In the 1840s local tradesmen
are reported to have played cricket in a field near Windle Lane Farm but
with the opening of the Victoria Mill in 1850 and an influx of Coventry
mechanics and Gargrave operatives who were interested in cricket, a
decision was made to form a club, They played on an area of ground now
round about the centre of the town. In 1859 club treasurer J. Chew and
secretary Harry Pickles secured a held on the moor above Earby bearing the
intriguing title of "who-could-athowt-it". In 1860 a move was made to a
field near Lane Ends. But with trade fluctuations causing repercussions
the club disappeared for several years but was reformed in 1872. Life was
never easy, one of many mishaps occurring when a gale caused the pavilion
to be blown on to the pitch. Various fields were used, at Windlefield Farm
and Lower Barnwood for instance, until the Club finally moved to its
present home, the Applegarth, in 1893. It was secured from The White House
Estate on very favourable terms by Mr. A.J. Birley who presented the
ground on trust to the people of' Earby. The original trust forbade the
sale of ice cream and alcohol but in the 1970s a case was taken to court
to update the trust and when it succeeded a new bar/clubhouse was added to
the pavilion in 1978. The pavilion itself was replaced with more modern
facilities in 1982.
After playing in the Craven League, Earby joined the Ribblesdale League
for its fifth championship in 1897 but after four seasons withdrew.
Financial troubles were never far away, the travelling down the Ribble
Valley and the payment of umpires and professionals always a strain on
meagre resources. At the League AGM after the1900 season, Earby reported a
loss of £70 on the previous two seasons which forced their withdrawal. The
club returned to the league again in 1903 after the infamous season of
1902, missed the 1905 season and after the 1912 season moved to the
Yorkshire Council and subsequently the Airedale and Wharfedale League, not
to return to the Ribblesdale League until 1952. The one cricketing
statistic which remains from this early period is the all-out score of 3
against Settle on the opening day of the 1903 season, about which Earby
continue to be reminded. In fact that season was by far their most
successful of the early days - they finished runners up.
If the early
days were unsuccessful, the modern era has seen the club enjoy regular
success. In the forty seasons since 1952, there have been nine
championships, more than any other club, five Ramsbottom Cups since the
revitalisation of the Cup in 1965, and three doubles of League and Cup
since 1965 (plus the double of 1959 in the earlier days of the Ramsbottom
Cup). The 2nd XI has won the Lawrenson Cup four times and twice the
championship of the Junior League. 1991 with its double double was the
peak of all these achievements and a feat unlikely to be repeated in this
or any other league.
The first
professional in 1952 was Stanley Taylor, one of the best batsmen ever to
play for the club. Jack Hudson, a quick bowler succeeded him in 1955 when
the championship was won without a defeat under Billy Brown (see
photograph on page 35). Hudson's 88 wickets that year is still the club
record. Leonard Duxbury captained the first double-winning side in 1959.
After Jack Hudson came Garth Warren and Colin Madden who was professional
for three years before returning in the mid 1960s to play as an amateur,
and giving tremendous service to the club as coach and groundsman. Malcolm
Dennett was professional for eleven years in the 1960s and 1970s when two
doubles were won in 1967 tinder Colin Madden and in 1969 tinder Donald
Moore. Dennett is still the only Earby bowler to take all ten wickets:
10-18 (all caught) versus Cherry Tree in 1973. His bowling partner,
home-grown Mike Chapple succeeded him as
professional for one season;
he is still lending his experience to the 1st XI after a long career at
Earby broken only by short stints as professional in the Northern League
and as an amateur at Nelson. His whirlwind batting and penetrative bowling
came together most memorably against Whalley in 1962 when he hit 105 in 42
minutes (7sixes and 10 fours) coming in at number eight
followed up with 5-33 in 7
overs. Alan Sharpe, a Cumbrian, had three successful seasons as
professional from 1978-80. Stephen Gee set new batting standards as
professional from 1981 to 1987, hitting more than 800 runs in each of the
first six seasons, the best a then club record of 955 in 1982. He was
succeeded by Ian Clarkson for three seasons, a former Earby amateur who
had
migrated to Nelson. And then
for 1990 by David Halliwell. For the record-breaking year of 1991 the new
professional was Manoj Parekh, whose spinners produced 64 wickets towards
the double success under skipper Stephen Hipgrave. John Rainger, the
Australian amateur, became the first Earby batsman to pass the 1000 mark
when he contributed 1035 runs.
Earby Cricket Club has always
prided itself on producing teams of players born and bred in the town, and
has one of' the most successful youth policies in the league. Family names
keep recurring. Three Pickles brothers currently play in the 1st XI -
Nigel, Stephen and Andrew. The club is rightly proud of Glen Chapple, son
of Mike, who has represented England at U-17 and U-19 level at
home and abroad and, after contributing to the 1991 double now joins
Lancashire staff for 1992. And club loyalty is epitomised by Keith
Crabtree, League Scorer of the year five times in the last eight years.
