AND THEN TWO BUSES COME ALONG !!

My usual trip to the ground where the first session of the summer school was taking place. Timo and Chris were doing a grand job with a bunch of enthusiastic youngsters Three of these youngsters were brought along by Matthew Hardwick and it was great to talk of yesteryear . Tempus fugit -his older lad is now 22. but I remember him as a tender chicken

And there we were chatting away when another oldie appeAred on a dog walking errand . However, I can only remember this episode involving Danny

As I get older it seems that I only write on the passing of those that I have known at Shipley. One such was IAN HARDWICK who has sadly left us. Ian was a lovely man with a subtle sense of fun which was never far from the surface.

I am sure I can be forgiven to describe him as an average cricketer who  nonetheless enjoyed every minute on the cricket field  whether with some obdurate batting or subsequently when raising his finger with equal joy as a league umpire

For some years he kept me amused with  a series of funnies  that he had discovered. I repeat one such rendering which perhaps sums him up more than my own words

LEXOPHILIA - WHO ON EARTH DREAMS THESE UP?  I don't know, but they are clever and will give you a few groans as well! Why? A lexophile of course!         How does Moses make tea?   Hebrews it.  •        Venison for dinner again?   Oh deer! •        A cartoonist was found dead in his home.  Details are sketchy. •        I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest. •        Haunted French pancakes give me the crêpes. •        England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool. •        I tried to catch some fog, but I mist. •        They told me I had type-A blood, but it was a Typo. •        I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now. •        Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. •        I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time. •        I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me. •       This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’m sure I'd never met herbivore. •        When chemists die, they barium. •        I'm reading a book about anti-gravity.  I just can't put it down. •        I did a theatrical performance about puns.  It was a play on words. •        Why were the Indians here first?  They had reservations. •        I didn't like my beard at first.  Then it grew on me. •        Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn't control her pupils? •        When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble. •        Broken pencils are pointless. •        What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary?  A thesaurus. •        I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx. •        All the toilets in New York's police stations have been stolen.  The police have nothing to go on. •        I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough. •        Velcro - what a rip off! Ian was not in good health in later life but bore his difficulties with great fortitude and never lost the ability to find amusement. He will be sadly missed but fondly remembered

 

 

David Stott

 DAVID STOTT

What a sad year it has been for Shipley as I add David's name to those of Jim Sumner, John Cokayne, Danny Smith and Peter Hanson to the list of fine people we have lost.

David joined the club in 1976 when he was working in banking based in Ilkeston. He was a Yorkshireman by birth and in true Yorkshire fashion was forthright in his opinions. As a cricketer he had developed into a fine opening bat with a delight for striking the ball. He off drove with particular relish and frequently set the Shipley innings off on a positive note. He took over the captaincy in 1977 and led the team to a League Championship in his first season as such. It was a great shame when his work took him away from the club at the end of the next season. He played a few games for a local club near Durham but then his interest waned.

I need to recall just one match which summed up David's approach to batting. It was a Village Cup match of 20 overs a side played on a murky evening on a very dodgy pitch. None of the team I was captaining could work up any enthusiasm for the game but we managed to get the opposition out for 50, Not a bad score on a pitch that saw the ball spit off a length, with the next grub through. I looked around the  dressing room for someone to open with David and most were looking the other way. When I made the choice of the eccentric Robin Pratt ( his comment was "you've got it in for me) our 3,4,and 5 padded up with great reluctance.  Few of us who watched the next 9 overs could quite believe the way David played. The first over he faced saw 2 rasping off drives and he continued in that vein  to reach his 50 with Robin at the other end on 0. It was the latter in true irony who hit the winning run.  

Whilst in Ilkeston he divorced his first wife but quickly married again to the very bubbly Sue. They both subsequently settled near Durham where he ran a local pub for a short while before retiring and enjoying a full family life. His son, Peter, was a keen go-carter and this took the family to various locales to support him. He loved Rugby Union and was a keen follower of Newcastle Falcons

David captained the Presidents XI against Shipley and, in latter seasons and  visited the ground whenever in the area  and we also met up at Headlingly to watch his County team. 

It was a great shock to learn that, at the age of 72, he was diagnosed with an inoperative brain tumor. He passed away peacefully just 6 weeks later. 

Another lovely man has left us. In just three short years at the club he shone brightly as both cricketer and person.

  

JIM SUMNER

 We lost Jim Sumner this week at the age of 92. Jim had almost reached legendry status at Shipley. He joined the club in 1947 and, as a fresh-faced fast bowler he bustled in with arms flailing expecting every ball to give him another prized wicket. A captain's dream he would bowl with all the energy he could muster whenever pressed into service. His batting was, let's be kind, and say rustic, I once saw him hit 40 but suffice to say he took more wickets than made runs throughout his playing career. As a schoolmaster, he advocated sporting activities for his pupils and he managed a local junior football team and also took up the reins as Junior Manager at the club. He had a spell as Club Secretary and followed this up by acting as Scorer for the 1st XI where his cheery outlook was a spur to many of our players. 

He possessed an infectious enthusiasm for life which rubbed off on those around him. You could rarely be in his company without giggling or laughing out loud at his tales. 

At 90, with the aid of his lovely wife, Viv. a book of his poems was published. Age did catch up with him and inflicted dreaded dementia upon him. He took this stoically and given a few prompts could recall in detail the adventures of his earlier life. My lasting memory of him was at his 90th birthday party when before an admiring audience he regaled them with a 4-page poem he had written about his life without missing a sentence or beat.

He will be sadly missed by all who knew him and. for Shipley, it is though one of the mighty oaks has fallen. I have included a pic. of

a young Jim at a party we held following a successful season. It says it all !!   

JOHN COKAYNE

John passed away this week after a prolonged struggle with the evil that is dementia.

At his peak in the  sixties he was a fine fast bowler who bustled in, legs and arms pumping to give it his all. He was the first Shipley bowler to record a 10 wicket haul, that against our keen rivals , Belper Meadows. After I took over the captaincy of the 1st XI in 62' John was always the first to be handed the ball and you would know he would be giving 101% each and every ball. He was an absolute joy for a captain. I well recall a match against British Rail in 65 when he had quickly dismissed the first 5. But there was a problem. for his lovely wife Merrill was in Derby Hospital giving birth to a son. John had promised to be at her bedside for the birth expected around 4 o'clock. and he had  been cajoled to play on the understanding that he would be able to leave at any time. 3.30 came around with his 5th wicket in the bag and it left me begging him to bowl one more, one more and again one more. That was it, and having added one more wicket to his tally he drove  the short distance to the hospital ,arriving just 20 minutes before Steve appeared on the scene. Shame really-he could have bowled 2 more----- but at least we won the game !!

As his legs started to trouble him in the early 70's he dropped into the 2nds and morphed into an opening bat  who used his strength to bludgeon the ball away to all corners. Not the prettiest or aesthetically pleasing but none the less effective. He was also a popular captain of the two's'

When he stopped playing cricket he would make frequent journey's to watch sons Steve and Rob in action and also his grandson Michael.  We had many a chat about days of yore. It was such a tragic shame that dementia slowly crept up on him but he bore this with as much good grace as he could summon up.

 His soccer prowess extended from being a bustling centre forward to a centre back through which not many passed. You can imagine a dainty right winger dribbling towards John and being unceremoniously dumped !!

Shipley have lost a lovely man and grand servant for the club - I have lost a friend

A FUN DAY AT SHIPLEY

This year we decided to add a Fun Day to our annual Junior Presentation event. The idea was to get parents and players, both senior and junior,  together. Very noble- but  we forgot to tell the weather gods and rain showers persisted throughout the day, although at least no thunderbolts were hrown

It made very little difference to the youngsters who simply wanted to burn off their energy  but it deterred the mums and dads and, disappointingly, the senior players. However we went ahead as best we could.
A tug of war got the youngsters attention

Ollie & Arthur tug away

At the other end

                                             

and left most dragging along the ever dampening grass. Timo's team just about won.

Whilst this was going on the penalty shoot out attracted budding Harry Kane's with the target of beating the large framed Bob ( He's just a big kid really ) who amply filled the small sized goal.  Edward Cokayne won the golden goal knock out

Bowling at a Single stump proved a big draw and the "flat" wicket proved to be the downfall of most.                        

Alison MISS

Amy MISS

Christine SO CLOSE

                                                             

JC BIG MISS

Matthew NEAR

Reece NOWHERE NEAR

             
                                                         

                                                          Simon SLITHERED PAST
                                               
The finalists were both from the Under 11's

The races were divided by age group

                                                  

Throwing the cricket ball events always add kudos to the winners and this event was also very popular. REECE IS CROWNED AS THE LONGEST THROWER so seniors if you didn't turn up you will just have to accept it.  

Here's Jack going for the long yards

We moved on to the Awards And JC was at his wittiest best

The Under 13's were out in force

Not to forget the ladies

But this was the classic shot of the day

MANY THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

Matt Bar B king

Les

Neil , Amy, Jo

                                          

Chief of Staff

Timo kept the kids in order

                                                


                                                       

Whilst your's truly watched on

AND Not to forget the man behind the lens RYAN BLAKE

AND FINALLY THE AWARD FOR THE DIRTIEST BOY

                                                                      

 

Shipley Hall by Alan Reavill

I am indebted to Alan for the below


                               SHIPLEY HALL

   The scent of freshly mown grass ..
   The warmth of the early summer sun …
    Birdsong ; a gentle breeze -  The scene is set ....I am relaxed : 
    This rural idyll unlikely to be outdone.

    The velvety sward before me a verdant green...
      Could anyone wish a more perfect rural scene ?
      Derbyshire at its beautiful best : 
    Paradise at my behest 
      Could anyone wish for more reason ?

    Ah, Yes ... The first day of the cricket season !
     The pavilion retains its familiar format, though larger now …
     Resplendent with added wings, balconies .... 
     And, a separate scoreboard building.....Whow !
     But the changes are in keeping with the remembered scene...
     Changes which I could not have foreseen ....

    It's more than fifty years ... But no need to rush  ....
     I wonder what happened to the old 'Bull and Bush' ?
    The fielding side. - it's Shipley  Hall I see - take the field …
     The sun so bright  my eyes I must shield..

    I look for those I recall : Names and faces from that happy past
     Baker, Bottomley, Priestley, Grainger, Sumner, Hunter, 
     Waltham, Young ....  and  Cokayne ....he really was fast.
      And, Mellors  the 'keeper - 'Butch' of that ilk -but unrelated to he of      Chatterley fame.

    'Though the Hall was the setting of Lawrence's novel all the same.
       I feel foolish as I remember  - it's all so many years ago .....
     Though a Cokayne , third generation, now plays it seems.
      I close my eyes .... drift into nostalgic mode ....

   Games and  events from those early years ...All those teams....
     Fifty years ?  All those matches.... All those dreams.
     The Hall has gone though the grounds remain ..
      But the cricket field is still my memory's domain.







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