Posted by Tony Hutton
Firstly I must congratulate our fellow contributor, the prolific Mike Latham, who was yesterday honoured by Leigh Centurians Rugby League club, of which he is Chairman. His picture now appears on the wall of honour of the Centurian pub in Leigh which shows the all time greats of the club. To see the picture search Mike Latham on Facebook. The respect felt for all his hard work over the years is mirrored by the number of congratulatory comments. He feels that this is equivalent to the heads of American Presidents which appear on Mount Rushmore!
Now back in time to cricket during the Second World War when I was a regular spectator as a very young boy at Roundhay Park Oval in Leeds. The month of July 1943 was particularly memorable as my uncle Geoff Stones and his two brothers were not only regular members of the Jack Appleyard's XI charity team but also appeared, together with a brother in law, for Kirkstall Educational in the Hepworth Cup Final played at Roundhay in front of an estimated crowd of 22,000.
More of that later, but the month started on Sunday 4.7.1943 with a rather low key game at Roundhay between Jack Appleyard's XI and Edgar Robinson's Bradford League XI. Appleyard's team contained several county players, Horace Fisher (Yorkshire), Tommy Mitchell (Derbyshire), Frank Woodhead (Notts), B.P. King (Worcester) and Jim Bailey (Hampshire). None of them, apart from Woodhead who top scored with 38, made many runs and chasing 133 to win just made it by one wicket.
The Bradford League XI reinforced by Charlie Harris (Notts) and Tom Goddard (Gloucester) with many notable league players such as Arnold Hamer, later to do well with Derbyshire after the war, had struggled to make an all out total of 132.
A week later Appleyard's XI made 200-7 with Horace Kippax scoring 57 and F. Ambler 54. This was far two many for Lancashire's Bill Farrimond's XI who could only make 126-7 in a drawn game. Tom Goddard took 6-80 for Appleyard's XI. He played on for Gloucestershire for several seasons after the war and was always a regular wicket taker.
Sunday 18th July saw some high scoring with Yorkshire's Wilf Barber scoring 101 not out, Hampshire's Jim Bailey 73 in forty minutes and Horace Fisher 40 towards an Appleyard's XI total of 244-3 against a British Army XI. The Army side replied with a good effort, making 191-9 with Yorkshire and England batsman Maurice Leyland making 38, Whitehead 53 and Wreford-Brown 54.
The following Saturday saw some interesting league cricket games including a Leeds League match between North Leeds and Kirkstall Educational. My uncle, Geoff Stones, who was a slow left arm bowler took 5-47 for Kirkstall to dismiss North Leeds for 135. Kirkstall then cruised to victory with 142-2. In the Bradford League Johnny Lawrence, who was to make his mark for Somerset after the war, scored 141 not out for Bingley against local rivals Keighley in a total of 241-4 declared. He then proceeded to take 5-25 with the help of four stumpings and a catch for wicket keeper Ken Fiddling, who joined Northants after the war.
 |
| Roundhay Oval, Autumn 2015 |
Sunday 25th July saw Appleyard's XI secure an easy victory over Rotherham at Roundhay Park with a total of 176-9 including 49 from Yorkshire's Alex Coxon and 44 from Hampshire's Dawson. Rotherham were bowled out for only 59, with leg spinner Tommy Mitchell from Derbyshire taking 6-23. The following day Appleyard's XI played an evening match at East Leeds and, including three Stones brothers, had another easy victory.
To round things off for the month Saturday 31st July saw the big match the Leeds League Hepworth Cup Final take place at the Roundhay Oval in front of a massive crowd estimated at 22,000 by the local press. This is the first game I can really remember attending, at only six years old, mainly due to the fact that my uncle Geoff Stones was playing and actually spoke to me while fielding on the fine leg boundary. His two brothers Philip and George also played together with Roy Walker, who married his sister in law. Philip became a famous TV and film actor, dropping the final s from his surname in the process. Another brother John was very lucky to survive time spent in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.
Geoff Stones is on the left of the back row, with Philip beside him. George Stones is third from right on the back row and Roy Walker, who emigrated to Australia, is extreme right on the front row
Can't say I remember much about the actual game but Kirkstall won it with some ease bowling out Lofthouse for only 102 (Geoff Stones 6-46, Philip Stones 4-50) and then proceeded to knock off the runs scoring 104-3 to win by seven wickets. I am sure Geoff was good enough to have played county cricket, but like so many his best years came during the war. However he moved on with more success first at Hanging Heaton in the Yorkshire Council and then with Lancaster and Morecambe in the Ribblesdale and Northern Leagues in Lancashire.
Unknown to all those present at the game that day far away in Italy, where fierce fighting was still going on, the great Yorkshire and England cricketer Hedley Verity was killed in action. News of his death only got to England a few days later when numerous tributes were paid by former team mates to this much revered cricketer and gentleman. On Saturday 4th September his former captain Brian Sellars wore a black armband in his memory while playing for the Army against the National Police XI at Lord's.
A year later a Hedley Verity memorial match was held at Roundhay Oval with two star studded sides of great cricketers including Wally Hammond, Herbert Sutcliffe, George Duckworth, Eddie Paynter and many more, with Wilfred Rhodes as one of the umpires.. Unfortunately it was affected badly by rain, but not before his great friend Len Hutton had scored 80 not out.
No comments:
Post a Comment