FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL

The Difficult 1990s by Matt Ottey

In 1999 Nortonthorpe Cricket Club was on the verge of collapse. Due to a chronic lack of players the club was, on occasion, fielding teams of seven players only. It is difficult to comprehend how a club once recognised for fielding successful teams could succumb to such a lack of interest on the playing front.

1999

During the 1960s Nortonthorpe won more trophies than any other club in the area. In 1960 the second string bagged the Tinker Cup with the firsts scooping their knockout competition, the Allsop Cup, in 1961. Twice they notched league-and-cup doubles - once in 1963 and then again in 1965 and both times they were captained by R.Hardy. It was in 1963 that the seconds claimed the Tinker Cup for the second time.

In 1964 the first team won the second of three Huddersfield Central League championships, stamping their authority on the local cricket scene and also cementing their place in the history books.

Again there were celebrations at Springfield Avenue as the firsts helped themselves to the Section ‘B’ title in 1976, fuelling the chances of a return to the heights of the 1960s. 

Unfortunately, the club didn’t spark to life as hoped. During the 80s and early 90s they competed well without actually winning any silverware. As the club moved into the latter 90s their fortunes took a turn for the worse.

Due to a crippling lack of interest and loyalty, Nortonthorpe found themselves in a position where an inability to field a full team was a very real possibility. Club secretary Roger Littlewood, who was once an outstanding player at the club, fronted an SOS call to the community in an attempt to sustain the team.

He said: ‘We’ve had our moments, but since the 1970s we’ve struggled slightly. Once upon a time we had the best facilities in the area, but time has moved on. It all came to a head in the 1990s when we were on the verge of folding’.  

However, thankfully the crisis didn’t grow to that magnitude, with salvation just around the corner. ‘There was a time when we regularly had to field 6- or 7-man teams. Eventually we sorted ourselves out, and we’re greatly indebted to a group of young Pakistani cricketers for getting us moving again’.

Since then the club has found a solid group of players, and is running two teams at senior level and an under-13s side.

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