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Stockport Cricket Club from the Beginning
Many of us have
heard the famous story of WG Grace (right). The young fast bowler comes racing in and
bowled the doctor early in the match but the umpire immediately declared “Not
Out”.
When the young bowler turned round to the umpire and complained he said: “See here young feller th’ crowds come to see Dr Grace’s batting not thy bowling.”
The legend goes that this happened on one of Stockport CC’s previous grounds at Charles Street, off Higher Hillgate when WG was one of three Grace brothers in a United South of England XI which played a 22 of Stockport and District.
In one of those matches, WG was bowled by McIntyre in the first over but allowed to carry on and finally scored close on 200 runs to the great delight of the spectators.
Charles Street was one of three grounds Stockport have had in their 150 year history, on it were staged some of the great early matches and it was the scene of the greatest win ever.
It was on this ground the Australians played two matches against 18 of Stockport one in 1878 and the other in 1880. Stockport won the latter match scoring 132 and 151 while the Australians could only manage 75 and 118.
It should be added
however that the home side did have the advantage of three Yorkshire players,
Tom Emmett, Bates and Hill who made some good scores and bowled out the
Australians between them in the second innings.
In 1883 Stockport moved to Cale Green and the Cale Green Ground was donated to the town by Mr Henry Bell, a former Stockport Mayor, on the condition that the club contributed towards the cost of the layout.
One of the great local names with Stockport Cricket Club around this time was the late James Horner, a JP who was honorary secretary for 52 years, being also an honorary treasurer for Lancashire for 10 years.
Mr Horner played against the Australians and was not out on four occasions.
Another personality of the early years was Sam Brown, formerly of Nottinghamshire, who was professional for the club. Local tradition holds that he once drove a ball through the pavilion clock and his best ever innings may have been his 101 not out against Winnington Park at the age of 57.
Some other names always linked with Stockport Cricket include J C Fallows, Tommy Higson, Frank Sowerbutts, Freddie Archer, Percy Astle, Arthur Wrigley, Stanley Cragg, Geoff Higson, V B Delaney, Jack Tipping and Harold Eyre.
In 1937 Stockport Cricket Club moved out of the amateur world of the Manchester Cricket Association.and joined the professional ranks of the Central Lancashire League.
At the cricket club’s dinner, Dr J B Holmes of the Lancashire Cricket League said: “I do hope those who have gone there enjoy their cricket as they did in the amateur sphere.”
The dinner held in 1955 was a night of ‘sad nostalgia for days that will never return’, according to the Stockport Express.
The 1960’s became known as the glorious sixties and culminated with the club narrowly losing the national Knock-out Competition at Lord’s in 1970.
(Written 1980)
Click Here to view the list of Professionals employed by Stockport CC in the Central Lancashire League, and related information.
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