Thanks to my friend and mentor Martyn Torr, I covered Hyde’s fortunes for 14 years. In 2000 I was asked to contribute to Lee Brown’s centenary history of Hyde CC “Station Yer Fielders Down by the Shed”. There wasn’t room for everything I wrote, so here’s the uncut version.
It was originally dedicated to my friend Paul Kennaman who died at the ridiculously early age of 56, and who constantly proved himself one of the CLL’s most reliable opening batsmen. But I think he’d be happy so share it with the one and only Pete Hardman who died last year.
AS the 1981 season dawned, sport had a prominence in Hyde which it had not enjoyed since the 1950s. Not only was the cricket club about to test its mettle against the giants of the Central Lancashire League but Hyde United had spectacularly emerged from the doldrums.
After 20 years of achieving little they had led the Cheshire League throughout the season, only to have the championship snatched away by Nantwich Town in the last game. Success in the Cheshire Senior Cup eased the pain a little.
The crowds at Ewen Fields got bigger and bigger as the town rediscovered its taste for success. It was in an atmosphere such as this that Hyde CC prepared for its first season in the fast lane of club cricket.
Preparatory work had been going on throughout the winter. Extra seating was added to the Werneth Low ground, more shrubs and trees were planted, and the pavilion and scorebox were repainted. Local businesses backed the club financially, not only for ground improvements, but so that it could meet its new obligations, such as the purchase of grade-A balls.
Hyde’s club’s most important move was to acquire the services of its professional, Kiwi Bruce Edgar, a man who is still remembered with affection and respect. Before the mid-1980s, when the CLL was taken over by West Indies fast bowlers, he dominated the competition, and while it would be wrong to say he won the title single-handedly, he was certainly the key ingredient in Hyde’s success.
Edgar had visited England two years earlier, with the New Zealand Test side, making an immediate impact. The “Complete Who’s Who of Test Cricketers” (1987) said that he “played the rampant England fast bowlers with a cool assurance, a very straight bat, and the timing of high-class player in the making.”
In the months before travelling to Hyde, Edgar had achieved an average of 60.25 against the West Indies, and scored 529 runs in the Shell Trophy for an average of 52.9.
However, Edgar was only was one component in an antipodean line-up which also included fellow Kiwi Peter Holland, a medium-pace bowler, and teenage batting prodigy Errol Harris, a Queenslander who would play for Tasmania.
An air of expectancy hung over the town, yet the first day of the season was a huge anti-climax. Hyde should have been home to Rochdale, on Sunday, April 26, but the entire programme was wiped out by snow and the games had to be replayed a month later. Out of eight matches, play got under way in only one — Castleton Moor and Ashton managing eight overs.
When Hyde finally took the field, the following Saturday (May 3), they issued a clear signal that they would be a force to be reckoned with and defeated Crompton by 52 runs.
Batting first, they were put on the road to victory by Edgar, who carried his bat for 91. Yet the home bowlers had caused problems and Hyde were looking decidedly shaky when Ian Shaw claimed a hat-trick, removing Holland, David Thomasson and Roy Wilde. Suddenly, the visitors has slumped from 81-1 to 87-5. Fortunately, rescue came in the shape of Mike Greaves, who helped Edgar steady the ship. Hyde closed on 146-8.
When Crompton replied they were unable to cope with the bowling of Peter Holland and Alan Berry, and were removed for 94 — giving Hyde all five points.
Crompton v Hyde
HYDE
Edgar not out 91
Harris c Rigby b M. Shaw 8
Marshall st Stanworth b I Shaw 16
Holland b I Shaw 3
Thomasson b I Shaw 0
Wilde st Stanworth b I Shaw 0
Greaves b Jeffries 22
Hardman lbw b L.Whittle 0
Berry run out 3
Sigley not out 0
Extras 8
Total (for eight) 146
Jefferies 13-1-36-1, M Shaw 7-0-20-1, McKune 5-0-13-0, L Whittle 14-8-47-1, I Shaw 9-3-21-4.
CROMPTON
Fitton run out 15
Turner c Hardman b Ghilks 1
Stanworth c Ghilks b Holland 35
Jefferies c Sigley b Edgar 2
M Whittle c and b Holland 16
Widdup b Holland 0
Rigby b Holland 0
L Whittle c Ghilks b Berry 1
M Shaw b Berry 11
I Shaw not out 6
McKune b Berry 0
Extras 7
Total 94
Greaves 1-0-2-0, Ghilks 6-3-13-1, Hardman 5-1-9-0, Berry 17-9-21-3, Edgar 7-2-25-1, Holland 8-1-17-4.
Hyde were off to a winning start and, when they were not being frustrated by bad weather, picked up points on a regular basis. Even so, it was not until the second half of the campaign that they were considered title-challengers. Continually in fourth or fifth place, at the start of August they were nine points adrift of leaders Middleton.
The defining moments of the season came on the weekend of August 22/23, and in the form of pace bowler Gary Wilkinson. Both games were away from home — at Oldham and Heywood respectively — and Wilkinson, a 22-year-old who had not even been in the first team at the start of the season, destroyed both clubs.
At The Pollards, he returned figures of 14.3-4-28-9. The following day, at Heywood, he did even better by returning 9.3-3-27-9. Thanks to his efforts, and the fact that Middleton lost to Walsden, Hyde were suddenly six points clear at the top of the table.
Wilkinson thoroughly deserved his moment in the limelight. He commented: “How can you describe it? It was like a dream. Doing it once was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but doing it twice is unbelievable. I just don’t know what to put it down to. Before, I had been bowling reasonably but not getting much return. Then, all at once, it came together. When you take three or four wickets you gain half-a-yard of pace. The atmosphere is electric, everyone expects a wicket, and the batsmen are tentative and nervous.”
Hyde won four of their next six games, setting up a title decider on Sunday, September 13, when Middleton visited Werneth Low Road. Whoever won would claim the league championship. Interest in the game was such that around 1,000 people packed into the ground.
Batting first, Hyde were given a good start by Edgar and Harris, who added 81 runs for the first wicket before a great diving catch by Alan Fletcher removed the New Zealander for 32. Play now began to go Middleton’s way, and Somachandra de Silva and Keith Courtney seized the initiative. Peter Holland was out for a duck and it seemed likely Harris might lose his nerve. However, after reaching 50, he moved into a higher gear. Buoyed by his example, the rest of the team rallied, and there were effective contributions from Paul Marshall, Mike Greaves and Roy Wilde before Hyde were all out for 171.
In reply, Middleton were quickly reduced to 13-4 before Rick Purser and Keith Courtney stemmed the tide. Courtney was ultimately run out by Edgar, but Steve Earnshaw and Dave Freeman helped Purser take their side within sight of victory. It was only some very effective bowling by off-spinner Alan Berry that prevented Purser getting enough of the strike to make sure the visitors won.
After five months of cricket, the destination of the title hung on the last ball. Middleton, on 170-8, needed two runs to win. Hyde skipper Peter Hardman put everyone on the boundary — wicketkeeper Andy Swain included. Berry sent down the delivery, Davey was unable to get bat to ball, and Hyde were CLL champions in their first season in the competition. It was a delighted Peter Hardman who received the trophy from league president Mr WL Varty.
Hyde v Middleton
HYDE
Harris st Lomax b Courtney 68
Edgar c Fletcher b Courtney 32
Holland lbw De Silva 0
Marshall st Lomax b Courtney 14
Greaves c Ogden b Davey 11
Brown b Davey 9
Wilde c Lomax b Courtney 18
Gifford b Davey 0
Berry b Courtney 1
Hardman b Davey 1
Swain not out 4
Extras 13
Total (all out) 171
Davey 11.3-1-37-4, De Silva 20-8-54-1, Courtney 16-2-67-5.
MIDDLETON
Carnegie c Edgar b Holland 6
Fletcher b Berry 3
Mooney lbw Holland 4
De Silva lbw Berry 0
Courtney run out 31
Purser not out 46
Earnshaw b Holland 24
Freeman run out 35
Ogden b Holland 0
Davey not out 2
Extras 19
Total (for eight) 170
Holland 24-6-87-4, Berry 24-6-64-2.
The league’s elite, the clubs around Oldham and Rochdale, were stunned. The status quo had been blown apart by the comers-in from North-East Cheshire. Expressing its surprise at what Hyde had achieved, the Oldham Chronicle summed up the mood of general astonishment by attributing Hyde’s success to the three overseas players, saying Edgar had “strikingly emphasised why he is considered a world-class player.” The newspaper also found room to praise Paul Marshall and Alan Berry, the latter having come very close to selection for the league team. Incredible though it would have seemed at the time, Hyde had already reached their zenith as a Central Lancashire League club. From now on they were on a downward path and, although there would still be the occasional high spot, the club was to become embroiled in a fight for survival.
In some ways, Hyde were victims of their own success. Bruce Edgar was so central to the title-winning side that other clubs began to look for top-notch professionals. However, whereas Edgar was a batsman, the wealthier CLL sides began to look for fast-bowlers — preferably lethal ones from the West Indies. Oldham won the 1982 championship with another batsman, Larry Gomes. But over the next few years players such as Andy Roberts, Carl Rackeman, Neil Phillips, Dirk Tazelaar, Franklyn Stephenson, Joel Garner and Les Lambert were to ply their trade, and to frightening effect.
The destroyer-in-chief was former Glamorgan paceman Ezra Moseley. The diminutive Barbadian made his debut for Littleborough in 1985 and wreaked havoc in the CLL for the next five years. Indeed, during the 1985 season Littleborough were to field a Test-standard attack, with Moseley as pro and Aussie Mike Whitney as overseas amateur.
Success in league cricket began to be a matter of being able to pay out large amounts. The scramble for big-name, big-money players probably reached its peak in 1987 when Rishton signed West Indies legend Sir Viv Richards. Hyde were unable to compete in this spending frenzy. They could not afford star players, and the fast bowling in the CLL was to reach such an intensity that they struggled to recruit talented amateurs.
By the time the 1982 season started, the club had undergone many changes. Peter Hardman had retired as captain — to be replaced by Mike Greaves — and Edgar’s replacement as professional was the big-hitting Jim Allen. Born in Montserrat, Allen was a member of Kerry Packer’s cricket circus, and of the Combined Islands team that won the Sheffield Shield. He had also spent the previous two seasons as a very successful professional for Werneth.
The league had changed its rules to restrict clubs to one overseas amateur, and Hyde’s choice was Sri Lankan spinner Annersley De Silva. Brian O’Reilly moved to Werneth Low from Denton St Lawrence, and a clutch of young players came through — Russ Hamer and Mike Bolger chief among them.
Recognising the difficulties that lay ahead, skipper Greaves commented: “We don’t intend to be rubbing rags for anyone but, realistically, we don’t expect to be among the honours this season. We are going for a younger, home-grown team, but when Jim Allen arrives, anything can happen.”
In fact, Allen was to score more than 1,200 runs, but Hyde were to find the season a struggle. In only their second game, away to Royton, they were all out for 15 runs — the club’s lowest total since the war.
Fortunately, there was a brief spell of success in mid-season, and Hyde managed to avoid finishing bottom of the league. That fate was to befall them the following year.
By that time, Greaves had resigned because of work commitments, and Mervyn Riley returned to Werneth Low Road to assume the captaincy of the first XI. He had spent time playing in the Bolton Association, and two years as pro for Lancashire and Cheshire League side Irlam. Allen was retained as paid man, and Sri Lankan Basil Perreira became overseas amateur. Unfortunately, although Perreira could tweak a ball to great effect, he did not live up to the high hopes places in him. The club suffered another blow when Alan Berry joined Denton St Lawrence.
This time round, Allen managed 790 runs, although he scored two centuries, including an unbeaten 145 in the home defeat by Rochdale. Given the general youth and inexperience of the rest of the side it was not enough of a contribution, and the club finished bottom of the table, nine points adrift of Stockport.
In comparison with the previous two campaigns, 1984 has to be judged a success. Although Hyde were to finish fourth from bottom, they made a good start and, at the end of May, were sixth. Riley remained as captain, but there was a new professional — Rajesh (Radi) Patel who was born in Kenya of Indian parents. A right-hand bat and medium-fast swing bowler, he had played for Lancashire’s second XI, and twice for England under-19s. A former paid man at Friarmere and Atherton, Patel had twice been voted best professional in the Bolton Association.
Errol Harris, the young star of 1981, returned to Werneth Low Road, where the side was further strengthened by the acquisition of opening batsman Paul Kennaman, from Glossop League Newton.
The first few weeks of the season supplied some memorable moments. In the opening game Harris made an unbeaten 108 against Werneth, and on May 19 Tony Ghilks returned figures of five wickets for 16 runs, off 13 overs — including seven maidens — as the club took three points off Royton. The high point of the season came on May 20 when Hyde beat title-favourites Oldham, whose paid man was former Nottinghamshire fast-bowler Franklyn Stephenson. He took 8-55 as Hyde were removed for 155, but was unable to contain Harris, who posted 107. Against the odds Oldham were all out for 149, and other wins were to follow — most notably at Rochdale, on June 9, when Hyde claimed three points as Alan Berry took 4-16 to restrict the home side to 118-8.
Unfortunately, the good form petered out and Hyde began to slip down the table. Harris continued to fire on all cylinders, scoring a third century (107) against Ashton, in early July. He finished the season with 978 runs, finishing top of the amateur batting averages and winning the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy.
Patel became the subject of controversy. As the campaign progressed, a growing number of people began to complain about his style of batting. They said he was too slow — showing more concern for his average rather than the team’s total. Patel’s supporters countered by saying he had to be cautious as Hyde’s batting was very brittle once the first four wickets had fallen.
Despite this, the 1984 season seemed to suggest that the club had something to build on. While Hyde might not have been among the CLL’s elite, they were capable of holding their own. With Harris set to return, joined by fellow Queenslander Trevor “Tank” Barsby as the new professional, there was cause for hope. Yet, all too soon, it would become clear these hopes were misplaced. The 1985 campaign was highly turbulent, and the start of the most traumatic five-year period in the club’s history.
Yet, as the campaign began, the outlook was far from bleak. The line-up had been strengthened, not only by the 21-year-old Barsby — who had scored almost 500 runs in nine games for Queensland, and with whom he was to win the Sheffield Shield, in 1995 and 1997— but also by the acquisition of Glossop all-rounder Andrew Dyson. Pace-bowler David Schofield moved to Werneth Low Road from Denton West, and high-scoring batsman Bill Quinn — four times leading amateur for Saddleworth League Flowery Field — joined Hyde after a record-breaking season in the Glossop League with Mottram. A young Mark Stringer became part of the squad, and the cycle of changes was completed by the appointment of Alan Berry as captain after Merv Riley moved to Stalybridge.
Hyde did not get off to a winning start, but the right-handed Barsby showed himself to be a productive batsman. He scored 76 in the opening game at Norden, and made 57 in the home clash with Rochdale.
With a month of the season gone, it seemed that while Hyde would not be challenging for honours they were capable of a respectable position. But the club was then rocked by the first of a series of crises. Barsby learned that his father was seriously ill, and immediately returned home. Harris was appointed professional in his place, but was to hold the post for only four weeks.
The Harris who returned to Hyde in 1985 no longer commanded the crease as he had done in 1984, or even in 1981. He struggled to find form and by the time he was sacked — following the defeat at Radcliffe on June 22 — had managed only one half-century in 14 games. As the weeks progressed it became clear Harris was no longer happy at Hyde, and even with three months of the season to go, his conversation continually returned to the fact that he was keen to go home.
Even though Harris was not the success everyone had hoped for, it appears that his dismissal came as the result of the way he behaved off the field, rather than on it. This fact was attested to in a statement issued by club chairman Geoff Oldham: “Although Errol has not developed in recent seasons as quickly as the club would have wished, the club’s decision has not turned on the number of runs scored, and the number of wickets taken. Instead, the club has been concerned that the job of professional was not being performed, off the field of play, entirely in accordance with the club’s normal contract.”
In an attempt to plug the gap left by the departure of both overseas players, the Hyde committee brought in Glenn Jackson, a pace bowler and middle-order batsman from Antigua, as the new overseas amateur. Stan Fletcher filled in as paid man as the search began for someone to take the role on a full-time basis.
The choice was John Bell who had come across with Carl Rackeman and played a few games in the second XI at Oldham where Rackeman was pro. An Aussie in the Ken Rosewall mould, Bell had spent 1984 playing in The Netherlands, where he topped the batting averages. He later became Queensland state coach. Prior commitments meant he was only able to stay at Werneth Low Road until mid-August, but he proved popular, and the fact he was in his forties lent some experience to a very young side.
Bell’s best performance came at Milnrow, on July 13, when he scored 145 and took two wickets for 22 runs.
Asif Mohammed was hired for the game at Radcliffe, on August 24, but spent the entire afternoon in the pavilion. Because of rain, only 10 balls were bowled. Then, for the last three games — two of which were wash-outs — Hyde had the services of the man who would be their professional for 1986: Ray Berry. Aged 23, he had been a successful batsman at Blackpool, and had played for the MCC. There was insufficient time for him to make an impact, and Hyde finished bottom of the table. The following year, however, he was to prove a very welcome acquisition, as the club enjoyed a brief respite before it was again beset by problems.
It quickly became apparent that the club had done a very good piece of business in securing Berry’s services. They still struggled to win matches, but Berry could almost always be counted on to do well. While other clubs were paying small fortunes to hire players such as Ezra Moseley or Carl Hooper, Hyde had found a man who was not only good, but “cheap”.
Berry brought with him bowler Dave Newton, who soon hit the headlines by taking eight wickets for 30 runs as Hyde skittled out Castleton Moor for 94, in the third match of the season.
Unfortunately, the visitors had the perfect riposte in R Malumba, who returned figures of 6-48 as Hyde crumbled to 90 all out. Newton was never able to repeat the performance, and began to bowl fewer and fewer overs because of a back injury caused, he said, by having insufficient time to warm up before matches, having travelled from Blackpool.
Dyson also spent a long time injured, after sustaining a badly bruised elbow, and Dave Schofield strained his back. The outcome was that in many games Hyde had to rely on a spin attack of pro Ray Berry and skipper Alan Berry. It did prove costly, but Ray Berry claimed 49 wickets over the season.
Halfway through the campaign, Hyde acquired an overseas amateur. Sohail Babar, an 18-year-old Pakistani leg-spinner was a friend of Anwar Khan, who was then pro at Norden. He made his debut at Royton, on June 28, and as he said he was not much of a batsman, he was put in at number 11. Yet he finished as the team’s highest scorer, making an unbeaten 40. His last-wicket stand with Andy Swain denied Royton full points, and Hyde finished on 133-9 chasing the home side’s total of 145.
The following day, Ray Berry gave his bravest performance of the season, in the face of some extremely hostile bowling by Oldham paid man Les Lambert, who took nine wickets for 45 runs. Chasing 195, Hyde were all out for 106, but the man Lambert could not remove was Berry.
Even after sustaining an injured hand and bruised ribs, Berry made 51, and his 50 was greeted with a standing ovation.
Looking a certainty to break the 1,000 run barrier for the season, Berry suffered a two-game blip in which he was out for five and 11, before making 53 in the final match — a home defeat of Middleton — when he scored 53 to finish on 1,044 runs.
There was general delight at Werneth Low Road that Berry agreed to stay on for 1987 but, as with Errol Harris, two years before, he was not the same player on his return. Possibly he was ill at ease with the captaincy of David Schofield, who had taken over from Alan Berry. There was certainly a clash early in the season when Berry declined to play for the club in a six-a-side competition at Lytham. Whatever the reason, the runs failed to flow and in mid-June Berry asked to be released from his contract.
The club acceded to his request, which chairman Peter Hardman said had come out of the blue, adding: “No one was expecting Ray’s call, and he gave no indication of his reasons for wanting to leave.” However, it was clear that Berry was no longer happy as a Hyde player. In stark contrast to his form of the previous year he had scored only one half-century.
It was a major blow but, within days, it seemed the club had landed on its feet. Two players arrived, asking if they could get a game. Aamer Malik, who was to play for Pakistan against England the following autumn, was taken on as professional. Mansoor Rana, son of umpire Shakoor Rana who was involved in the infamous clash with England skipper Mike Gatting at Faisalabad, in the same series, was named overseas amateur after assuring the club he had played no first-class cricket in the previous 12 months.
The two made their debuts at Norden, on June 20, and it seemed Hyde had made a couple of dream signings. Although Norden were to win the game, Aamer made 75, and Mansoor 43. The day after, it was 88 and 68, respectively, in a four-point home defeat of Stockport. At Royton, the following week, Aamer scored 85 as Hyde took another four points.
People began to believe anything could happen, and they were proved right, although not in the way they expected. A claim was made that Mansoor had turned out in a first-class fixture. It was said he had appeared for the President’s XI against the West Indies — a game in which Norden pro Gus Logie had played. The Central Lancashire League called a meeting to rule on the matter and, despite it being the custom to defer to The Cricketer magazine in deciding what constituted a first-class game, decided Mansoor was ineligible. The player insisted otherwise, saying he was in England for nothing more than a holiday, but to no avail. Mansoor was banned, Hyde lost the eight points won while he was playing, and were fined £5.
It is unclear how badly Aamer was affected by the incident, or by being force to play without his friend, but he failed to reproduce the fireworks and Hyde began to suffer some heavy defeats. After winning at Heywood, on July 4, when John Buckley made an unbeaten 79, despite being up against Curtly Ambrose, Hyde were not to taste victory again.
Against Ashton, chasing 182, the last five batsmen were out for two runs, so that the side closed on 178. Carl Hooper took 8-6 as Hyde were rolled out for 34 against Werneth, and the club managed only 58 runs in the last game of the season, at home to Heywood.
Following Mansoor’s departure, Hyde briefly had the services of Khaled Mahmood, an ex-Lahore City Whites player who was the youngest man to play first-class cricket in Pakistan. He was an off-spinner of undoubted talent but left after a month.
Despite the traumas suffered in 1987, Hyde started the next campaign full of the usual enthusiasm. They had great confidence in new pro Mike Rindel — a left-handed all-rounder from South Africa who had played for Stockport the previous year. Early on, the confidence seemed justified.
At home to Radcliffe, in the first match of the season, Hyde won by 33 runs. Rindel scored 76, and took five wickets for 32. Andrew Marshall — signed from Denton West — made 59. Victory was sealed when Mark Stringer took a superb flying catch to remove Daly and after the game there was general satisfaction that Hyde had completed an effective job on the type of club they had to beat if they were to be a power in the league.
The following week, things got better. Hyde achieved a four-point victory at one of the CLL’s strongest sides — Oldham — and for once it was of no consequence that they were up against a top West Indies player, in this case Collis King. Rain washed out the next day’s game at Walsden, and Hyde were top of the table.
But it was a false dawn. Rindel was taken to hospital with peritonitis and although he returned after only a couple of weeks — when Anton Ferreira substituted — he became another Hyde professional to lose his appetite for the game.
Although a player of great ability, who went on to represent South Africa in one-day internationals, and who is considered unlucky not to have played for the Test side, he became something of a square peg in a round hole. He struggled to fit in with the mood in the dressing-room. He also had problems at home, and as the season drew on it became clear his mind was not focused on the task facing him at Werneth Low Road.
Yet there were some bright spots. Andrew Marshall proved an excellent addition to the squad and made 617 runs. Hyde also enjoyed their best run in the Wood Cup since 1981. They disposed of Stockport and Rochdale to qualify for a semi-final tie at Oldham, and there were high hopes they would go through.
In a rain-affected match, Oldham batted first and made 185-8. Steve Lovatt then teamed up with deputy pro Mansoor Eliah to have Hyde reeling at 18-5 but thanks to overseas amateur Peter Smith they went on to reach a respectable total of 147. Smith, from Geelong in Victoria, was a right-handed fast bowler but, on this occasion, he made good with the bat. Single-handedly stemming the Oldham tide, he hit half-a-dozen fours and a six on his way to making 53. It was an innings which showed Hyde could have won if all sections of the team had performed. Sadly, inconsistency was the club’s trademark during those days.
Smith’s services were lost, soon after, when he had to return home. Hyde finished second-bottom and changes were demanded. Schofield stepped down as captain to be replaced by Marshall. There was also talk of signing West Indies player Jeff Dujon as paid man but when the season began the professional was Scott Hookey. Other new faces in the squad included former Droylsden pro Gordon Chin.
Hookey, a tall, lean batsman, had played Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales and the previous season had scored runs for fun playing for Darwen. The overseas amateur was Queenslander Graeme Hogan, an avuncular red-haired Aussie pace bowler who was quite possibly the most popular overseas player to turn out for the club. He had been recommended by Errol Harris and arrived on the Low having taken three wickets for 50 runs from 11-overs in a one-day game for the Queensland Country XI against Pakistan.
It was a very talented squad but as was so often the case at Werneth Low Road the whole was less than the sum of the individual parts. The 1989 season has to be one of the worst ever endured by Hyde CC, who floundered from crisis to crisis.
Hookey, for all his ability, came with a reputation for being difficult to handle, and he lived up to it. Although he scored 976 runs, he would surely have made many more had he not treated the amateur bowlers with such contempt, trying to smash most deliveries out of the ground. He was constantly at odds with skipper Marshall, who clearly found the captaincy to be a much tougher proposition than he had bargained for.
Things got so bad that by the start of July the club resolved to sack Hookey. However, before that could be done, the committee found itself grappling with a much more pressing problem. During the home game with Milnrow, on July 2, Marshall and Mark Stringer almost came to blows on the field. Following David Schofield’s dismissal of Milnrow pro Chetan Sharma, the two players became involved in a tussle and had to be separated. A furious Marshall sent off Stringer, but the matter was far from closed, and the club’s disciplinary committee was convened. The following night, Marshall was banned for one game while, at a separate meeting, Stringer was given an indefinite ban.
Club secretary Albert Hill issued a statement saying: “Mark Stringer will not be considered for selection in any match involving Hyde CC until such time as he can satisfy the club committee with regard to his future conduct.” He was not to play again that season, which was a pity because he could have been a major asset. A highly gifted all-rounder, he had provided some impressive performances since joining the club in 1985, including an 8-27 return against Crompton, in 1987.
Incredibly, Stringer’s dismissal was not the only one in the league at that time. Walsden player Paul Gale was sent off after throwing the ball at Werneth paid man Carl Hooper.
The Hyde dressing room was badly divided and players like Paul Marshall, his brother Andrew J Marshall, and John Buckley, chose to leave. It seemed things could not get any worse but, by the end of July, Hyde were once again hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons. This time the club was hauled before the league for allegedly subjecting Ashton pro Rizwan uz-Zaman to racial abuse, in the Werneth Low game in July. A disciplinary committee exonerated Hyde after both umpires had been consulted, but the club was fined because of an off-the field clash between Peter Hardman and Ashton captain David Lees, after Lees had initially refused to grant Hyde a substitute when Gordon Chin was delayed.
When the season finally ground to a halt, with Hyde bottom of the table, there was a collective sigh of relief. But there had been some high spots among the many lows, many of them supplied by Hogan. Capable with bat and ball, his finest hour came against Radcliffe, on May 28 — a game which has to be one of the most amazing to have involved the club.
There was a suggestion of what might be to come, early on, when Hyde batsman Dave Shaw was hit on the hand, and dropped his bat on the wicket. Incredibly, the handle fell between the stumps, and the bails were undisturbed. Shaw’s shout of “I don’t believe it!” could be heard around the ground.
The Werneth Low side went on to make 211 all out, 98 of the runs being supplied by Hookey — his third half-century in successive games, and comprising five sixes and nine fours. Radcliffe then quickly assumed the whip-hand, and seemed to be cruising to victory when Hogan was recalled to the attack with three overs left.
His response was stunning. He removed Entwistle with his first delivery — caught behind by Andy Swain — and Patel was clean bowled by the next ball. Then, in the penultimate over, he took a catch off Hookey’s bowling to remove Brady.
Radcliffe had lost three wickets in two overs but with another three in the pavilion, and needing only seven runs to win, were very much the favourites as Hogan bowled the final over. Leech and Ashworth managed singles off Hogan’s first four deliveries, and then a two, which meant Radcliffe needed one run for victory. Leech faced, and was clean bowled with the last ball of the game, leaving the scores tied.
The season closed with a shell-shocked Hyde bottom of the CLL table. It had been an extremely difficult campaign, both on and off the field. The established players were failing to come up with the goods, while Hyde’s record, and the prevalence of fast bowlers in the Central Lancashire League, meant it was extremely difficult to attract new players or bring through young talent.
Within little more than two years the club was to decide its future lay beyond the CLL but in 1990 the officials decided to go for broke. In a mood of if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, the Hyde committee appointed a West Indian fast bowler as pro, the man in question being Barbadian former Gloucestershire man Victor “Vibert” Green.
Not surprisingly, there was a mood of renewed hope as the season opened. Despite the horrors of the previous year, there was now a belief that the club would able to compete with sides such as Littleborough and Oldham on level terms. But they were to do so without Andrew Marshall as captain. He had quit the club and was replaced by wicket-keeper Andy Swain.
Hyde received an additional boost in the shape of Aussie all-rounder Martin Faull, who was recommended by former Flowery Field professional Rob Zadow. Faull, who played for Zadow’s Tea Tree Gully club, near Adelaide, was to accumulate 779 runs over the season, and later played 30 games for South Australia. He was accompanied to Hyde by his friend David Crouch, who proved a very effective second-team player.
John Buckley and Paul Marshall returned to the Low, and the club was raring to go. Yet the first game — away to Norden — proved a massive anti-climax. Chasing the home side’s total of 191-6, Hyde crumbled to 62 all out, and 41 of these runs were scored by Nick Brown. The destroyer was Australian paid man Peter Gladigau, who took seven wickets for 15 runs.
It seemed that disaster was beckoning but the side gave a much better performance against Werneth who, at one point, were reeling at 26-5 before being rescued by David Ainsworth and Clayton Weems who added 111 runs for the sixth wicket. Hyde took eight points from the next three games and, on June 2, won a four-pointer at Royton.
Queenslander Dean Tuckwell posted 101 as Royton scored 207-4, but Hyde responded with 213-4 — 101 of the runs coming from Faull. After making only 28 from the first 50 balls he faced, the Aussie scored 31 from the next 20, and the entire knock was off 120 deliveries, and contained three sixes and nine boundaries.
The first five-point win came at Crompton, on June 16, and in mid-July Hyde were celebrating their first 10-point weekend since 1981. Ultimately, they were to win four five-pointers on the trot, Green making an unbeaten 104 at Walsden.
Some more good results followed but, when the season ended, Hyde were in no better than eleventh place and with fewer than half the points acquired by champions Rochdale. It had been an enjoyable season, and a most refreshing contrast to the previous campaign, but for many at Werneth Low Road it proved that Hyde were never going to be able to compete with the top sides.
Demands that the club should stop spending money on professionals, and instead devote its resources to youth development, were to become louder and more frequent. Hyde’s days in the CLL were numbered. Within a year, members would vote to join the Cheshire County League.
Hyde kept faith with pace bowling in 1991 by bringing back Peter Smith. In the three years since he had been overseas amateur, he had filled out, developed a mean streak, and begun to figure in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield side. He was, in fact, to play twice for his state, with Tom Moody being his first victim in a game against Western Australia. But his Sheffield Shield career was to be cut short by injury and he took up coaching.
Smith brought with him fellow Victorian Peter Mahon, a competent 31-year-old all-rounder from Melbourne who proved very capable as an overseas amateur. Andrew Swain remained as captain — his last season with the club before emigrating to the USA — and Andrew Marshall came back.
Ironically, just as Hyde were beginning to think of quitting the Central Lancashire League, the other CLL outfits were moving away from their dependence on top names. Fewer West Indians were available because the Test side was touring England. However, a much bigger disincentive was the fact that star players were beginning to ask for £15 to £20,000 a season, which was beyond even the CLL’s wealthiest clubs. The only Test player in the league in 1991 was Ajay Sharma, who had signed for Ashton.
Once again, Hyde were at the wrong end of the table all season, but they did enjoy one afternoon of glory. At Stockport, on May 26, Smith led them single-handedly to victory. After Hyde had managed only 117 runs, he returned the incredible figures of 19 overs, five maidens, nine for 41, to skittle out the home side for 93.
The following autumn, the die was cast. The Cheshire County League announced a plan to expand to two divisions, and a meeting was called to decide whether Hyde should apply. The debate raged back and forth, but it soon became clear that the vast majority of members wanted to leave the CLL.
Overall the club was tired of trying to compete in a league in which professionals had such a pivotal role. Members had had enough of paying out large sums to men who had usually failed to come up with the goods. At that time Hyde were unable to compete with sides like Norden, Oldham and Littleborough, and the feeling was that the money paid to professionals should be invested in youth development and improved facilities. Such moves would once again make Hyde CC a club players wanted to join — a winning outfit rather than one whose name conjured up visions of heavy defeats.
Hyde’s final Central Lancashire League season began on April 26, 1992. Australian bowler Craig Ingram, a 21-year-old who played district cricket for the Collingwood team, and was a member of the Victoria squad, was employed as professional. Peter Mahon returned as overseas amateur and captain. It was a post he held until early July when, disappointed with his form, and the attitude of some players, he resigned. Hyde finished the season led by Peter Hardman — the man who had been skipper in their first season in the CLL.
Yet again, the club finished bottom, but the season proved highly successful for Paul Kennaman who made a succession of high scores, including an unbeaten 100 at Stockport, on August 16, which made him the only English amateur to score a century for Hyde in the Central Lancashire League. Also against Stockport, but in the home fixture, on July 26, Benito Giordano took three wickets for eight runs, off three overs.
Hyde’s last match in the CLL was played at Werneth Low Road on Sunday, September 13. The visitors were Royton, who suffered a 52-run defeat at the hands of a side featuring three players from Hyde’s first Central Lancashire League campaign in 1981 — Peter Hardman, Alan Berry and Mike Greaves.
Hyde v Royton
ROYTON
Brierley c C Kennaman b Mahon 42
Daley c and b Berry 34
Punchard c Torkington b Mahon 25
Webb not out 52
Bamford c P Kennaman b Berry 7
Murray b Berry 15
Woodward not out 2
Extras 1
Total (for five) 178
Torkington 5-1-31-0, Giordano 1-0-14-0, Berry 23-4-80-3, Mahon 15-7-28-2, Clarke 4-0-24-0.
HYDE
Busby b Daley 51
P Kennaman c and b Punchard 65
Clarke run out 15
Mahon c Daley b Hopkinson 28
Marshall not out 4
Greaves b Daley 0
Giordano c and b Hopkinson 12
Torkington not out 2
Extras 3
Total (for six) 180
Daley 13-3-44-2, Hopkinson 13.4-1-48-2, Punchard 11-0-39-1, McCrae 2-0-20-0, Rostron 8-2-28-0.
Professionals Overseas Amateurs Captains
81 Bruce Edgar Peter Holland Peter Hardman
Errol Harris
82 Jim Allen Annersley de Silva? Mike Greaves
83 Jim Allen Basil Perreira Merv Riley
84 Radi Patel Errol Harris Merv Riley
85 Trevor Barsby (Apr-May) Errol Harris (April-May) Alan Berry
Errol Harris (May-June 20) Glenn Jackson
Stan Fletcher (June 30)
John Bell (July-Aug)
Asif Mohammed (Aug 24)
Ray Berry
86 Ray Berry Sohail Babar Alan Berry
(From June 28)
87 Ray Berry (Apr-June) Mansoor Rana (June) David Schofield
Aamer Malik Khaled Mahmood (July)
88 Mike Rindel Peter Smith (Apr-July) David Schofield
Anton Ferreira (May 7, 14)
89 Scott Hookey Graeme Hogan Andrew Marshall
90 Victor Green Martin Faull Andrew Swain
91 Peter Smith Peter Mahon Andrew Swain
92 Craig Ingram Peter Mahon Peter Mahon
Peter Hardman
CENTURIES
Aug 7, 1982 Jim Allen 112no Milnrow (H)
Jul 23, 1983 Jim Allen 109 Heywood (H)
Aug 7, 1983 Jim Allen 145no Rochdale (H)
Apr 29, 1984 Errol Harris 108no Werneth (A)
May 20, 1984 Errol Harris 107 Oldham (H)
July 7, 1984 Errol Harris 107 Ashton (A)
July 13, 1985 John Bell 145 Milnrow (H)
July 20, 1986 Ray Berry 100 Walsden (A)
July 8, 1989 Scott Hookey 104no Unsworth (A)
June 2, 1990 Martin Faull 101 Royton (A)
July 22, 1990 Vibert Green 104no Walsden (A)
Aug 16, 1992 Paul Kennaman 100no Stockport (A)