Cricket

Cricket has always been a particular strength at Grange, and the school produced many outstanding cricketers at that time. The annual Staff v. School match, held at Bankfoot Cricket Club, was always a highlight of the sporting year.

More details of Junior and Senior cricket can be found on their respective pages in the menu above.

Staff v. School cricket matches

1964: Staff 77 all out, School 49 for 3. Rain stopped play

Unfortunately the day was blustery and dull as we made our annual pilgrimage to Bankfoot to watch our cricketing heroes do battle with the lowly beings of the Sixth on the green Barry Birchfield where Mr Clarke performs his prodigious feats of bowling every other Saturday of the cricket season.

The match itself was far from dull with a “hat trick” by Birch and an unbeaten 35 by Mr Clarke as the highlights in a drawn game. Apart from a defiant 13 by Mr Crocker, only Mr Clarke stood between the Staff and complete annihilation. Birch polished off the rather weak tail with a hat trick and the Staff were all out for 77. Then on came the School team, unbeaten all season and confidently expecting to win this one too. But it was not to be; the weatherman suddenly decided, when the School’s total stood at 49 for 3, that the Staff should not be so humbled. It started to rain; the Staff breathed again and live to fight another year. (K Narey VI Mod)

 

1961: Barrett and the Good Samaritan (as brilliantly described by Mr GD Hardcastle)

And it came to pass that the day was at hand when the Sons of the Light should go forth to do battle with the Children of the Philistines. And the Sons of the Light went their way into their chariots and drave furiously, and came unto the field of Bankfoot. And the Children of the Philistines were encamped against them.

And they girded themselves and put on their breastplates and armed themselves with slings and clubs.

And the Chief of the Sons of Light, the Great Judge Wallace, chose two champions from all his host and sent them to do battle, saying unto them: “Be bold and of good courage, and come ye not back until the tea interval.”

And they went forth. And when the Children of the Philistines saw the champions appear, they shouted with a great shout, and did laugh them to scorn. And they sent forth into the field their own champions, eleven in number, to smite them. And the Champions of the Sons of Light trembled and were afraid, but they were mindful of the words of the Great Judge Wallace, and they went not back. And the Children of the Philistines smote them and pressed hard upon them, and the first of the champions fell. Then did the Children of the Philistines rejoice, and roll each other in the dust, and utter wild cries unto their strange gods.

And so the Great Judge Wallace sent forth another champion into the field, and him too did the Children of the Philistines grievously mistreat and drive from the field. And so it was with the next, and with the next, and with all the warriors who were sent forth, until the time came when there were left none but the Chief himself, the Great Judge Wallace, who led his armies from the rear. And it came to pass that when he did go into the field, he was met by the traitor Tordoff, who was of the blood and lineage of the Sons of Light but had chosen to pitch his tent among the Philistines. And the traitor took his sling, and slang it, and struck Wallace on the leg-bone, and vanquished him. And the Sons of Light fled from the field, leaving their dead. And their score numbered one hundred and three, which was not bad considering.

And after they had eaten and drunken, the Sons of Light went into the field to do battle a second time. And because they had eaten and drunken well, their arms were strong as the young lions, and of the Children of the Philistines they took the young man Whittingham, and the young man Ormiston, and the young Clark, and they slew them all. And the Children of the Philistines were sore afraid, and they rent their clothes, and covered their faces with ashes and cursed their day. And they said unto themselves: “Whom shall we send forth to do battle for us? For the enemy presseth sore upon us, and long ere the sun sets we shall be slain, yea, every one.”

Keith BarrettThen stood forth the giant Barrett, whose height was ten cubits and a span, and whose girth not much less, and lifted up his voice, and said: “Suffer me next to go out into the field and do battle with the Sons of Light, for lo, I will smite them, yea, even into the middle of next week.”

And they suffered him, and he armed himself, and went forth.

And the greatest of the warriors among the Sons of Light, Clarke A., ran at the giant with his sling, and slang it, and smote the giant on the leg-bone, even as had befallen the Great Judge Wallace. And lo, the Warrior Clarke A. spake not, but cast his eyes upon the ground, and made ready to cast another stone. And the giant Barrett smote it over the sightscreen.

Then was the Great Judge Wallace, and all that were with him, wroth, and he lifted up his voice, and spake unto the the warrior, Clarke A., and said: “Why didst thou not cry out, when thou hittedst the giant Barrett on the knee-bone?”

Warrior Clarke A.And the warrior Clarke A., cast his eyes upon the ground, for he was ashamed, and he said: “Because I knew not what I should cry out.” But in this he spake falsely, for he knew well he should have cried “Owzat?”And again the Great Judge Wallace asked him: “Why criedst thou not out?” And the warrior Clarke A. made answer, saying: “Because my bowels yearned towards the lad, and I had compassion upon him, because it was his first ball; therefore I cried not out.”

And the Great Judge Wallace rent his garments and cried out, saying: “Now art thou a proper Charlie, for, behold, he was plumb in front.”

And the warrior Clarke A. laughed and said: “Fear not, for lo, I shall have him out, even in the next over.”

But this was vain boasting, for the gods were with the giant Barrett, and he took his club, and he smote all the warriors of the Sons of Light to the North, and to the South, and to the East, and to the West. And the warrior Clarke A. he smote hardest and farthest of all, until he was bowled even unto the ground with grief and weariness, and had to be taken off. And the runs that the giant Barrett scored that day numbered four score and two; and his nation was victorious.

And the Great Judge Wallace lifted up his head from the dust and prophesied, saying: “From this day forth, cursed be he who having his enemy down upon the ground, forbeareth to jump upon his chest.” And he spake further unto them, saying: “This new commandment give I unto you: When next ye fight the Children of the Philistines, and the stone from your sling strikes any one of them, yea, even upon the neb of his cap, ye are all to cry out in a loud voice, ‘Owzat?’ And any umpire who says ye nay, him shall ye slay.”

And they said, “So be it.” And the words of the Great Wallace they ponder in their hearts, even unto this day.

And when next the battle is joined, if the Warrior Clarke is even picked, he will be lucky.


The Grange Connection

Park Chapel C.C.Whilst at Grange a number of  us were introduced to Park Chapel Cricket Club by Mr Eric Tordoff who was a member there. In the 1963 season we won the ‘A’ group for Ist XIs in the Mutual Sunday School League.

Featured on the photo are 5 Grange students - D Watkins, R Ormiston, G Butterfield, D Northin and P Wilkinson. The club continues to thrive and is now ‘Wibsey Park Chapel’  playing in the Halifax League. Their home ground is Park Avenue. The club president is Les Cousins.

Newspaper cutting sent by Geoff Northin

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