By Peter Stafford (March 1984) Back
So unutterably abysmal was the weather at the outset of last season, that it
would have to be something fairly dramatic to oust it from its usual place as
the lead-in to this annual article. But two important developments occurred
during the past 12 months, each one fundamental, not only to the day-to-day
organisations of the League, but also to its future history, both immediate and,
hopefully, in the long term.
Chronologically, the first of these two major issues was the decision taken at
the Annual General Meeting to increase the membership of the League to 14 clubs,
the first alteration to the League's strength since its formation in 1930. A
sub-committee was formed to deal with tile applications which were, in the main,
impressive, and the results were finally known at the end of March, when it was
announced that the two new clubs would be Farnworth Social Circle and Greenmount.
The new members have a lot in common. They have each enjoyed considerable
success in recent years within their previous leagues. Both are administered by
an enthusiastic and experienced group of officials, and at both Brandlesholme
Road and Piggott Street improvements have been, and are being made which reflect
that enthusiasm, and which are a sign of each club's determination to provide
first class facilities for its players and supporters.
We welcome both clubs and, in turn, offer the hope that life in the Bolton
League will live up to their own hopes and expectations, or more correctly, life
in the Vaux Bolton League, for a little later in the year, the second major
change came about when the League decided to accept the offer of sponsorship
which came from Vaux Breweries Ltd. Over the past two or three years other
sponsorship deals had been discussed but, on each occasion, for various reasons,
negotiations had broken down. During the short time our current sponsorship has
been in operation, the relationship between ourselves and Vaux Breweries has
been a mutually rewarding one, and we sincerely hope that it will remain so into
the forseeable future.
But to return, albeit reluctantly, to the weather, and to the over-influential
part it played in the first few weeks of our 1983season. The first victims were
those clubs involved in the new Floodlit Trophy, so efficiently organised by
Horwich's cricket and football clubs. Postponements and delays were the rule
rather than the exception, but in the end, the Final was played only one day
later than the date originally chosen. However, a drop of rain does not deter
them at Horwich, and, thankfully the event is to be repeated in 1984.
Appropriately, Horwich themselves won through to the Final, at which point their
opponents, Kearsley, failing to enter into the spirit of the thing, outplayed
them, and took away the first of their many trophies of 1983. But it had been a
triumph both for the organisers, and for the League, and it set a pattern for a
season which was dominated all first team level by two clubs to a larger degree
than any previous season in the League's history.
On the first two Saturdays of the season, the weather flattered to deceive, with
all 12 garnesgoingthe distance. But then cameMaywhen, in the Spring of 1983 a
young man's fancy in the Bolton League turned to thoughts, not so much of love,
but rather of whether or not he would be on a "red-inker" when the inevitable
rains came! Out of the 30 games scheduled for the f ive match-days in May, only
nine produced a positive result, with one or two of those decided on pitches
more suitable to mud-wrestling than cricket. But then, just as groundsmen were
beginning to think in terms of suicide-notes and canals, the weather relented
and allowed us to get on with our cricket in more appropriate conditions. By
this time Horwich had moved into a ten-point lead, which was handy, but not
unassailable. Kearsley were giving determined chase, and were generally regarded
as the main threat. But gradually they slipped further and further behind, as
Horwich pressed on remorselessly, bowling out side aftr side until, on July 30,
after Kearsley had been well beaten by the eventual champions in a fine game of
cricket, they finally had to hold up their hands. Horwich's fourth title was
finally clinched at Bradshaw with .three games remaining, curiously on the same
ground, and in much the same circumstances as Kearsley had secured their
championship the year before. There is no doubt whatsoever that Derek
Darbyshire's side were worthy winners. They possessed match-winning bowlers who
were backed up by some memorable fielding and catching. They batted in depth,
and if any players could be singled out then they would have to be Kallicharan
and Tee, who attacked the opposition effectively with variety and spin, and Les
McKnight, who hit 761 runs in a season when 500 was well above average. But when
the end of the season arrived, there wasn't a player in this fine side who
hadn't made some telling contribution towards the triumph at some point or
other.
The second team championship developed into a two-team struggle towards the end
of the season, once Kearsley's challenge had faded, and when the last games
began on a wet September Saturday, Tonge and Bradshaw were level at the head of
the table. Bradshaw managed to win at Farnworth, but failed to get that vital
sixth point, and so Tonge, who didn't fail to get it, became champions by a
single point. Having beaten Little Lever in the Birtwistle Cup Final in early
August, they thus became the third successive side to achieve the second team
double in three .consecutive years. Like Horwich's first eleven, Lennic Kerr's
side was worthy of the honours which came its way in 1983.
The Hamer Cup competition became just as much a victim of the rain as the League
Championship, so much so that the first and second rounds became entangled with
each other. Ties from each round were played on the same day, and Heaton had the
unusual experience of winning their first two rounds within the space of four
days, happenings possibly unique in the League's history. Whilst exciting
finishes were not the order of the day, Rounds One and Two still produced a good
number of fine individual performances, notably from Ramcharitar, Mir, Todd, and
almost the whole of the Kearsley side in Round One, and from Ali, Mitchinson,
Todd and Bennison in Round Two.
By contrast, the two semi finals were played out under a cloudless sky in June,
and whilst, again, neither produced a close result, both were games which held
the interest of the large crowds until the last ball had been bowled. At
Kearsley, Derek Darbyshire gave Horwich cause for hope with a f me innings, but
Reidy had the last word after tea, whilst at Heaton it was Ali who took the
initiative aftr Warwick Milne had kept his side in the game with an innings of
character before the tea-interval. Ali's innings of 90 grew in audacity as it
progressed, and was ended in the only way that seemed possible, a run out. But
by that time Tonge had done enough to book a return tripto Heaton for a final
which, sadly, turned out to be something of a disappointment. All the
ingredients were right. A large, thoroughly-biased crowd, the prospect of a
repeat performance from Ali, the possibility of an overturning of undoubted
favourites. But in the event, nothing really memorable happened. Tonge got
themselves bogged down. Ken Stephens bowled well, as he has a habit of doing.
Housley and Reidy knocked off the runs, competently and without much of a
flourish, and the weather, exemplary at the start, began to realise that such a
game didn't deserve its favours, the result being that the final few overs and
the presentation were completed in steady rain. Not that any of this should be
allowed to detract from Kearsley's triumph. At no stage during the entire
competition did they look in any great danger of defeat, and whilst professional
Bernard Reidy more than earned his money during the cup run, he was well
backed-up throughout, especially by Stephens, Price, Housley and Moffatt.
The Inter-League season was almost a total success. The Trinity Cup was
retained, the Edwin Taylor Trophy was won back from the Central Lancashire
League, whilst in the Wilsons Trophy competition, the side reached Old Trafford,
but fell at the last hurdle on what should have been one of the season's
outstanding days but, for a variety of reasons, wasn't the first test came at
Rochdale in Round One, when a game which ought to have been hard work
proved surprisingly undemanding. The home ,side, batting first, never got to
grips with the situation, and were dismissed for 91. It would be unfair to
single out any of the League's bowlers. All performed admirably, and the only
worrying moment came when, in reply, the Bolton side had slipped to 16 for 3.
But Mike Rogers stood firm, Mark Price reached 55 with a succession of straight
drives, and the game was over.
The semi final against the Lancashire and Cheshire League at Denton would
require an article to itself to do it justice! The Bolton League batted! first,
and at 130 for 9, looked to have lost the way. But respectability was restored
by a last-wicket stand of 33 between Phil Isherwood and deputy wicket-keeper
Clive Varley, who played superbly, top-scoring with 34. After tea, the game
swung this way and that, until, at the start of the last over, the home side
needed just nine runs with three wickets outstanding. With Isherwood off the
field, circumstances dictated that Keith Hornby should have the responsibility.
Somehow, Keith managed to keep his nerve, the batsmen didn't, and with the aid
of a well-judged boundary catch from Ian Seddon, he took three wickets in five
balls to see his side through to Old Trafford.
A fortnight later the Trinity Cup match was held at Egerton on a day when,
again, the weather had the final say. Parvez Mir carried on from where he left
off in 1982, adding another undefeated 103 to his Little Hulton century of the
previous year, and Darren Tucker contributed 41 to a final score of 196 for 5
from the 50 overs allowed. But teatime rain necessitated the working out of a
run-rate requirement, and in spite of brave efforts from Burki and Paul Tatton,
the Association fell short of the target. Not a particularly satisfying win, but
a win nevertheless, and when the series pays its second visit to Atherton in
1984, the Association will start the game 7 - 5 in the lead.
The Wilsons Final was, in many ways, something of a let-down. The wicket at Old
Trafford was difficult, to say the least, and hardly one to provide a true test
of cricket ability at any level, let alone a prestigious inter-league cup final.
On the day, however, the Northern League were by far the superior side, and good
value for their six-wicket win. Hornby, Mitchinson, Settle and Tee all played
good cricket, between them scoring 80 per cent of the League's runs, and taking
all the wickets.
At Horwich the following day, the Central League were our guests for the second
in the series of Taylor Trophy matches, and a much-changed Bolton League side
came out on top after a thoroughly entertaining game. Isherwood and Tee shared
six wickets, and another highlight was a memorable dismissal achieved by James
Hutchinson, when he demonstrated that run-outs are more easly accomplished from
a sitting position, rather than from the more normal methods as used by Randall,
Lloyd, and other lesser mortals! The CLL finally totalled 171 for 8, and after
Hardcastle (54) and Rogers (45) had given the local League a runaway start, Tony
Settle saw the match safely won with an unbeaten 36, to make it, in terms of
trophies, two out of three from a memorable and rewarding inter-league season.
Kearsley and Westhoughton each went out of the Greenall Whitley Trophy at the
first time of asking, at Southport and Liverpool respectively, and it was left
to Little Lever and Heaton to carry the flag into the later rounds. This they
did with great success until the quarterfinal when they were drawn together at
Lower Pools. After Heaton had disposed of Wardle and Blackburn Northern without
too much bother, they had a superb win over St Helens in Round Three, which had
a lot to do with a fine Todd half-century and a late blast from Hutchinson.
Little Lever had Duxbury to thank against Fylde, their bowlers against Blackpool
who were shot out for 67, and Simon Anderton, whose 83 against Barnoldswick put
his side into the all-Bolton quarter final. It proved to be the end of the road
for Little Lever, and a great personal triumph for Warwick Milne, who not only
held his side's batting together with a fine half century, but also took 3 for
25 and held a couple of steepling boundary catches, when the spilling of either
could have cost his side the game, which eventually was won and lost by eight
runs. The following Sunday, however, Heaton lost out at StAnnes in the
semi-final, when 147 was never going to be enough against a side containing
Roban Kanhai, who played impressively for his 71 not out.
The Jubilee Trophy proved as popular as ever, and was eventually won by Horwich,
who had John Atkinson to thank for a big innings in the Final which proved too
much for Farnworth. Once again Little Lever provided excellent arrangements for
the day, and were grateful to them, as indeed we are to the Townson Group for
their continued sponsorship of our Indoor Trophy. Graham Firth's Eagley side
came out on top in 1984, aftr having twice been beaten finalists in recent
years. The new Greenall Whitley / Bolton Evening News Cup Winners Trophy was won
by Kearsley, who overcame Farnworth Social Circle after a fine contest at
Westhoughton in which Phil Rawlinson, Bernard Reidy and Paul Eckersley's batting
provided much of the entertainment.
Our gratitude is due, too, to Karen and Clive Knott and Paul Gradwell, who have
now been organising and running the inter-club quiz for nine years. As a result
of this year's competition, the J. E. Owens Trophy returned to Eagley, where it
had been twice before, after an exciting final against Hindley St Peters.
Four professionals took their leave of the Bolton League at the end of last
season, each of whom have given hours of pleasure to supporters, team mates and
opponents alike. Richard Powell, Tyrone Knight and John Helmstalk have between
them a combined 12 years of Bolton League service, but perhaps most regrettable
of all is the parting of the ways between Westhoughton and Arthur Sutton. Arthur
has played 14 years cricket in the League at Eagley, Little Lever and the
Tyldesleys. He has been a model professional, a hard but friendly opponent, a
selfconfident yet modest player, but above all, a man of character who has been
an example to all other players, young and old alike. All four will be missed,
as will Clive Radcliffe and Vernon Williarns, of Walkden and Horwich
respectively. Each has been secretary of his club for several years during which
a very great deal of dedicated work has been achieved by them both on our
behalf. We offer to them our good wishes for the future.
Our thanks too, are due to the ladies of the League at all the clubs, both for
their efforts over the past year and, in advance, for the extra work with which
they will be burdened as the result of the extra matches incurred b y the
expansion of the League. For their fund-raising the clubs are indebted to them;
for their teas, the players owe their thanks; indeed, without them, the League's
very existence would be in doubt. On the same theme, I make no apology for a
brief mention in this publication of my mother, who died whilst on holiday in
Eastbourne on Hamer Cup semi-final day. She worked hard to produce many of the
statistics which appear in this handbook and in those of previous years, and I
like to think that she will be remembered around the Bolton League grounds she
loved so much.
Finally, my thanks as ever to all my colleagues, secretaries, league
representatives, groundsmen and umpires. 1984 promises to be a momentous year in
our history. My the sun shine on it.