Greatest Moment

Winning the Huddersfield Association 'Treble' in 1985.

Local Hero

John Harold - 'Mr Augustinians' and legendary club stalwart.

Bizarre Fact

One early encounter pitted Augustinians against Almondbury Wesleyans. The club scorebook shows that the eleven men representing Augustinians were dismissed for a combined total of six (6) - with byes top-scoring with two!

Origins in Bradley Bar

Augustinians CC emerged in the late-1960s. One irreverent note on the club's unofficial website says that the club was formed 'from the remnants of John Finbar Harold's darts team', but the reality was that the new side was connected to St. Augustine's Voluntary School, Bradley Bar.

According to the official history of the Huddersfield Association: 'It was at the November meeting in 1967 that "Mr Grimes, representing the staff, students, former students and friends of St. Augustine's Voluntary School, expressed his club's hopes of being admitted to the Association in 1968 and replied to questions put to him by various representatives."'

The representatives of the school were indeed successful - and 1968 turned out to be Augustinians' debut season in the Association.
When St. Augustine's merged with a nearby school, St. Gregory's Grammar, in the late-1970s to form All Saints School, the cricket club continued to thrive, recruiting staff, pupils and old boys from all three institutions.

Harold, Harold and Friends

In the early days, the club was indebted to a number of key individuals: Brian Doran, Frank Heppenstall, Peter Lawrence-Brown and Vincent O'Hara, plus Harold Ainley (1st XI captain) and Stuart Burns (2nd XI skipper). And then there was John Harold - stalwart of the side in its infancy and still, today, heavily involved at the club. Harold also served as president of the Association. His term of office began in 1975 and he was in post in 1986 when the league celebrated its centenary.

Augustinians had their fair share of success. The 2nd XI won the Crosland Trophy in 1973, retained it the year after, and won it again in 1985. Meanwhile, the 1st XI claimed the Section A title four years out of five in the early 1980s, and won the Lumb Cup in 1984 to boot. Not surprisingly, they were dubbed the 'team of the eighties'.

If this was the up side, the down side was one particular encounter with Almondbury Wesleyans. The club scorebook shows that the eleven men representing Augustinians were dismissed for a combined total of six (6) - with byes top-scoring with two. As if to put such disasters into context, a spokesman said: 'The club, and the friendships it has fostered over the years, survived such setbacks and, hopefully, even if the circle were once more to turn, they would continue for many years to come.'

Moving Moment

Augustinians CC used to play at All Saints School, but were restricted in what they could do with the cricket field during the week - because it was part of the School's premises. They made the move to Laund Hill at the beginning of the 1990s. Today, they are one of two Huddersfield-based sides who play in the Halifax & District League (the other one is Salendine Nook Old Boys C.C. - a club whose HQ is only a few hundred yards down the road from Laund Hill).

Augustinians boast two senior teams, a Sunday XI, plus junior sides at under-11, under-13, under-15 and under-17 level.
The unofficial website sheds much light on the spirit and ethos of the club. In late 2002, it stated: 'Augustinians are looking forward to the 2002-3 off-season, which should see them extend their unbeaten run until at least April.' It continued: 'Any suggestions for content, features or just general abuse on this unofficial website are more than welcome!'

Martin Farrar sums up the essence of Augustinians as a cricket club: 'Today we are regarded as the cricket section of the YMCA because we lodge at Laund Hill. It's a nice set-up, a good, proper cricket ground, and we can work on the square during the week, a refreshing change after All Saints. Although the club's origins suggest that it is a "Catholic" club, this is not strictly the case. Obviously, a lot of our members belong to the Catholic tradition, but I'm a Protestant and we extend a welcome to everyone at our club. It really is a non-issue. Today, about 50 per cent of our members are All Saints old boys.'

And what about Laund Hill? What are its defining characteristics as a cricketing arena? Farrar goes on: 'The imposing ring of trees that circles the playing area. I'm a spin bowler, and on a dark afternoon I like to give the ball a bit of flight, so it comes out of the trees and deceives the batsman. The trees are definitely a big help to bowlers! We've also got a nice scorebox and clubhouse, though it's quite a walk from the watching area to the changing rooms and eating area. And the groundsman, Bob Howarth, deserves a lot of credit for improving the wicket.'