Morley Cricket Club 4.31

Contacts
Secretary: Steve Ream
League Representative: Graeme Roberts
1st Team Captain: Matthew Baxter
2nd Team Captain: Graeme Roberts

Honours
Joined League: 1998
Second Teams Division Two champions: 2008
History
In 1929 the committee of the Morley Cricket, Bowling and Athletic Club made, what was at the time, a momentous decision. A decision that was to affect the club, not only in the foreseeable future, but for all time. They decided to purchase the cricket field and the adjoining rugby field from Lord Dartmouth’s agents.

The cost? £3,000! In these days still a tidy sum, but in those days just after the general strike, depression era, unemployment and when 30 shillings was a big wage, then £3,000 was nothing less than a small fortune.

How to raise the money? They decided to hold a bazaar. In those days the bazaars were a fashionable and sociable way of making money. But this was to be no one-day event – it was to be the biggest bazaar ever held in the town, lasting a full week and staged in the Morley Town Hall.

For two years before the bazaar was staged the ladies and gentlemen of the Morley C B &A club worked, as no committee before, or since, has every worked. Eventually the great week arrived. And, who better to open the occasion than one of the world’s finest openers, Herbert Sutcliffe of Yorkshire and England fame. Herbert duly officiated at the ceremony and the bazaar was a tremendous success not only financially but socially. The money was raised and the two fields duly purchased and at last Morley Cricket Club had a home. Just after the last war they sold the rugby field to the Morley Rugby Club.

If the committee of all those years ago did a wonderful job, then it can be truthfully said, and there is evidence to support it, that the committees of the past few years have, by their far thinking, made the clubhouse one of the finest in amateur cricket in the north.

For those who have not yet crossed the threshold the clubhouse consists of two carpet- fitted lounges – the bar lounge, and the new lounge equipped for dancing, a billiards room with two tables, a refreshment room and changing rooms. The bar has plenty of elbow-room, it is 64ft long.

The committee also decided in 1995 to allow ladies into what had previously been a strictly men-only club. The decision has never been questioned since and has proved to be an unqualified success.

The Morley Cricket team, then known as Throttlers Off, played their first game on Fish’s Field, a mere long hop from the present field, in 1841. In the early 1850’s, now known as Morley, they moved to the Nelson ground just near the Prospect.

It was on this ground in 1862 that Morley played an All-England XI in a match which attracted 8,000 spectators. The game was repeated the following year and again attracted a similar number of spectators. In the early 1880’s Morley moved to Queens Park playing fields, only a six-hit from Scatcherd Lane. The entrance to these fields was the present entrance to Brumfitt’s mill yard - the stone archway over the entrances still stands. In 1889 Morley moved to their present spacious grounds in Scatcherd Lane

These were officially declared open by the Mayor of Morley, David Thackary. Morley’s most famous cricketer was, of course, Bobbie Peel, born in Churwell and of Yorkshire and England fame. Only three England bowlers have taken 100 wickets or more in Test cricket against Australia. One of these was Peel the other two were SF Barnes and Wilfred Rhodes. Morley also had those two legendary cricketing characters, Bob Hutchinson and Charlie Pratt who, along with George Glover, carved a niche for themselves in the club’s history.

To write of Morley cricket without mention of Kenyon Newton would be unfair to him. Morley cricket and Kenyon Newton were synonymous. For over 42 years he was official scorer for Morley and recorded his last runs in September 1949. His scorebooks were a work of art, far in advance of their time, immaculately and meticulously written. They truly reflected the man’s great love not only for cricket but for Morley Cricket Club. His daughter Jessie, and her husband Ken, are now official scorers of the club.

Morley entered the Bradford League in 1998 after a long association with the Central Yorkshire League. Life wasn’t easy in the early days but in 2004 that all changed when they finished second in Division Two and were promoted to Division One for the first time.

It was a tremendous achievement and was topped in 2005 when the team defied the prophets of doom and deservedly retained their Division One status. Their tenacity and team spirit winning them many admirers.