105 Years of Rishton Cricket Club

 

​​​​​​​Rishton Cricket Club 1865-1970

By Mik​e Sumner​

​Rishton from 1848 ​to 1893

                       
  

The 1848 and 1893 Ordnance Survey Maps of Central Rishton.

The 1848 map shows that Rishton was only a small village with houses clustered  along the main link roads and tracks into the centre. Most of the landscape was grassland leased out by local landowners to tenant farmers. I​​t was mostly a rural community only changed slightly by the arrival of the Leeds Liverpool Canal running north to south. Industrial and textile developments in the area would change its character for ever. The large fields indicate that pastoral farming dominated with both sheep and cattle. The map above indicates the field which was later used to create the Rishton Cricket Club. The larger scale 1893 map shows its new location next to Blackburn Road. It shows increased housing to the east as streets with terraced housing were developed mostly for mill workers.​

In 1864, following the success of the neighbouring East Lancs Cricket Club in Blackburn, Rishton decided the town should have a Cricket Club of its own. This led to the club’s formation in 1865. In the early days they played local friendly matches on any suitable field available. It was not until the late 1880’s that they obtained their current ground as shown on the 1893 map. 

On October 25th, 1890 at a meeting held in the Commercial Hotel, Accrington, the “North-East Lancashire Cricket League” was formed, consisting of 13 clubs including;

Accrington, Bacup, Burnley, Church, Colne, East Lancs (Blackburn), Enfield, Haslingden, Lowerhouse, Nelson, Ramsbottom, Rawtenstall and Todmorden. 

By November 8th1890, Rishton Cricket Club had joined the new league.

The name of the league was changed in March 1892, to the “Lancashire Cricket League”, at the same time, they purchased the “Championship Trophy” from the Lancashire Amateur Cricket Association for £35. During the Leagues first eight years each team was allowed to field two professionals but in 1899/1900 this was reduced to one. 

“Time Cricket” was played from the league’s beginnings until 1970 when a two-year experiment with “Overs” cricket was tried. The league returned to “Time Cricket for the 1973/4 season but then in 1975 returned to “Overs Cricket”. In 1939, eight ball over were introduced until 1985 when the original six ball over was re-introduced.

It appears from the 1893 map that the club had a small pavilion which was built in 1891. Before this there had been a hut for changing and one for ground maintenance equipment. The outer walls of the ground were built of Accrington brick and quite imposing.

It was a cause of amazement how a small community like Rishton could produce a cricket team that could hold its own against clubs from places with greater populations, and, in more recent times, attract professionals from the world of cricket to represent the club. The main reason why they could do this was because the local community gave the club support through good and bad times.

Originally, like many clubs, they did not agree to have a full time professional but employed a professional for Saturday games only. It was not until the 1940’s that the club took on full time professional. The club has also been lucky to have an outstanding bunch of long-serving amateurs of exceptional talent. In the pre-War years it is said they had the best fielding side in the league.

The club won its first League Championship in 1898, it gained the honour another seven times in 1912, 1944, 1948, 1955, 1995, 1996, and 2007. Rishton became Worsley Cup winners in 1922, 1932, 1955, 1964, 1967 and 1973 and Holland Cup Winners in 1957, 1964, 1965 and 1966. The club gained further honours by becoming Lancashire Junior league champions in 1913, 1933, 1953 and 1954. These results show the depth of talent and determination shown by club members and their enthusiastic support for their club aided by the local community.

In 1954, the club created a new brick-built score box with room to store motorised ground equipment. It was a gift from the Supporters Club which had raised almost £2000. Before this tin numerals were used on the pitch side to show the score and overs these had to be changed by helpers including small boys.

Rishton new scorebox being opened in 1954.

In 1965, the new Centenary pavilion was completed, providing much larger club premises with an additional veranda. Inside, it had two main changing rooms with washing and shower facilities. The cost to the club was £1500. The money for the pavilion was given to the club by local Jack Grimshaw, who was a prominent member. The old pavilion was to be used for storing seats.

Jack Grimshaw in front of the building he gave the club later made into the new pavilion.

Since 1965, the pavilion has been greatly modernised and expanded to meet today’s modern needs. It includes a thriving Social Club, which is open all year round and available for private functions, there is also the Spinners Café.

An  aerial photograph of Rishton Cricket Ground and surrounding area, 1972

 The pavilion and seating areas round the cricket pitch.

The Social Club and bar facilities within the pavilion.

The 193​0’s

1930 25” to the mile Ordnance Survey Map showing Rishton Cricket Club.

This large-scale map shows that in the 1930s the cricket ground was surrounded by housing with a large growth of terraced properties off Station Road. There are tennis courts available to the south of the ground as leisure pursuits grew due to workers having more free time. The map also shows evidence of greenhouses in the area either for plants or growing fruit & vegetables for the local population.

Club News19​30 to1960's

23rd November 1932 – At a whist drive and dance held at the Conservative Club in Rishton the cricket team players were presented with their Worsley Cup medals by the President of the Lancashire League, and he stated that it was hoped this would encourage even more people to get involved in the club. It was also stated that teams who engaged first-class professionals derived greater advantages for league matches. The clubs gate receipts had risen from £241 in 1931 to £531 in 1932. Rishton's captain, J.A. Hanson, said he was proud to be captain of such a good side and praised its supporters.

In December 1933, the Second team became champions of the Lancashire Junior League, medals were presented at Rishton Conservative Club by the club’s president Mr. R. Gilroy J.P. giving the team praise for all their efforts.

22nd December 1934 – At the annual club meeting in the Co-Operative Room a former player and league umpire stated that the club should fight for changes to the professional system in the league because it was unfair for smaller clubs like Rishton who couldn’t compete financially with larger cricket clubs. He was in favour of all clubs playing without a professional. No resolution was taken on this matter at the time. Mr. R. Gilroy J.P. was elected as President of the club for the 24th year, and he stated that much had been done to the playing field and the club had received many tributes to its quality of surface so should not require much further finance.

30th March 1935 – The club held a four-day bazaar in the Conservative Club to raise finances. They had suffered losses the previous year due to engaging two professionals from New Zealand and Australia. It was also stated that the club’s amateur players had lost points by not taking the game seriously enough and attendances were being affected. It was also stated that, since its formation, the club had won six championships - the Lancashire League twice, the Lancashire Junior League twice and the Worsley Cup twice.

3rd January 1948 – Mr. Worsley stated that financially 1947 had been one of the most successful in the club’s history. In 1946 they made a loss of £228, but, in 1947, they were in profit by £62. In that same year £237 was raised for the “pavilion reconstruction fund” with the help of the Working Men’s Clubs in the town from which had now sprung a Supporters Club.

9th September 1955 – A great year for Rishton as it had everything thrills, drama, first-class cricket and individual records smashed. For the first time the club won the “double”, a feat only achieved by five other clubs as this small town challenged its larger neighbours. Their professional, Subhash Gupte, one of the world’s best leg-spinners had broken Bill Merritt’s long standing club record with a final total of 165 wickets. At the same time, the club's captain, Jim Smith, had set up a new amateur batting aggregate with 805 league runs. Additionally, Chew also had his best season to date and wicket-keeper, Payne, gained a record of 53 victims (not including 7 more in cup ties).

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10th April 1959 – Rishton, who last season captured Johnny Wardle as substitute professional when Alf Valentine had to go home early, tried to secure another England test professional, Freddie Truman, as stand-in for John Rutherford who made a late start. Club officials got in touch with Trueman to see if he would cover the two matches. ​

5th October 1960 – The club promised that if their special appeal fund was successful, they would go all out for a big-name professional. They raised £800 in a matter of weeks and so secured former England and Yorkshire Test player, Johnny Wardle. They were the first club to engage him as match professional in 1958.

22nd January 1962 - At the club’s annual general meeting the club followed the line suggested by the Lancashire League Committee and voted in favour of Sunday cricket for the Worsley Cup matches. In doing so they lost the service of their long serving president and chairman Mr. Fred Worsley on a matter of principle. This ended his 40-year association with the club to whom he had no quarrel. Mr. H. Marsden, a well- known Rishton textile manufacturer, who lived near the ground became the new president. He had 50-year association with the club as a player, honorary coach and captain.

24th August 1962 – As the club were in debt it was suggested that they stop using professionals to reduce costs. There was less interest in the club and attendances were down. It was resolved by the committee to have an intensive membership drive. An appeal to local businesses was made to help wipe out the £850 debt and other money raising events were arranged.​

15th January 1965 –By winning the Worsley Cup in the 1964 season the club made a profit of £488; it was their largest profit ever. Despite this, revenue from subscriptions and membership remained static. The committee therefore, wanted an increase in membership from 500 to 750 to mark the club’s centenary year.​​
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Rishton 1965 with Professional Johnny Wardle Back Row, Second from Right

ERIC AL​LEN 
​​
Came to the club from Salesbury Cricket Club and played for the club in the 1950’s.
He was a pace bowler who could swing the ball well.

C. AYRES

ERNEST BANKS
 ​
Started playing cricket 15 during the 1960s. At 16. he played for Rishton first team.
As an 18-year-old he was awarded a Lancashire Junior match. He was a right arm off-spinner.
After University, he gained a research job and he left the club.​​

SIDNEY BARNES

​He was the professional for the club from 1894 to 1900. He came to Rishton from Staffordshire as a fast bowler after answering an advertisement. He used to sling them down for all his worth! The next season he was joined by David Whittaker who had been a professional for 20 years and he persuaded Sidney to abandon the fast stuff and bowl slow spinners. He left Rishton in 1900 for Burnley earning £5 a week. In 1904 he moved to Church and 1906 in Porthill where he played till 1914. He played for England in 1901/2. In 1913 he took nine wickets against South Africa at Johannesburg. When playing for Porthill in the Staffordshire League in 1909 he took all ten wickets in an innings! During his time at Rishton and Burnley he always gave as good as he could and had a magnetic effect on the public​ - in his first season at Burnley he raised gate receipts by over £100 and in the next season they doubled. His greatest asset as a bowler was that batsmen couldn’t read what kind of bowl he was going to deliver especially the change of pace. In 1926 it was stated that he had taken more wickets against Australia than any other bowler. His overall record over 31 years was 8721 overs, 2499 maidens, 19,211 runs taking 2973 wickets giving him an average of 6.49 runs per wicket.​​​​

​​​A. B​UTLER

Played for the club in the 1930’s.

J. BUTLER ​

Played for​​ the club in the 1930’s/40’s.

JACK CURTIS

Played as professional for the club from 1921-29. He came from Leicestershire at age 31 having worked as a groundman from age 16.  He was well known in cricketing circles. He was a right-handed medium pace bowler with a good off-break and was a first-rate bat. His wages at Rishton were £16 a week. He took 700 wickets with his off breaks (100 wickets a season for the first two years there). He got 3,500 runs for the club including one century and snapped up 50 catches!

JOHN DRENNAN

Was Australian and the club professional in 1960. He was a medium to fast bowler. He represented Australia in a number of test matches in South Africa and New Zealand.​

MICK EDDLESTON

Played for the club in the 1960’s and won the clubs fielding prize in 1964 with 17 catches, just beating Jack Chew by one. He took his last catch on the boundary wearing Jack Chew’s cap.

KEVIN ​FLATLEY

FRED FREER

PAT GILMARTIN

Was a wicketkeeper and club captain playing for the club between the 1896 and 1920’s. He started in the second eleven in 1896. He was a quiet, unassuming player, always popular with the home supporters. He occasionally delighted the crowds with his vigorous batting and when in the mood could score at a great pace. A keen sportsman, he served the club for over 20 years. He had the reputation of being one of the best wicketkeepers in the league averaging 34 wickets per season played. The club organised a benefit-match for him. He retired from cricket 1927 due to his failing eyesight.

R. GILROY

 Was a local J.P. and club president in the 1920 and 30's.

FRED GODLEY
​
Played for the club in the 1930's and was club captain.

SUBHASH GUPTE

Played as club professional from 1954 to 19​57. An Indian test cricketer he was recognised as one of the best leg-break bowlers that India produced. He was 24 when he came to Rishton and the clubs t​hird consecutive Indian professional. Because of his skill, he was immediately engaged for another year. Rishton with Gupte won the Worsley Cup in 1955 against Todmorden in a tense final with Gupte taking nine wickets. During that season Gupte took 50 wickets in nine matches with a mixture of leg-breaks and googly deliveries. During his time at Rishton took he 510 wickets. In 1955, During a test match against Pakistan, he took five wickets for 17 runs.​​
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TED HAC​KING

Played for the club from the 1920’s to the 1940’s​. He was an opening batsman and club captain. His father Tom had also played for the club as an opening batsman. In 1945 he joined Great Harwood as profession​​al after playing for Rishton the previous year and winning the league championship.​​

D. HALSTEAD

Played for the club in the 1910’s/20’s

W. HAWOR​TH

Played for t​he club in the 1930’s

A. HOLSINGER

Appointed as groundsman and coach in 1927 – originating from Yorkshire.
He was 47 years old and when he arrived at the club with​​​​​ a wide experience of cricket .

G. HOYLE 

Played for the club from 1910 to the 1920’s.

BERNARD HURST

Played for the ​club in the 1950’s/60’s and was club captain. He was a batsman and involved in winning the Worsley Cup.

E. JAC​KSON

Played for the club in the 1930’s

J. JOLLEY

Was the club’s official scorer in the 1920’s.

WILLIAM (BILL) KEOGH

Played for t​he club in 1910’ to 1920’s

W.G. LORD

He ​was the club secretary in the 1920’s. He worked as a clerk at a local colliery. He was the sixth secretary during the previous eight years!

JACK MARSDEN

Played for the club from 1925 to the late1930’s and was a leading batsman, later becoming the club captain. He was a stylish and competent batsman first appearing for Rishton as a lad in 1925 becoming the backbone to the sides batting order. By 1937 he had made a total of 4,317 runs, with an average of about 20 which ranks high in league records. He also served as the club president.​

ROBIN MATTHEWS

Played for the club in the 1960’s to the 1970’s. He was a good bowler.

 JOHNNY Mc INTOSH
​

Played for the club from the 1900’s to the 1920’s. He was recognised as a good batsman. The Lancashire League Committee sanctioned him a benefit match ​for his long service and loyalty to Rishton.

RONNIE NE​WSTEAD

Played for the club in the 1920’s to the 1930’s as a notable batsman. He returned to the club in the 1940’s when he became captain. In the 1960’s he became the clubs vice-chairman. He was the son of a former Rishton professional. He left the club to become a professional for a Yorkshire club.  

DR. NIVSARKAR

He was an Indian and club professional in 1953. He was rated as a first- class batsman, spin bowler and a competent wicket keeper. He was also regarded as one of the best hockey players in Holkar (Indore), central India. 

PERC​Y NIXON
​

​​​DUGGIE PAYNE

Played for the club in the 1950’s as a noted wicketkeeper. In 1955 he broke the Lancashire League wicket-keeping record having taken 53 wickets with a further seven in cup-ties.

ROBERT BURNS RAE

Played for the club as professional from 1936 to 1938. He came to the club from Bolton, was a fast bowler and a noted batsman Burn’s had a phenomenal rise to fame due to his skills in the Bolton area. In 1938 when Rishton were losing finalist to Church in the Worsley cup he scored 123 not out.​

ARTHUR RAMSBOTTOM

Was a good all-rounder, playing for the club from the 1920’s to the 1940’s. In 1936 he got his second hat trick for no runs. He scored a brilliant 102 not out at Haslingden in 1937. In 1942 he was presented with a clock for beating the clubs amateur batting record the previous season.

JOHN RUTHERFORD

Was a Western Australian professional who came to the club in 1959. He was a noted opening batsman and leg-break bowler. John was a member of the 1956 touring Australian side when they came to this country. Rishton guaranteed him accommodation and hoped to find him a suitable job for the close season. In Australia he had been a science teacher and found a Job teaching at Blackburn Technical and Grammar School where he introduced an effective cricket coaching scheme.

FRANK SINFIELD

Was a medium-break bowler and noted batsman. He played for the club from the 1890’s to 1915, leaving the club to take up a professional position at a Queensbury club.

JIM S​MITH

Played for the club from the 1940’s to the 1960’s. He was a noted bowler and became the club captain, later he turned professional. As a nineteen-year-old he took 7 wickets for 20 runs at a match against Nelson. The club suffered when he was called up to the Royal Navy in 1945. When captain he broke the clubs existing amateur batting aggregate record of 643 scoring 345 in just four innings to reac​h 702. He beat this in 1955 when he scored 805 runs. He left the club to be professional at Colne, staying there for three years before returning to Rishton. 

JIM SNOWDEN

J. TALBOT

Played for the club in the 1920’s.

BERT TO​​​BIN

He was an Australian professional who played for the club in 1935/6. A tall, slim, athletic player he was a right arm spinner who could swing the bowl both ways. However, within two days of his arriving he had to have an operation at Blackburn infirmary for the removal of a deep-seated appendix after suffering severe abdominal pains.

ALF VALENTINE

Was a West Indian professional for the club in 1958 He was a noted left arm orthodox leg-spinner. The bespectacled Valentine was well known as one of the two “Calypso Twins” who shattered England in the 1950 Test series.

TOM WALL

Played for the club in the 1920’s and 30’s then turned professional at Carnforth. He was a noted bowler. Later at Carnforth, he took all ten of Furness wickets for 34 runs in a North-Lancashire league match.

JOHNNY WARDLE

Joined Rishton in 1958 as a deputy to professional Alf Valentine. He left in 1959 to play for Nelson before returning to Rishton as a professional in 1963. He took Rishton to the Worsley Cup Final in 1963 and again in 1964 when they won with Wardle having taken 22 cup wickets. In total he took 101 league wickets reaching his century when he took eight wickets for 20 runs against Lowerhouse with his spin bowling. In 1964 he slammed six-successive boundaries in a two-over whirlwind session with the bat taking his score to 52 and in half an hour he took seven wickets for 46 runs.

FRANK WARNE

Was an Australian professional at the club for the 1939 season returning for another season in 1946. He was an all-rounder. After making his name in cricket in Australia he came to England and played for Worcestershire in 1934 where in his first three matches he scored 119 runs and took five wickets. In 1939 at Rishton he scored 647 runs and took 82 wickets including a century against Church.

ERIC WHALLEY

Was a wicketkeeper, playing for the club in the 1960’s. He helped Rishton to the the Worsley Cup in 1964. He also played in the final of 1967 cup. An all-round sportsman who was also a very useful batsman.

RALF WHITEHEAD

Was club professional from 1928 to 1931 He came to Rishton from East Lancs. In 1929 he scored 712 runs for the club, an average of 32.36 per innings also taking 53 wickets at a cost of 12.98 runs. In 1930 he took eight wickets for 13 runs against Burnley. He was still playing cricket at Ormskirk 52 years old managing to take 91 wickets for a little over 12 runs each. In 1938 he was appointed player-coach to Liverpool Cricket club. Ralf was only 17 years old when he secured his first professional engagement with Knighton in Radnorshire.​

Team Photographs of Rishton Cricket Club

Rishton 1912 Lancashire League winners with the cup.

Rishton ​May 1921

Back Row-J. Mc Intosh, W.T. Gambles, R. Gilroy (Club President), J. Jolley (Scorer), J. Curtis (Professional), P. Whittaker, D. Halstead.

Middle Row-A. Nicholson, T. Hacking, Pat Gilmartin, J. Talbot, J. Snowden,

Front Row-W. Keogh, G. Hoyle, Sid Moore.

Rishton June 1929 

Back Row-R. Newstead, C. Smith, C. Tillotson, W.G. Howarth, A. Butler, C. Ayres, F. Landon.

Front Row-F. Warne (Professional), J. Marsden, E. Hacking, A. Ramsbottom.

Rishton​ the Worsley Cup winning team taken in 1932.

Riston the Lancashire Junior League Championship winners 1933 –

Back Row-J. Holt, A. Wild, C. Ayres, D. Whittaker, J. Smith.

Sitting-W.G. Howarth, E. Jackson, R. Gilroy (President), Fred Godley,

Front-T. Wall, W. Haworth.

 

Rishton July 1935

Standing-R. Newstead, J.A. Hanson, B.J. Tobin (Professional), W.G. Howarth. P. Nixon.

Sitting-J.W. Sunderland, T. Hall, J. Marsden (Captain), S. Stapleton, A. Ramsbottom, G. Balderstone.​

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Rishton’s new professional in 1939 examining a bat at the ground
with left to right-F.E. Hall, E. Hacking., A. Ramsbottom and S. Stapleton.

Sources
Blackburn Times; Various Dates.
​Cricket Club Website; Rishton Cricket Club​
​History of Blackburn Town and Parish; W.A. Abram.

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