Cricket in Welney
History - detailed chronological events
The club is in possession of a minutes book dating back to 1905. From that and other archive material, Tony Smart has compiled the following chronological listing of events associated with the club.
| 1884 | On Monday 14th of July Outwell beat Welney by 1 wicket in a two innings match- Outwell scoring 29 and 41-9wkts and Welney 54 and 15. Head Teacher Mr.Bearcock top scored for the village with 16 runs and Rev.Wilford taking 13 wickets in the match. On the following Saturday Welney beat West Head by 1 wicket – a fixture was scheduled with Lakesend before the end of season. |
| 1904-14 | At some time between these years Ernie Blows recalled WG Grace playing cricket in the village on Mr. John Loveday's field at Maywood Farm. |
| 1905 | Friendly fixtures were arranged against Upwell, Dairy Houses, Littleport, A.Schachts XI and the Rigger Houpe Club. |
| 1907 | Having disbanded the previous season the club reforms |
| 1911 | Mr.John Loveday again kindly offers his field for use under the same conditions as before ‘No bad language shall be used on the field’ and this was to be strictly adhered to. For those guilty of this offence there would be immediate dismissal from the field of play! |
| 1914 | Before the First World War the club closes with a balance of £1 – 9 shillings and 10 pence. |
| 1920 | The first season after the war there was a large attendance of 40 in the Odd Fellows Hall to reform the club. Mr.Clayton offered his field for matches (Highfields, off Wisbech Road). |
| 1922 | The club joins the Upwell and District League with 10 other teams – Upwell Rovers, Squires Drove, Outwell, Friday Bridge, Tipsend & Hole in the Wall, Lakesend, Christchurch, Nordelph, March & Whitemoor and Emneth. |
| 1923 | The club makes the national newspapers sports pages by dismissing Friday Bridge for 0 runs in only 28 deliveries during an Upwell League match played on Minister Wash with brothers Ernie and John Blows taking all the wickets. |
| 1924 | The Upwell League has 10 teams with newcomers Wimbotsham, Wimblington, Elm, Hill Street, and Gladroy Villa. |
| 1926 | Enough players are available for the formation of a second XI. |
| 1929 | At the club’s AGM the treasurer declares the account to be in the ’red’ by 7 shillings and 10 pence. |
| c1935 |
Back, l to r, J Prior, J Bedford, B Taylor, A Hawes, C Kent, H Wilson, M Peacock, Rev H Wilford.front, W Motram, A Carter, L Watson, R James, W.Scott. |
| 1937 | Club President Rev. Wilford dies suddenly at the age of 73, after 52 years of association with the club. |
| 1939 | AGM held on May 12th – Britain declares war against Germany on September 3rd. |
| 1945 | War ends with VE day on May 8th. Another large post war attendance at the AGM (May 18th) reforming the club, playing at Maywood Farm with subscriptions at 5 shillings and 2 shillings and 6 pence for under 16’s. |
| 1948 | The club enters the Wisbech & District League and the Sandall Cup. Boys team also formed for the season. |
| 1949 | Proposed formation of the Welney United Sports Club (January 24th) with the merger of the Football, Cricket and the Mens Institute clubs. This amalgamation, under the stewardship of Head Teacher Charles Brotherton – club lasted until 1951 (October 17th) |
| 1950 | Club stalwart John Blows dies watching the village football team at Highfields. |
| 1950 |
Players: Back: Albert Malkin, anon with cravat, Alf ‘Wiggy’ Scott, Ray Wilson, Reg Rowlett, Wally Branch. |
| 1950's |
Another team from the 50'sBack – Tommy Watson, Reg Rowlett, Albert Smart, Ray Wilson, Ernie Hampshire, Clennel Scott, Charles Brotherton (school master). |
| 1954 | Club youngster Peter Scott is offered the opportunity of joining the Nottinghamshire Cricket Clubs ground staff on leaving Upwell Secondary Modern School, but reluctantly has to decline. |
| 1955 | No fixtures fulfilled. |
| 1956 | The club reforms and a motion is passed for playing Sunday cricket at the AGM, later a special meeting is held when Sidney Scott resigns the Chairmanship with Les Hall taking over, the Sunday Cricket motion is then defeated. |
| 1957 | Joint winners of the Wisbech League Division 3 with Walsoken. |
| 1958/9 | Peter Scott wins Wisbech Cricket League ‘Star Yougster’ competition sponsored by the Saturday Pictorial newspaper for two consecutive seasons. |
| 1960 | All fixtures are played away. |
| 1961 | Club member Don Scott is elected onto the newly formed Village Playing Field Association. |
| 1962 | Club dismissed for only 8 runs, a club record lowest score. |
| 1964 | Playing in the first division of the Wisbech League. |
| 1965 | Withdraw from the Wisbech league and play all friendly fixtures away. Peter Bedford is named Wisbech Standard Cricketer of the Week, taking 7 wickets for 12 runs, including a ‘hat-trick’ against Runcton Holme (Bowling analysis 6.3- 2-12-7) |
| 1966 | After only 2 fixtures against Ouse Bridge and Wimblington the club disbands, due to a shortage of players. |
| 1969 | The club is reformed at a meeting in the Three Tunns and enters
the Wisbech Leagueand finish the season completing the Second Division "double", winning
the league and Sandall Cup. Wisbech Leagues Aistrup bowling award for most league wickets presented to Tony Smart. All home matches played at Mr. Joe Bedford's Grange Farm Barroway Drove were beaten by 46 runs in the Sandall Cup final at the metal Box ground, Wisbech.(Welney 76-7wkts and Barroway 30) Welney Past XI (59-4w) beat the current team (56) by 6 wickets. |
1969 Team doubles winners
| 1970 | In January the club holds its first Dinner Dance in the village hall with 100
members and guests. Mr. & Mrs Clive Frusher (Wisbech Standard) presents the trophies. The League and Sandall Cup being presented to club captain Michael North. Entertainment provided by the Tony Charles Band. Pre-season coaching sessions for all club members are held at the school by qualified MCC coach Bryan Turner. Colin Taylor wins the first Single Wicket Competition beating Paul Laughlin in the final. |
| 1971 | First season playing on the new Playing Field. Oldroyd Cup finalists losing to Walpole Highway by 23 runs at Wisbech Town CC. |
| 1973 | Oldroyd Cup winners against March St Marys at Upwell, winning by 68 runs. Peter Scott scores the first century (105) on the new playing field in a league match against March St.Marys. |
| 1974 | Again Oldroyd Cup finalists at Leverington, losing to Walpole Highway by only 4 runs and beaten Loughton Cup (6 a side) finalists, losing to March St.Marys by 2 wickets. |
| 1975 | Ernie Blows, one of the clubs most famous former players, dies at the age of 84 |
1971 Oldroyd Cup finalists
1976 Wisbech League champs
1976 Presentation dinner
| 1976 | The clubs most successful season winning the Wisbech & District Cricket League, for the first and only time
to date, and finalists in both the Sandall and Mortimore Rosebowls.March St Marys beating Welney by 4 runs at Wisbech’s Metal Box ground in the Sandall final and losing to Southery & Ouse
Bridge by 28 runs in the Mortimore final at Littleport. The season culminated in a Presentation Dinner at the Lamb & Flag with League Secretary Ken Morton presenting the Jeffrey shield to club captain David Smart and individual mementoes to the players. |
1976 presentation of Jeffrey Shield to captain David Smart
| 1990 | The club reforms under the guidance of Bob Frusher |
| 1991 | New all weather strip is laid for the wicket on the Playing Field for the first season of the reformed club. Award winners - R.Frusher (Batting), M.Sawyer (Bowling) |
| 1992 | Welney Past XI beats the current team by 5 wickets. Player of the year – Matthew Waring. Award winners – R.Frusher (Batting & Bowling) and M.Waring (Catching). |
| 1993 | Youths cricket team formed with matches against March and Leverington. Welney Past XI again wins the challenge match, this time by only 2 wickets. Player of the year – Martin Cobb. Award winners – R.Frusher (Batting), R.Coo (Bowling) & S.Singleterry (Catching) |
| 1994 | Youths team enter the Fenland Mid-week League (under 14’s) The current team finally beats the Past XI by 37 runs with Bob Frusher top scoring with 123 runs. Scores Welney 278- 6 wkts
and the Past XI 241 all out, including a 10th wicket partnership of 101 by Stuart Singleterry and Tony Smart. Player of the year – Simon Singleterry. Award winners – R.Frusher (Batting & Catching), S.Warby (Bowling), S.Singleterry (Catching award shared)
Ray Kent donated a trophy to be played for annually to commemorate the Blows Brothers who in 1923 bowled out a team for no runs... |
| 1995 | Player of the year – Bob Frusher. Award winners – D.Gray (Batting & Catching) and A.Beckett (Bowling) |
| 1996 | Award winners J.Wakefield (Batting), J.Carlisle (Bowling) and M.Waring (Catching) |
| 1997 | The club play in the Fenland Trophy League (P 10 – W 6 – D 0 – L 4) and finish mid table. The club beats Upwell by 9 wickets in the final of the Calitheke Cup at Lode Hall. Award winners – W.Markille (Batting), K.Jakings (Bowling) and D.Dodman (Catching). |
| 1998 | Bob Frusher resigns all posts and disbands the club without funds, the all weather wicket is later removed at the request of the Playing Field [committee]. |
2001 presentation to Dave Belton
2001 presentation dinner
| 1999 | Meeting held in the Three Tunns to reform the club where it was decided to send out letters of appeal to former players to raise funds for the new club. Over £600 was raised for new equipment. Fixtures against Littleport and Brentwood Labour Party were played and a Over/Under 40s’ match arranged. |
| 2000 | At a well attended AGM held in the Lamb & Flag it was decided that the new Club's name would be ‘Welney
Croft Cricket Club’ and a full fixture list was presented to the meeting. Stuart Singleterry records the highest ever score in the clubs history, 155 not out ( 7 sixes and 16 fours) at home against Feltwell. At the end of season Presentation dinner at the Lamb & Flag, over 35 members, wives and guests attend with the guest speaker being John Dye, the former Kent and Northants county cricketer. The evening entertainment was provided by Paddy Stronge. Award winners: Cricketer of the Year and bowling awards: Dennis Birch; Batting and Catching awards: Stuart Singleterry; Captains award: Kevin Scarff. A special award was presented to all rounder Peter Scott who had played for the club over a 50-season period, first playing at the age of 11 on the Minister Wash and finishing the season runners up in both the batting and bowling averages |
| 2001 | The Blows Brothers Trophy, donated by Ray Kent, was played against Pymore, with the visitors winning by 4
wickets.
47 guests attend another successful end of
season dinner with special guest speaker being the Leicestershire captain and England player Vince Wells.
Award winners: Cricketer of the Year: Stuart Singleterry Batting Award: Richard Carter Bowling Award: Malcolm Sargent Catching Award: Derek Thompson Captains Award: David Belton |
| 2002 | The Club was host to a first-class county team, Leicestershire County. See: Article and photos |
| 2003 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | Club enters Mid-Norfolk Sunday League, playing in Peter Parfitt Div 3. |
| 2013 | Club playing in Haverson Div 3. |
2000 award winners
2001 Blows Cup Winners
2001 Presentation Dinner
Vince Wells and John Loveday
