Stockport Cricket Club
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Stockport Cricket Club is situated on Beech Road, Cale Green, Stockport in the North West of England. The club provides senior and junior cricket from Under 11 to Under 18, and senior sides, of which there are currently 3, and always welcomes new members. The first and second XI play in the Meller Braggins Cheshire Cricket League, while the third team play in the Cheshire County Cricket League. The junior sides play in the Cheshire County Cricket League and the Cheshire High Peak Junior Cricket league.
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[edit] Ground
Stockport Cricket Club was formed in 1855, and has had 2 previous grounds before moving to Cale Green in 1883. These were on Charles Street, Higher Hillgate and on Greek Street. The Cale Green Ground was donated, along with the adjacent Cale Green Park, by Henry Bell, the former Mayor of Stockport. The cricket ground is one of the largest in the borough at 135 yards wide and 130 yards long, and the site also accommodates a lacrosse pitch, two bowling greens, the pavilion and a war memorial.
[edit] Pavilion
The pavilion has a function room commonly used for dance classes which is available to hire, and has its own bar, kitchen and toilets as well as access to the terrace. In addition there is a members bar with pool and snooker rooms and a committee room used for the meetings of many local groups. The club traditionally holds car-boot sales in May and August along with a bonfire in November.
[edit] History
Stockport Cricket Club was a member of the Manchester Cricket Association until 1937, when the club joined the Central Lancashire League. During this time the club had a number of periods of success, notably the 1960’s, when 12 trophies were won by the clubs first and second XI. While in the CLL the club had a number of well known players, with the most recognisable name being Vinoo Mankad, the Indian all-rounder. Future county cricketers including Barry Duddleston also played at the club in this period. Unfortunately financial difficulties forced the club to resign from the CLL in 1998, and the club merged with Stockport Sunday School and took their place in the Derbyshire and Cheshire Cricket League. The club experienced much success in this league and both the seniors and juniors, with the club winning a league competition every season and individual players collecting numerous personal awards. The junior sides were particularly strong, especially at Under 17 level where the club had a 6 season spell unbeaten in their league division, starting in 2001 and finally ending in 2007. During the 2007 season the club voted to resign from the DCCL and move into the Cheshire Pyramid for the 2008 season in an attempt to improve the standard of the cricket at the club. This drive starts in the Meller Braggins League at the start of the 2008 season.
[edit] Cenotaph
The war memorial at the corner of the cricket field is dedicated to the memory of the 18 members who died in World Wars I and II, and has the following inscriptions:-
AND THESE MEN DIED LEAVING THEIR DEATH FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A NOBLE COURAGE AND A MEMORIAL OF VIRTUE UNTO ALL THE NATION
II Macabees 6
SONS OF THIS PLACE LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID
THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD
THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT YOU WHO LIVE MAY REAP
A RICHER HARVEST ERE YOU FALL ASLEEP
Rev T E Royde
THERE'S BUT ONE TASK FOR ALL FOR EACH ONE LIFE TO GIVE WHO STANDS, IF FREEDOM FALL WHO DIES, IF ENGLAND LIVE
Rudyard Kipling
