Greatest Moment

Re-formation in 1952.

Local Hero

Clive Brook - former captain and stalwart official.

Bizarre Fact

The 2nd XI is known as Mirfield-Harry Lime due to the merger of the two clubs prior to the 2005 season.

'Entertainment' and Relocation

An early newspaper cutting – wedged in between items relating to Mirfield Prosecution Society and Mirfield Cotton Districts Relief Fund – from 9 May 1863 tells us that club membership stood at 66, the cricket field was being ‘levelled and re-laid’, and Gomersal Perseverance Club were soon to be challenged in a friendly fixture.

Mirfield Town Hall was the venue for one of the cricket club’s big events of 1882 – a fundraising ‘Entertainment’. This sounds like an evening of variety and cabaret, with all proceeds going to a cricketing cause.

War Stop Play

In 1895 the club’s annual report revealed that a Mr Ingham had paid £370 to build the club a new pavilion.

He had also come to the club’s rescue when, at the end of season 1894, the club had been forced to re-locate due to the construction of Heaton Lodge and the Wortley Railway.

In this early period, the club played in a variety of leagues: the Spen Valley, West Riding and Heavy Woollen.

But the Great War took its toll and in 1919 the ‘old’ Mirfield club was forced to disband.

New Cricketing Tenants

The 're-formation' of Mirfield CC in 1952 was due to the efforts of a group of local businessmen and councillors.

They all saw the potential in a 'new' Mirfield CC. They were also helped by the fact that there was a 'vacancy' at the Memorial Ground.

For, in 1951 the lease held by the Craven Gentlemen - another local cricket team - had run out, and new cricketing tenants were being sought.

And local folk were pretty confident that Mirfield CC Mk II would be given the green light: the new club was admitted to the Heavy Woollen Cup on 29 September 1951, prior to the official re-formation actually taking place!

The town was very enthusiastic about the re-formation and in this formative period the club was particularly indebted to its female membership.

Buckley and Barber

1952 was thus a milestone year in the history of Mirfield CC – and on the club’s 50th birthday, club stalwart Pat Neal produced a fascinating study of the ‘first season’.

Key personalities around this time included Charles Buckley – a public schoolboy who skippered the 1952 side; he was a right-hand batsman and off-spinner who dropped down to the 2nd XI and then became a committee member and vice-president; outside cricket he was MD at Buckley's Brush Works and was the son of the founder.

Wilf Barber, Yorkshire and England cricketer, joined Mirfield at the age of 51 from Halifax side King Cross; he averaged 41.18 and 45.89 in his two seasons at the Memorial Ground and won the Division 2 Batting Award in both years. He scored 15,315 runs for Yorkshire and gained two Test caps.    

Yorkshire in Town

The Memorial Ground has played host to the Yorkshire Colts on four occasions with Yorkshire being victorious on three of these. A host of future Yorkshire and England stars graced the ground.

The first game played between 7th and 8th July 1954 saw Staffordshire entertained in a Minor Counties game. The Dewsbury Reporter marked the occasion with the photo below.

Staffordshire were bowled out for 244 in the first innings with B.James taking 4 for 38. However, Yorkshire slumped to 121 all out, K.C Stockwell making 46 and having to bat again made only 127 B.C Moor scoring 53. Staffs won at 4:58pm on the second day.

In 1957 Yorkshire faired much better the side included Brian Bolus, Don Wilson, Ken Taylor, Ted Lester, Ronnie Burnett and Doug Padgett. The Lincolnshire side included the splendidly named H.M.A Cherry-Downes.

Lincs batted first and made 191 all out as Don Wilson took 6 for 49. In reply Yorkshire made 213, a lead of 22 with Padgett 84 and Taylor 58. Wilson again took the honours with 8 for 62 (match figures of 14 for 111). Yorkshire rapped up victory by 6:38pm with Padgett 56 not out.

Dickie, Bob and Jack

In 1959 the MMG hosted the first ever second eleven Championship match when Warwickshire appeared between 6th and 7th May. Bolus, Lester and Wilson again appeared alongside Phil Sharpe, Jack Birkenshaw, Bob Platt and Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird.

Wilson again took a liking to the Mirfield wicket taking 5 for 44 as Warwickshire made 123. The Huddersfield Examiner reported of the first day that “conditions were ideal for cricket and the 100 or so spectators by noon included a member of the fairer sex in a sun suit”!. Bird 52 and Wilson 40 saw Yorkshire to 185 in reply.

Wilson again starred in the second innings taking 5 for 40 Warwickshire being dismissed for 116 leaving Yorkshire 55 to win. Yorkshire ended victorious on 58 for 2.

Hungry Hampshire

The last Yorkshire game was between 10th and 11th May 1961 and saw a 19 year old John Hampshire appear along with John Balderstone, Peter Kippax, Mel Ryan and Tony Nicholson.

Hampshire later to become a Yorkshire and England star scored 65 and 64. Yorkshire made 269 in the first innings Balderstone (61) and Chadwick (54). The Examiner reported “Ted Lester won the toss to bat on a wicket which had been well covered and was much firmer than might have been expected. His opening pair of J.H Hampshire of Rotherham and J.P Chadwick of Harrogate celebrated with a good century stand.”

Lincs made 202 in reply with Cherry-Downes again appearing but Kippax took the honours with 8 for 70.

Yorkshire declared in the second innings on 138 for 4 setting Lincs 205 to win but thanks to 6 for 36 from K.Gillhouley Lincs were dismissed for 141.

The Examiner commented on a strange incident in the match “there was one amusing incident when Hampshire swept Chatterton out of the ground for six, for it seemed he had damaged the ball. Closure inspection revelled however that this was not the ball from the game but a ‘find’ from a previous match.

Although the Memorial Ground has not hosted and further Yorkshire games it continues to host Cup Finals and junior Heavy Woollen district games each year.