Greatest Moment

Re-formation as Northowram CC in 1948.

Local Hero

Dave Garside – hardworking club stalwart.

Bizarre Fact

The club staged a special dance to help pay for the move to Westercroft Lane in 1920.

Fantastic Views

Westercroft Lane is a semi-rural venue with fantastic views to the east (Coley church in all its glory) and south (you can easily make out Emley Mast, 15-20 miles away). An aerodrome once stood adjacent to the pair of cricket fields.

When there's a big match on at Northowram, the atmosphere is always convivial. The pavilion, in particular, is a hive of activity and noise.

Once upon a time, Northowram relied on an old wood hut. However, in the early 1990s they 'raided' Butlins at Filey after the holiday centre had closed down, and ferried stonework, doors and various other bits and bobs by lorry to the Westercroft Lane site. They proceeded to build a new pavilion - the one that proudly stands today. (Some time in the future, when finances permit, the club would like to extend the pavilion further).

New Scorebox

In 2001 a new scorebox was erected at the ground. The facility was part-funded by grant money, and it replaced the small hut that had served the club up till that point.

As there aren't too many benches around the perimeter of the ground, spectators tend to make a virtue out of a necessity, and perch themselves on top of the long low dry stone wall that runs round the boundary on the pavilion side. There is always a lot of banter between cricketers and cricket-watchers - particularly when batsmen are either leaving or returning to the pavilion!

The playing surface is more of a square than a circle and there are sightscreens on wheels and whitewashed stone walls at both ends.

Club spokesman Peter Atkinson, says: 'The wicket here is very good. We have a groundsman who attends to the square on a regular basis, and another person who sees to the outfield. The wicket plays as well as any other in the league - it's a very fair cricket wicket. When we moved into the Central Yorkshire League, we were slightly unsure whether we would meet all their ground criteria, but in the end we did so on all counts - size of playing area, pavilion, changing rooms, the lot.'

Successful Merger

There's plenty of room for parking on Westercroft Lane - a new car park was created recently out of a heap of gravel that just appeared on club premises. There's also room for parking on Westercroft Lane, but you're taking a big chance if you do leave your motor there. A straight six hit from the bottom end could easily leave your vehicle with severe bumps and bruises!

Atkinson maintains that the merger between Northowram CC and Fields CC has been a big success: 'Fields lost their ground when Yorkshire CCC installed their Academy at Bradford Park Avenue. At the time, we at Northowram were struggling, and in very quick time the merger was agreed. The new 'joint' side has progressed through the Bradford Central League, and we're now thriving in the top division of the Central Yorkshire League.'

Pakistani Star

Iftikhar Anjum took 75 wickets for Northowram Fields in 2001 at an average of 11.00, and went on to play for Spen Victoria in the Bradford League.

With a high-arm action modelled on Glenn McGrath, Iftikhar Anjum is another addition to Pakistan’s seemingly endless production line of pace bowlers.

He could bowl reverse-swing, with good control over his yorkers. He has taken over 200 first-class wickets.