1960 (3 Aug) at Dalton CC: LINDAL 78 defeated Millom 77 (W Steel 7-32) by 1 run.

1961 (17 Aug) at Dalton CC: HAVERIGG 139-8 (K McCourt 4-26) defeated Workington 138-9 (MJ Gillbanks 4-57) by 2 wickets.

1962 (11 Aug) at Barrow CC: DALTON 155 defeated Furness 121-9 (H Dalzell 5-37) by 34 runs.

1963 (1 Aug) at Dalton CC: CARLISLE 148-4 (M Beaty 61) defeated Lindal 144 (H Stretch 50, D Fordy 6-30) by 6 wickets.

1964 (30 Jul) at Vickers SC: CARLISLE 175-9 (GD Cooke 65, JK Hughes 5-67) defeated Furness 157 (K Reynolds 5-49, D Fordy 4-41) by 18 runs.

1965 (30 Jul) at Furness CC: VICKERSTOWN 83-5 (P Hodgson 4-41) defeated Barrow 82 (J Thompson 5-34) by 5 wickets.

1966 (28 Jul) at Barrow CC: CARNFORTH 119-4 (DT Wilson 55) defeated Vickers SC (A Girdhari 6-39) by 6 wickets.

1967 (20 Aug) at Furness CC (NB. The first Higson Cup Final to be staged on a Sunday): VICKERS SC 137-9 (D Burns 4-47) defeated Dalton 114 by 23 runs.

1968 (18 Aug) at Dalton CC: WHITEHAVEN 148 (I Park 58, A Girdhari 4-42, S Higgins 4-32) defeated Carnforth 50 (JC Pickup 6-23, J Winter 4-23) by 98 runs.

1969 (24 Aug) at Dalton CC: WHITEHAVEN 133-8 defeated Ulverston 76 (T Thompson 6-35, C Carruthers 4-37) by 57 runs.

1970 (23 Aug) at Dalton CC: WHITEHAVEN 95 (P Hillman 7-61) defeated Vickers SC 74 (A Hodgson 5-25, T Thompson 4-25) by 21 runs.

1971 (22 Aug) at Dalton CC: MILLOM 211-5 (A Postlethwaite 74, T Thompson 4-74) defeated Whitehaven 117-6 (AJC Gray 50no) by 94 runs.

1972 (13 Aug) at Dalton CC: LINDAL 161-9 (S Usher 4-34) defeated Millom 62 (R Herman 7-29) by 99 runs.

1973 (10 Aug) at Vickers SC: WHITEHAVEN 132 (G Banks 4-30) defeated Haverigg 29 (A Hodgson 7-16) by 103 runs.

1974 (18 Aug) at Dalton CC: CARLISLE 102-3 defeated Furness 99 (J Agar 50, RH Greenup 4-38, D Musgrave 4-24) by 7 wickets.

1975 (10 Aug) at Vickers SC: LINDAL 99-5 defeated Whitehaven 97 (TE Gifford 6-23) by 5 wickets.

1976 (15 Aug) at Vickers SC: HAVERIGG 132-8 (G Monkhouse 7-75) defeated Carlisle 117 by 15 runs (D Weavers 5-49, A Sharp 4-51) by 15 runs.

1977 (14 Aug) at Vickers SC: MILLOM 189-6 (K Wilkinson 85, GH McMeekin 53) defeated Lindal Moor 121-6 (T Clarke 67no) by 68 runs.

1978 (20 Aug) at Dalton CC: FURNESS 126 (R Herman 4-35) defeated Lindal 103 (J Firth 5-56, N Mehta 5-40) by 23 runs.

1979 (12 Aug) at Furness CC: CARNFORTH 173-8 (N McDonald 4-41) defeated Vickerstown 153 (G Bates 5-19, W Stafford 4-94) by 20 runs.

1980 (17 Aug) at Barrow CC: LINDAL 157-4 defeated Penrith 151-7 by 4 wickets.

1981 (9 Aug) at Barrow CC: CARLISLE 128-4 defeated Penrith 127-8 by 6 wickets.

1982 (8 Aug) at Vickers SC: BARROW 181-6 defeated Millom 90 (M Nicholson 4-26) by 91 runs.

1983 (7 Aug) at Vickers SC: MILLOM 204-7 (D Drury 83, G Cross 4-50) defeated Workington 136 (G Reed 53, CJ Wilson 4-36) by 68 runs.

1984 (5 Aug) at Vickers SC: MILLOM 181-7 (S Sharp 74, D Drury 59) defeated Carlisle 114 by 67 runs.

1985 (30 Aug) at Barrow CC: VICKERS SC 125-1 (SM Dutton 80no) defeated Dalton 124-7 (I Cooper 61no) by 9 wickets.

1986 (3 Aug) at Barrow CC: VICKERS SC 174-8 defeated Lindal 165-7 by 9 runs.

1987 (2 Aug) at Barrow CC: DALTON 137 (S Briasco 4-19) defeated Furness 115 (D Peoples 4-17) by 22 runs.

1988 (7 Aug) at Millom CC: CARLISLE 206-5 (K Maxwell 65) defeated Penrith 178 (N Beaty 59) by 28 runs.

1989 (6 Aug) at Barrow CC: LINDAL 198-8 (C Knight 56, I Cooper 50) defeated Vickers SC 186-6 (P Shah 90) by 12 runs.

1990 (5 Aug) MILLOM 198-9 (S Carr 4-33) defeated Barrow 167-9 (SM Dutton 72) by 31 runs.

1991 (4 Aug) at Barrow CC: CARNFORTH 96-9 (S Harvey 4-40, S Akbar 4-11) defeated Vickerstown 95 (A Cowperthwaite 4-20) by 1 wicket.

1992 (2 Aug) at Askam CC: CARNFORTH 116-3 (RP Singh 58no) defeated Dalton 113-6 by 7 wickets.

1993 (22 Aug) at Millom CC: CLEATOR 170-6 defeated Penrith 169-6 (I Parker 61, A Hay 55, I Clark 4-31) by 4 wickets.

1994 (7 Aug) at Vickers SC: DALTON 133-5 (I Gibson 56) defeated Furness 132 (A Sippy 66, I Gibson 6-18) by 5 wickets.

1995 (8 Aug) at Barrow CC: CARNFORTH 231-1 (P Handley 97, D Greenwood 87no) defeated Haverigg 191 by 40 runs.

1996 (4 Aug) at Furness CC: ASKAM K SHOE 207-4 (D Knight 59) defeated Carnforth 203-6 (P Handley 63, D Greenwood 52) by 6 wickets.

1997 (3 Aug) at Millom CC: BARROW 198-6 (SA Miller 54, M Hughes 54no) defeated Whitehaven 197-7 (J Bruce 88) by 4 wickets.

1998 (2 Aug) at Dalton CC: CLEATOR 103-4 defeated Barrow 102 by 6 wickets.

1999 (1 Aug) at Askam CC: CLEATOR 196-4 (I Clark 81) defeated Furness 195-3 (A Sippy 82no, S Bond 64) by 2 wickets.

2000 (6 Aug) at Millom CC: : FURNESS 126-4 (A Sippy 71no) defeated Cockermouth 125 (G White 66) by 6 wickets.

2001 (5 Aug) at Furness CC: MILLOM 155-2 (R Bell 63) defeated Lindal 154-8 (C Knight 61no) by 8 wickets.

2002 (4 Aug) at Keswick CC: LINDAL 217-9 (P Webster 93, C Moffat 4-27) defeated Workington 215-5 by 1 wicket.

2003 (3 Aug) at BAE Sports Club: BARROW 152-5 (R Lewis 74no) defeated Dalton 149-9 (B Bell 55no) by 5 wickets.

2004 (1 Aug) at Haverigg CC: MILLOM 243-4 (T Dowlin 137no, GN Dawson 57) defeated Furness 177 by 66 runs.

2005 (7 Aug) at Cleator CC: WORKINGTON 397-7 (S Beare 215, K Moffat 61) defeated Keswick 281-8 (N Swainson 51no) by 116 runs.

2006 (28 Aug) at Workington CC: KESWICK 182 (I Khan 87, I Clark 4-24) defeated Cleator 166-9 by 16 runs.

2007 (5 Aug) at Penrith CC: CLEATOR 232-9 (D Clark 87, S James 4-29) defeated Workington 115 (D Bell 4-19) by 117 runs.

2008 (3 Aug) at Cleator CC: MILLOM 117-4 (S Swallow 58no) defetaed Keswick 116 (I Khan 67, S Bickerstaffe 4-19) by 6 wickets.

2009 (2 Aug) at Haverigg CC: FURNESS 178-9 defeated Cleator 123 (C Quin 58) by 55 runs.

2010 (1 Aug) at Haverigg CC: CLEATOR 111-5 defeated Millom 108-9 (D Rooney 4-29) by 5 wickets.

2011 (7 Aug) at Haverigg CC: WORKINGTON 237-4 (C Moffat 108, K Moffat 83no) defeated Furness 215 (I Daniel 105) by 22 runs.

2012 (12 Aug) at Penrith CC: KESWICK 186-8 (G Weightman 71no) defeated Cockermouth 162 (S Grisdale 4-46) by 24 runs.

2013 (4 Aug) at Haverigg CC: FURNESS 110-1 (I Daniel 55no) defeated Workington 107 (N Waterston 4-24) by 9 wickets.

2014 (17 Aug) at Dalton CC: FURNESS 90-2 (B Chapples 40no) defeated Ulverston 88 by 8 wickets.

2015 (2 Aug) at Haverigg CC: WORKINGTON 180-7 (CE Moffat 50) defeated Furness 178 by 2 runs.

2016 (7 Aug) at Millom CC: WORKINGTON 255 (K Gajasinghe 60, K Moffat 52) defeated Lindal 94 (S Beare 4-9) by 161 runs.

2017 (27 Aug) at Haverigg CC: CLEATOR 139-8 (MJ Daly 4-31) defeated Furness 138 (L Gribbin 47, D Blackwell 4-15) by 2 wickets.

2018 (5 Aug) at Cleator CC: FURNESS 73-2 defeated Carlisle 69 by 8 wickets.

2019 (4 Aug) at Haverigg: FURNESS 195-8 (SS Pathirana 83) defeated Keswick 95 (SS Pathirana 5-19) by 100 runs.

2020 not competed.

Boxing Day cricket

 Posted by Tony Hutton

Unfortunately I do not possess an oversize loft which Mike Latham seems to own for his vast store of sporting memorabilia. However I did come across a small volume which produced some memorable photographs of Boxing Day cricket played by the Northern Cricket Society each year without fail since 1949, until the current pandemic brought a halt this year. This is the Northern Cricket Society booklet for 1996 of which I was the editor. I was indebted to one of the Society's founder members and long time Patron, the late Len Horton, for his vast collection of photographs.

The cover picture is from a match played at Alwoodley cricket club, Leeds during the 1960s with three of the participants, Brian Close, Brian Stott and Geoff Carter waiting for the groundsman to sweep the snow off the wicket. This game apparently also features in an article in this month's Cricketer Magazine, which has not yet reached me, presumably stuck somewhere in the Christmas post. The Cricketer has now appeared but the article about Boxing Day cricket has not. Apparently it is only available on the Cricketer website.

The first game played soon after the founding of the Northern Cricket Society was played at Collingham cricket club on Boxing Day 1949. Here are two pictures taken on that day which show the two captains tossing up and the opening batsmen taking the field in front of an enthusiastic female audience.

Maurice Leyland had by this time retired from first class cricket but was still a much revered figure for his pre-war performances for Yorkshire and England.

The early games then did the rounds of various cricket clubs in the Leeds area which included Whitkirk, Bramhope, Thorp Arch and Alwoodley, before settling on what has become a permanent home of North Leeds cricket club close to Roundhay Park. This club has hosted the annual charity match every year since 1973 and has always provided a much needed warm welcome to players and spectators whatever the weather.

The next picture shows the Northern Cricket Society's team in 1950 in a match played at Whitkirk, with the larger than life figure of  wicket keeper Arthur Wood, of Yorkshire and England, captaining the team. 

Johnny Lawrence of Somerset is seen far right. He became a regular for many years and that tradition has been kept up by his son Stephen to the present day.

The following year, 1951, the game was played at Bramhope and this picture shows Arthur Wood along with Bob Appleyard, of Yorkshire and England, who was an umpire. Appleyard had just completed his wonderful season in which he took 200 wickets and was soon afterwards stricken with tuberculosis.

Arthur Wood and Bob Appleyard.

In the 1959 game the two umpires began an essential tradition of taking what became known as the 'Courvoisier Sip' from their hip flasks both before and during the game.

In 1960 the weather was not that bad and the picture of Society regular for many years Roger Turner batting at Alwoodley clearly shows shadows from the wintry sunshine.

However the weather changed for the worse in 1961 when the game was moved to Thorp Arch, not far from Wetherby where the racing had been called off due to the heavy frost. A report at the time said that the muscle men of Rugby League and the supertax prima donnas of soccer took one look at their grounds and called off matches by the dozen. At the ground of Thorp Arch and Boston Spa cricket club the players simply lit a fire under the heavy roller to free it from its ice-trap and got on with the game.

The temperature was said to be ten degrees below zero, three sweaters essential and coke braziers placed at strategic points round the boundary. Unfortunately the official scorecard seller got too near to one of them and started sending out smoke signals. It was reported that 'we solemnly buried the charred remains of his overcoat'.

A whole collection of first class cricketers turned out that day including skipper Ronnie Burnet, Brian Close, Johnny Lawrence, Duncan Fearnley, Geoff Keith (Somerset), Stan Metcalfe (Oxford University) and Freddie Millett (captain of Cheshire). Don Wilson and Geoff Boycott guested for the village side. The home side totalled 189-10 in this twelve a side match and the Northern's star-studded side set off in hot pursuit. The hundred was up in 43 minutes with Close and Keith hitting everything out of sight. Then wickets began to fall, fourteen required off the last over, two more wickets fell, last man in, overthrows, a mighty smite brilliantly stopped and the villagers had edged home to a famous victory.

1962 also at Thorp Arch, with Brian Close batting and Don Wilson and Brian Bolus in the field.

The tradition of county players appearing in the game continued into the 1970s as Ian Chappell, former chief executive of the Yorkshire Cricket Board and long serving North Leeds official detailed in an article bringing things up to date to the 1990s. The first game at North Leeds in 1973 included Geoff Cope and Chris Old of Yorkshire and Mike Page of Derbyshire. Set 150 to win the home side won with six off the last ball by Ian Foster, who repeated the trick the following year with another last ball six.

So the story continues without a break throughout the years. Peter Chadwick and Peter Kippax, giants of league cricket were outstanding for many years. Kevin Sharp turned up and scored a century in 1977. In 1981 the game even made the front page of the Daily Telegraph when three feet of snow had called off virtually every other sporting event in the country. The non-turf pitch was brushed clear  with a minimal run up and a most competitive match took place. Steve Lawrence, son of the early years pioneer Johnny Lawrence, wrote his name in the record books with centuries in 1989 and 1992.

So the games have continued without a break, whatever the weather, until this year. Always a great social occasion for the local cricket community and an opportunity to meet up with friends you would not normally see outside the cricket season. It has never become joke cricket and is always played properly with fierce rivalry between the two teams.

However we can end with a light hearted combined team picture from the snowbound year of 2009.

Fingers crossed that this great tradition will be restored again on Boxing Day 2021.

A remarkable game at Southport in 1982

 By Mike Latham

Alvin Kallicharran and Geoff Humpage in front of the Southport scoreboard 

The summer of 1982 and Lancashire are at Trafalgar Road, Southport for their county championship game against Warwickshire.

County cricket had a rhythm and predictability back then- three-day games starting on Saturdays and Wednesdays, Sunday League on a Sunday, knock-out cup-ties on a Wednesday.

Even the most mundane of fixtures eagerly awaited, holidays booked, especially for out grounds.

It sounds easy, but it is a fixture schedule long abandoned in county cricket these days.

Neither Lancashire nor Warwickshire had serious aspirations of the county championship title when they gathered at Southport on a glorious Wednesday morning, 28 July 1982.

Despite that, a big crowd was in attendance, bench seats and deck chairs claimed early, latecomers viewed with disdain.

Warwickshire won the toss and batted, Dickie Bird and Jack van Geloven the umpires.

The first hour was fairly standard stuff– Les McFarlane worked up a pace and removed openers Dennis Amiss and Robin Dyer, Ian Folley had Andy Lloyd caught behind, 53 for 3 after 12.2 overs, 11-45am. Time for a coffee from the flask.

It wasn’t a bad Lancashire attack. McFarlane and Folley, bustling right arm and left arm swing, Steve O’Shaughnessy, now a first-class umpire, then an up-and-coming former England U19s all-rounder, bowling brisk medium pace swing.  ‘Flat Jack’ Simmons, long an established member of the Lancashire bowling attack, with his miserly off-spin; David Hughes, equally long-serving, left arm spin.  John Abrahams (off spin) and David Lloyd (SLA) thrown in.

What followed was remarkable. Alvin Kallicharran was joined by wicketkeeper Geoff Humpage. I scored the innings and put an ‘x’ when a chance was dropped. Humpage was missed on 11, Kallicharran on 178, Humpage again on 189, again on 233, Kallicharran again on 177, Humpage surviving a stumping chance on 233.

In five hours of mayhem the pair added, according to me, 469 for the fourth wicket in 92.5 overs, until Humpage was bowled off-stump, heaving by the left arm spin of David Lloyd for 252.

Humpage had hit 24 fours and 13 sixes, many threatening the railway line, the gardens of adjoining houses and the deckchairs of those early spectators.

Kallicharran stroked 31 fours, off memory beautifully timed, imperious. He was 231 not out, when the declaration came. 522 for 4, 63 fours, 13 sixes, 106.1 overs.

It had been a simply amazing passage of cricket, the most sustained and ferocious attack on the bowling by Humpage I’d ever seen, but Kallicharran easily beat him to his hundred (out of 171-3) and 200 (345-3), Humpage reaching the same landmarks at 296-3 and 464-3 respectively.

In the last stages of his innings Humpage ran amok, going from 201 to 251 in the space of 11 balls, including two fours and seven sixes. After reaching 201 with a couple of runs off the third ball of the 103^rd over, bowled by McFarlane, he hit the last three of that over for 646.

He hit Folley for 646 off the last three balls of the 104^th over, then faced two dots including a missed stumping off Lloyd before hitting the final three balls of the 105^th over for 666. He faced two balls of Folley’s next over, dot and a single to go on strike to Lloyd for the start of the 107^th over, whereupon he was bowled.

I always asked batsmen who had scored a hundred to sign my scorebook and after that famous photo in front of the scorebox both kindly obliged.

My scorebook of a record-breaking partnership.

I compared my scorebook to the official version on Cricket Archive. They have the partnership as 470, not 469, Kallicharran 230 not 231 Humpage 254 not 252, total 523-4 not 522.

So, I spent part of my Christmas Day re-working the sequence, ball by ball. I got Kallicharran 228 and Humpage 255, score still 522-4.

Anyway, I don’t suppose it matters.

What followed on the next two days completed a remarkable cricket match.

Graeme Fowler had sat out most of the Warwickshire innings with a thigh strain, 12^th man Tony Murphy deputising in the field. But Fowler was allowed to open the Lancashire innings and, 40-1 overnight, the Red Rose reached 414-6 declared off 113 overs, Fowler b Asif Din 126. Ian Cockbain batted superbly for 98- what proved to be his highest first-class score. A hugely talented batsman, and a top performer in the Liverpool Competition, he never quite made the transition into first-class cricket his talent promised.

Clive Lloyd, the Lancashire captain, made 45, John Abrahams an unbeaten 51. Fowler batted with a runner, fellow Accringtonian David Lloyd on the Thursday, scoring exactly 100 runs while Lloyd did the honours. The banter between the pair would have been well worth hearing.

As another first, Gladstone Small was called up in an emergency for the first Test against Pakistan, David Brown, the Warwickshire manager replacing him in the bowling attack, the first case of a substitute in such an instance. Small later returned to the game when not required to play by England.

Warwickshire closed the second day 14-2, Dyer completing a pair, again a victim of McFarlane, Lloyd bowled McFarlane for a duck.

The third morning saw McFarlane have one of those golden days, perhaps the best of his career. He ripped through the Warwickshire batting, taking six for 59 in 20 overs, backed up by O’Shaughnessy (3-29).

First innings tormentors Kallicharran and Humpage came back down to earth, the former caught brilliantly at backward short leg by David Lloyd off O’Shaughnessy for a duck, the latter driving O’Shaughnessy to Abrahams at long on, last man out for 21, five minutes after lunch, Warwickshire all out for 111.

To complete an amazing turnaround Lancashire reached their victory target of 221 without losing a wicket, David Lloyd 88 not out, Fowler 128 not out, the latter ending the game in the grand manner with a six off Asif Din.

This time Fowler had Ian Folley as runner and he later told a good story about the innings. Maybe too confident, he skied several shots when in the 80s and 90s before Folley came over from square leg and had a sharp word. ‘Get your head down,’ he said. ‘I’ve never scored a hundred before.’

Lancashire finished a remarkable game 226-0, victory achieved at 5.36pm after 13 of the final 20 overs.

Warwickshire finished bottom the county championship that season, without a single win in 22 games, eight defeats, 14 draws, remarkable when you look at the quality players they had. Kallicharran hit 2,118 championship runs at an average of 68, while Humpage, Lloyd and Amiss all comfortably exceeded one thousand runs. Small was the only Warwickshire bowler to take over 50 wickets.

I must have been Geoff Humpage’s lucky charm as I saw him score 205 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield two years later. I last saw Alvin Kallicharran playing for Blackrod in the Bolton Association a few years ago.

And nearly 40 years on many people still talk of that remarkable game at Southport. And, for all three days, I was there.

A future Test cricketer emerges in the Bolton League in 1986

By Mike Latham

It's amazing what you find when you have time to go in your loft. In the 1980s I was an avid cricket photographer in the days long before digital photography.

I’d set myself up at cover point or mid-on on the boundary at Bolton League cricket grounds with my Praktica camera, balanced precariously on a monopod and snap away.

‘Did you get that?’ a fielder would ask me after taking a catch. ‘Hope so,’ I’d reply.

On the Monday you’d go to Max Spielmann, hand in your film and then return anxiously three days later, hoping you’d captured the key action- or, even worse, installed the film correctly. Either way you’d pay a set fee for 24, 36, 48 images. A wasted image was a costly image.

Here are a few from the Bolton League game between Westhoughton and Little Lever, May 1986 at Westhoughton’s historic old ground, The Tyldesleys, sadly now covered by a supermarket.

It’s amazing how different life was in the mid-1980s to how it is now.

One of my dad’s friends, Dennis Lyddon went watching England on their tour of India in 1984-85. Dennis was a stalwart of the Bolton League and the Little Lever club- one of the Bolton League’s trophies is named after him.

Dennis was a cricketing badger. In between the third Test in Calcutta and the fourth in Madras most of the tour party he went with occupied themselves with cultural matters. Not Dennis- he went to the three-day game between South Zone and England at Secunderabad.

While there, he saw a good left arm spinner, then aged 20, Venkat Raman. He batted no10 but scored runs in both innings and took seven wickets in the game, including David Gower and Mike Gatting.

Dennis approached him. ‘Do you fancy playing for Little Lever in the Bolton League?’ he asked. On getting a positive reply he made the arrangements, and Raman duly arrived for the 1986 season, replacing the estimable Grant Long- a South African who became a stalwart of the league- as pro.

Can you imagine doing that now? You’d have to jump through hoops with agents and visa issues and the price of cricketers is far different nowadays.

Raman settled quickly into life in Bolton and the highly competitive nature of the league.

He scored 622 runs at 28 and took 85 wickets at 15 that year.

The experience certainly did him good, and maybe that chance meeting with Dennis shaped his cricketing education.

He went on to play Test matches for India over a ten-year period but developed more as a batsman than a bowler, moving up the order and opening the batting or batting in the first five.

In this game Westhoughton, batting first, were 125 all out, West Indies pro Collis King c Costello b Raman 15. Raman took 7-36 in 24 overs of class bowling.

Westhoughton opener and non league footballer Graham Hill, c Hallows b Bacon 7

Westhoughton wicketkeeper and opener P Jones c Gregson b Bacon 9

 Raman weaves his magic on washing day in Westhoughton

Mind that car, as Raman takes 7-36

Raman wasn’t required to bat, Nigel Hallows leading the victory charge with an unbeaten 78 as the visitors won by 8 wickets. Dennis would have been happy that night.

Incidentally, the Westhoughton opener, Graham Hill, seen here caught at slip in my photo, was an outstanding non league defender and played for Leigh RMI in their famous FA Cup first round tie against Kevin Keegan's Fulham in Nov 1998. Fulham won the replay at Hilton Park, 2-0 in front of the Sky cameras and a crowd of 7,125.

Looking at my photos of the day a couple of questions arise. Why did so many people in Westhoughton do their washing on a Saturday afternoon, and why park your car on the boundary edge with a left arm spinner bowling to a strong Westhoughton batting line-up that included the great Collis King?

Cricket from long, long ago

 Posted by Tony Hutton

The first occasion on which I saw a first class cricket match was a very long time ago and despite a rather slow and damp day I was well and truly hooked on what became the habit of a lifetime. The game in question was the fourth Test match of 1947, between England and South Africa at Headingley, Leeds. My interest in the game had already been created by visits to wartime charity games at Roundhay Park, Leeds and then on moving to Huddersfield by following the fortunes of my village club - Lascelles Hall. Up till then I had only read about Yorkshire and England through the press and had even listened in the early hours of the morning to a crackling radio from Australia where England toured in 1946-47.

The 1947 South African tourists.

So to actually go to a Test match, in company with my father and grandfather, was something very special. After a drawn game at Trent Bridge, England had won the next two games at Lord's and Old Trafford fairly easily. Obviously I have only slight memories of the day and am indebted to Ken Dalby's excellent book 'Headingley Test Cricket' to fill in some of the detail. He reports that the South African captain, and star batsman, Alan Melville had mixed feelings on winning the toss after overnight rain, but in the end decided to bat.

He was soon to regret his decision, as when we were settled in our bench seats on the packed western terrace, Melville was clean bowled by Bill Edrich for a duck in only the second over of the game. Edrich who with Compton was in the middle of a wonderful batting season in which they both made well over 3,000 runs, was by no means a regular opening bowler. However, for a shortish man, he could bowl very fast for a few overs with a real tearaway run up. He certainly did the trick here to the delight of the 30,000 crowd.

Alan Melville the South African captain batting in 1947.

Sadly this loss of the key player put a real brake on proceedings with South Africa bent on survival. Dyer and Mitchell struggled to add twenty three runs in twenty four overs, before Dyer was caught behind by Godfrey Evans off his Kent colleague Doug Wright's leg spin. Lunch came with the score a measly 34-2 with, as Ken Dalby reports, the scoreboard operators haunted by fears of redundancy.

Bruce Mitchell and Dudley Nourse grafted their way to fifty each before Harold Butler, the Notts paceman playing his first Test clean bowled them both to make the score 125-4. This proved the beginning of the end for South Africa as, after Wright had bowled Viljoen for five, the middle order totally collapsed against the pace of Butler and Edrich. Only spinner 'Tufty' Mann showed much resistance with 29 and South Africa were finally all out for 175 which had taken them 97 overs. Slow stuff indeed.

However the slow rate had little effect on my schoolboy enthusiasm. To see so many great names of the game in the flesh was unbelievable. After tea came the high point of the day when Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook, the champions of Yorkshire and Lancashire, strode out to open the innings for England. The roar of appreciation which greeted them was incredible. It was Hutton's first Test appearance at Headingley and his home crowd were anxious to see him succeed.

Hutton and Washbrook open the innings at Headingley 1947

They were not disappointed as the runs soon began to flow and the last hour's play brought a flurry of boundaries, taking the overnight score to 52-0. The following day, when I was not present, there was a capacity crowd of 35,000 with the gates closed. After torrential rain, play was delayed for an hour but the two northerners gave a classic display of bad wicket batsmanship, particularly against the turning ball from spinners Athol Rowan and Mann. They put on 141 before Washbrook was bowled by Mann for 76.

Hutton went on his own imperturbable way to a magnificent century which had taken four and a half hours with only eight fours. He immediately slipped out of his crease and was run out for exactly 100. Edrich made 43, Compton 30 and skipper Norman Yardley 36 before he declared with England 317-7. It had taken them 154 overs of which Athol Rowan bowled 46, taking 1-89 and 'Tufty' Mann bowled 50 overs, taking 4-68.

Kenneth Cranston (Lancashire)

On day three of this scheduled four day match, England bowled out the visitors for 184 with three more wickets for Harold Butler and another 50 from Dudley Nourse. However the star of the proceedings turned out to be Liverpool dentist, Ken Cranston, who managed to extract four tail end wickets in just one over to finish with 4-12. Hutton and Washbrook hit off the 47 runs to win with Hutton finishing the match in style with a six.

Len Hutton ends the match with a six.