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SALE CRICKET CLUB recently marked its 150th Anniversary with a special Celebration Dinner for over 100 guests at Lancashire County Cricket Club. Many former and current players, officials and friends of the Club were in attendance and helped to make it an evening to remember for all concerned.
Rob Moore, Chairman of the Cricket Club, gave the welcome address and referred to the highly successful season enjoyed by Sale in 2004: runners-up in the Cheshire Cricket League to secure promotion back to the Cheshire County Cricket League in 2005, winners of the CCL 2nd XI league and cup competitions and 3rd XI winners of the CCCL Division 4 championship.
Long-serving player, official and groundsman of the Club, Russell Wyatt, acted as Master of Ceremonies for the evening and ran an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise some £350 for the Junior Cricket at Sale CC. He also presented a gift to another former bowler for Sale, Jim Younger, who had organised the dinner so successfully and also prepared a fascinating display of articles and photographs to illustrate the Club’s long history as well as a special commemorative Dinner Card.
The guest speaker was Dr Eric Midwinter, a local cricket historian and prolific author who has had a long association with the Sale Club. He gave a fascinating insight into the early years of cricket at Sale, mentioning many former players around the turn of the 20th Century when the Club had numerous county representative honours. Sir Edwin Stockton was a club stalwart in this period as was his brother Albert; these two dominating the playing and administrative affairs of the Club for some 40 years, the highlight being when Sir Edwin presented the inaugural Stockton Trophy (the Manchester & District Cricket Association league championship) to his brother in 1920. Dr Midwinter then referred to the highly successful period leading up to and after the Second World War when Sale was again the winner of the Stockton Trophy in 1938 and 1947. The names of Beattie, Chrisp, Desborough, Howard, Gilbert and later Peaker featured strongly around this period and it was particularly pleasing to see Derek Peaker, former LCCC president, present at the dinner.
The response was made by present Club President Glyn Roberts who was able to share his reminiscences of a long association with Sale since joining the Club in 1968. He paid tribute to a number of fine players in this period, many of whom were at the dinner including Keith Peet, Murray Lennie, Nigel Stanyard and Neil Fitton. Of course Glyn did not mention his own amazing career at Sale that produced 6,651 runs and 431 wickets in the 1st XI. Memorable incidents in more recent years were recalled, including the MDCA cup final win at Old Trafford in 1974 and Duncan Smith’s 10 for 22 in 1975.
Although Sale’s fortunes have waned somewhat in recent years the highly successful season just finished will hopefully give the Club the impetus to attain further success in the Cheshire County League from 2005. Sale Cricket Club has had a remarkable history over 150 years and it is hoped that many of those current players at this year’s dinner will be present for the bicentennial celebrations in 2054.
R J M Lee
Pictures from 150th Anniversary Dinner
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