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HEYSHAM CRICKET CLUB Founded 1887 - League 1900

A Very Brief History - Heysham Cricket Club is by far and away one of the most successful village clubs to play their trade around Morecambe Bay. Between 1922 and 1977 - a helluva long time - they were one of the untouchables; a very strong outfit. The fall from grace in 1979 was one of the biggest shocks in the annals of local cricket. A glance at the honours board is evidence of just how strong and feared the Heysham club was.

 

What follows quite literally just scratches the surface of the history of the club. The information that follows I just happened to have as a result of my research into local village cricket (N.B Heysham figures a lot in my book of smittle spots and sticky buns). To delve into the Heysham story would unearth masses more information especially regarding individual performance e.g Century Makers 10-9 wicket performances. To "delve" would be quite straight forward as the local press save Heysham Cricket Club good coverage - but it would take ages!

I could find absolutely no reference to Heysham Cricket Club before a stray game in 1887 but there were several games in 1888. The squire knowlys of Heysham Towers ran a country house cricket team in the late 1840's but this can't be considered the formation of Heysham Cricket Club as it soon foundered.

John Glaister Sept 2001


In 1848/49 Squire TJ Knowlyc of Heysham Towers had a Country House Cricket Team. There is absolutely no reference to a cricket club in any of the papers ie - Lancaster Visitor, Lancaster Guardian, Lancaster Gazette prior to 1887.

Lancaster Observer 16/09/87 Cockerham V Heysham  
Lancaster Observer 15/06/88 Heysham v Cockerham  
Lancaster Guardian 25/05/89 Heysham v Bolton-Le-Sands  
Lancaster Observer 17/08/89 Heysham v Milinthorpe  
Lancaster Guardian 24/05/90 Heysham v LRGS  
Lancaster Guardian 1891 Heysham Going Strong   
Lancaster Guardian 25/05/95 Silverdale v Heysham  
1900   1900 1st X1 join Lancaster and District Cricket League and finish bottom.
1903   1903 Heysham 2nd X1 also join Lancaster and District Cricket League and
Finish runners up. Folded end 1905.
1907 No Heysham teams in league
1908   1908 Heysham 1st's finish runners up in the 2nd division and are promoted.
   Several games were played in 1888. There was no reference to Heysham Cricket Club in the Lancaster Guardian of 1884-85-86.
       
1920 2nd X1 Rejoin Lancaster and District Cricket League.
     
Visitor 17/10/23 Brilliant picture of Heysham Cricket Club 
Visitor 04/06/24 Rev.Royes broadcasting Heysham Cricket Club not beaten at home since 1921.
Visitor 10/06/25 Heysham Cricket Club field fund stood at £87.15 
Visitor 12/05/26  Heysham have 12 Blacow' signed up, Joe Blacow senior player.
Visitor 18/04/37 Super picture of opening on new pavilion and report. 
Visitor 09/05/34  35 foot flagpole erected at Heysham Cricket Club (club colours Blue and Gold).
Visitor 9/05/34 Tower shield revived after a lapse of 6 years as an annual contest between Heysham and Morecambe 2nds (until 1944). Match tied 120 each but the Shield awarded to Morecambe as "Virtual Holders".
     
In 1939 Heysham shock the Lancaster and District Cricket League when they refused to join the Westmorland Cricket League. Heysham 2nds remained in division 2 of the Lancaster and District Cricket League. The 1sts immediately won the Westmorland Cricket League second division title. A.Wilson took 8-12 v Warton on 15/07/39 and 7-18 on 29/07/39 v Warton.

In 1940 the Westmorland Cricket League tried to carry on despite the war and played friendlys in the two zones: Westmorland and Lancaster. Heysham were set to play Morecambe A Carnforth, Silverdale and Yealand but in the event the later two pulled out so they played Morecambe A and Carnforth four times each. The 2nds played in division 2 of the Lancaster and District Cricket League in 1940.

1940 Tower Shield Final. J Halton won the game for Heysham (117) v Morecambe (114) with a hat-trick at the death.

In 1941 the Westmorland Cricket League collapsed and the Lancaster and District League reduced to one division which Heysham Cricket Club rejoined. The Visitor of 02/07/41 records a century of 102 no by T.Wilson V Kings Own. The first ever century to be scored by a Heysham player.

In 1946 Heysham Cricket club returned to the Westmorland Cricket league and promptly tied with Kendal A for the championship (only one division in 1946). There was a play off at Lune Road which Kendal A won thanks to the inclusion of First Teamer Howard Dalzell. J Hilton took 6-25 v Warton on 18/05/46 and G.Jackson took 8-14 v Warton on 25/05/46.

In 1947 Heysham won their first Westmorland League championship. In 1949 Heysham 2nds joined division 3 of the Westmorland League and after a play-off with Sedgwickwon the title,

Visitor 2/07/52 B.Simron 99 in a tower shield game.
Lancaster Guardian 20/08/54 Heysham played Trinpell in the final of Lancaster Cricket Club Rio For the R A Beely Cup and lost 173-133.
Visitor 19/05/54 Robert Cornthwaite took a h/t v Milnthorpe, division 1 Westmorland Cricket League.
Visitor 19/05/55 An undefeated championship (17 wins out of 22) under Tommy Balcow, Tommy was one of the outstanding all rounders of the of 1950's
Visitor 17/06/59 Roger Cornthwaite 103 v Silverdale Westmorland Cricket League Division 1 (Roger was on of the best batsmen ever to play in the Westmorland League).
  1965 1965 Heysham join the breakaway "South Westmorland Cricket League" now 2 "Westmorland" Cricket Leagues.
  1975 1975 The two Westmorland Cricket Leagues reunite under the banner
"South Lakeland Cricket League".
  1997 1997 The South Lakeland Cricket League returns to its original name of
"The Westmorlands Cricket League".