South Yorkshire Times — April 27, 1952
Thirty-Seven Council Fixtures Will Lead in the New Season To-Morrow
Thirty-seven Yorkshire Council fixtures lead in the new cricket season to-morrow. Among them are matches at Ackworth (v. Illingworth), Frickley Colliery (v. Rockingham), Hemsworth (v. Whitewood), Maltby Main (v. Aston Hall), Shiregreen (v. South Kirkby), Swinton (v. Denaby and Cadeby), Thorncliffe (v. Mexborough) and Wath (v. Mitchell’s).
Denaby and Cadeby, who after two seasons as defeated Council finalists finished fifth in 1951, will have a very useful addition to their batting strength this time—A. Temprell, ex-Frickley. George Coulson of Kilnhurst, who in past seasons has won both bowling and batting averages in Doncaster League cricket, is another newcomer and among players back from the Forces is all-rounder Davies. Cowan, left arm bowler, has gone to British Ropes. Jim Richards and Harry Newton will lead the Council side and R. Boot and B. Robinson the Doncaster League side. The latter open the programme with a home match with Adwicke Park.
Hickleton report as “as you were”—with one notable exception. Harry Goldthorpe, who has given such grand service to the club as secretary for 20 years, having now relinquished that office. His successor is Mr. F. Ravenscroft. Jim Hutchinson and T. B. Mitchell will, as last season, lead the Council side.
Notable Absentees
Ward, who has gone to Thorncliffe, and Cummins, who has joined Rotherham, will be notable absentees at Swinton this season. Butler will still be there, but new coach is Anderson, of Rotherham. Brian Bailey, who has previously been at University for part of the season, will be available for the whole of the season this time. Barnes will be also similarly available. The second team (Doncaster League) will be pretty much the same as last season. Up to Saturday 24 entries had been received for the Samsbury knock-out cup—four more than last season.
Both Dearne teams will have full programmes. The Yorkshire Council team have 18 matches and there will be five new fixtures—with Hickleton, Bentley, David Brown’s, Hemsworth and Harworth. The Barnsley League team have also 18 matches. All last season’s players are available and the committee are prepared to arrange friendlies for juniors provided there are sufficient applications.
University Captain
Former captain of Bangor University cricket XI, J. Winterbottom, a bowler who took 100 wickets last season, will be with Wath this time. The team will be pretty much as last time save that Clark and Walters have gone to Cortonwood. F. Darley and K. Phillips will lead the Council side and F. Fieldsend and A. Ardron the South Yorkshire League side. Mr. H. Breslin is in his 33rd year as secretary at Wath, and is still doing as grand a job as ever. The club will have 23 matches in the Council, one change being a fixture with Wombwell Main on Whit Monday at Wath. Thorncliffe are also to meet their fixtures this time. They will meet Swinton on Whit Saturday. A Colts fixture—Yorkshire Colts v. Notts. Colts—has been allocated to Wath on July 7th and 8th.
The Playfair Cricket Annual (recently published by Playfair Books Ltd., at 5s.)—another excellent job in keeping with earlier high standards—contains an interesting reference to Ellis Robinson’s performances with Somerset . . . who “bowling his off breaks with a good deal of his old Yorkshire effectiveness . . . was virtually the side’s matchwinner, for in four of the five wins he took ten or more wickets. As a close-in fieldsman Robinson set a fine example . . .” The annual is full of interesting facts, figures and photographs.
Mexborough open their Yorkshire Council season at Thorncliffe, and they will be represented in this opening match by H. Vickers, R. E. Hill, G. Palmer, N. Oakley, G. Pearce, D. Tompkins, W. Clother, E. Cadman, T. Frith, T. Walker and L. Seagraves. Reserves are S. Linneker and T. Brookshaw and the team meets at the Pavilion at 1-45 p.m.