A brief history of Ashley Cricket Club
This section compiled with the help of "Ashley Cricket Club; A History 1888 - 1988" by GF Turton and numerous minute books dating from 1890.
Click HERE to see a history of the clubs officials through the years
1888 – Founded. Ashley village comprised a small cluster of cottages close
to the Greyhound Inn, a row of railway cottages together with the recently
erected St. Elizabeth’s church and the school, built in 1850. The club
rented a field from a Mr. Norbury. First recorded match played at Timperley.
Ashley were 40 all out in pursuit of Timperley’s 46. In the first season 13
games were played of which 6 were won and 3 were drawn. Toft, Mobberley,
Lymm, Tatton and Dunham were amongst the opposition.
1890 – Moved to current ground, “the Railway Field”, rented from Mr Erlam
who offered the two acre field for an annual rent of £6, with the option of
grazing cattle thereon. An offer of £8 with no grazing was accepted by the
landowner for exclusive use of the ground.
1890 – Match reports appeared in the Altrincham & Bowdon Guardian detailing
two games against Tatton. Click here to read them.
1890 – First recorded AGM held the Village School room on 29th September.
The Treasurer reported a balance of 11 shillings and thruppence.
1891 – Square extended to 51 by 41 yards.
1892 – Mr J Cater Owen provided the club with a tent which may have served
as a pavilion for a number of years. Mr. Hiles donated a flagpole.
1892 – On 11th June eleven gentlemen of Ashley played against eleven ladies
of Ashley. The men batted with broomsticks; they also bowled and fielded
left handed. The ladies “had the assistance of Miss Mabel Bentley of
Knutsford, one of the best lady players in the County”. Miss Bentley took 16
wickets in a two innings a side game.
1894 – Opponents included Chelford, Brooklands, Fulshaw and Bowdon.
1895 – Letter received from a firm of solicitors suggesting the club may be
contravening The Highways Act by wheeling bicycles down the path to the
ground.
1897 – Of the 12 games played 5 were won and 2 were drawn.
1899 – Hockey played at Ashley
1900 – President, Rev G Birtwell and 5 other Vice Presidents resigned from
the committee. The General Meeting was held in November in the Greyhound
Inn.
1901 – The “tent” was broken into and a number of unspecified items were
stolen.
1902 – A professional concert party, “The Merrions”, were engaged to
entertain the members at The Literary Institute (later part of the now
defunct Stamford Hall) at a cost of £18.
1903 – C Disraeli MP invited to become Patron. 1st and 2nd XI batsman and
bowler of the year to receive 5/- prize; if funds allowed it the fielder of
the year to also receive 5/-
1904 – Club colours agreed. The square was re-laid in part. C Disraeli MP is
deleted from the list of Patrons.
1906 – Annual dinner held at the Greyhound Inn. Tennis played at the club.
Throughout the year 32 committee meetings were held, a Mr Davenport attended
28 of them.
1911 – Village fete held on the ground on 15th July. Admission 3d before
5pm, 6d after 5pm. The club now owned a horse which was used for mowing and
rolling.
1914 – Ground enlarged by 6 yards. A pavilion fund was started. Rent
increased to £10 per year.
1915 – At EGM the Secretary revealed that fixture secretaries from numerous
clubs had written to say that owing to the War their membership had been
greatly depleted and they were obliged to cancel all their fixtures.
Wed 16th 1919 – Ashley CC reconstituted. During the coming season the club
would play 16 games; 6 were won and 10 lost.
1920 – New pavilion erected by Mr. Collier at a cost of £79.
1921 – Local Member of Parliament Major Hamilton became a Vice President and
paid a subscription.
1922 – A 2nd XI is formed, playing midweek or away games. The club had 48
playing members. The drainage had been troublesome for a number of years and
the surface drains were cleared out. A horse was still on the ground staff.
1923 – C Vickers takes a hat trick and 4 wickets in 5 balls. T Rowlands
scores the first recorded club hundred.
1925 – A Mr. Gill wanted £33 for cutting the long grass around the ground. A
fee of £25 was eventually agreed on. The tea pavilion was demolished.
1929 – The club now owned a petrol mower.
1930 – Only 2 matches were won. The clubs holds its first tour, during Whit
Week to Wirksworth. J K Allen scores a then record 511 runs.
1931 – Of 20 matches 6 were won and 11 lost.
1934 – 11 out of 23 matches were won. A new ladies pavilion was erected. A
match levy (6d) was introduced. H Wood scores 516 runs.
1935 – K Allen and G Jackson put on 199 for the 1st wicket, opposition
unknown.
1936 – Ground enlarged by a further 28 yards.
1937 – F Goodacre took all 10 wickets against Mobberley.
1938 – After an approach from Altrincham Cricket Club the following was
resolved, “this committee is in principle opposed to the idea of a League or
Association.” Alistair Carmichael completes 4 successive innings of 50 or
more.
1939 – 10 Ashley members serving with H.M. Forces were made Honorary Members
and were given preference for games when they were on leave. TocH Hockey
club rent the ground for £2 10/- and 7/6 per game.
1943 – The club joined forces with Bowdon Vale to turn out “an Eleven” and
this association continued until the end of hostilities. V H Howe took 9
wickets in one match.
1946 – One Ashley XI played this season.
1947 – Sunday cricket played for the first time. A limit on membership is
placed at 45. Prospective players would have to attend nets and appear
before the committee; they would then be told the likelihood of them gaining
a respectable number of games.
1948 – The club advertises for a groundsman in the Altrincham & Bowdon
Guardian, J K Stockton apllies for the position.
1949 – A Brown (106 @6.66) and J N Allott (103 @ 7.64) both take over 100
wickets in all cricket
1952 – Tea pavilion purchased from Garswood Tennis Club, who played near
Princess Parkway, for £90. J N Allott took 6 for 0 against Prestbury.
1953 – A catering secretary was appointed.
1956 – Ashley agreed to join a proposed Cheshire Cricket Association if and
when it was formed.
1957 – Ashley became a founder member of the Cheshire Cricket Club
Conference. Its aim was to preserve traditional friendly cricket. To placate
those wanting league cricket complete with points a knock out competition
with limited overs was formed to be played in the evening.
1958 – The club declined to join the Cheshire Cricket Association, organised
for competitive cricket.
1960 – A President’s Match against Urmston was staged mainly as a reunion of
past members. An advert was placed in the Altrincham Guardian inviting
applications for membership. Eloquent appeals to take charge of the emptying
of the toilets fell on deaf ears.
1962 – Calor gas lighting installed in both pavilions. Our current landlord,
Mr Brooks purchased Tatton Estates. No sale of the ground was possible
neither would a long lease be offered. The sale of intoxicating liquor was
also ruled out. We were assured there was no likelihood of the club losing
the ground.
1963 – A junior section was formed under the guidance of Stuart Naylor and
Bert Pendlebury. The club celebrated its 75th anniversary with a dinner at
the Unicorn Hotel in Altrincham with Mr Cyril Washbrook (Lancashire and
England) as the principle speaker. A Presidents Match was held with two
professional league players, Bob Bartels and Lou Laza and D Millner of
Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
1964 – The Chant Trophy, a rose bowl donated by Mr Chant for meritorious
service to the club disappeared, as did Mr Chant.
1969 – Mr E A Coupes passed away and left £2,000 to the club in his will. He
would walk from his home in Sale to watch Ashley when in his seventies. His
umpiring abilities were often called into question and with reluctance he
was asked to stand down. His dignified acceptance of this request came with
the remark that his eyesight not being all together what it was.
1970 – The club joins the Cheshire Cricket Association.
1973 – A six would now be awarded if the ball fell in or cleared the gutter.
Previously the ball had to clear the hedge or one of the pavilions.
1974- The Cheshire Cricket Association decides that games will be played on
an overs basis as opposed to time cricket.
1975 – Outline permission was received to install a bar. The club won the
Cheshire Association knock out trophy beating Runcorn in the final.
1977 – The committee instructed all team captains that it was not club
policy to run out the non-striking batsman without warning being given. A
bar is installed in the pavilion.
1978 – The club joins the Cheshire Cricket League. Under 18’s win Cheshire
Cricket League Trophy defeating High Lane.
1979 – A 28 year lease agreed with Tatton Estates, enabling the club to
approach Macclesfield Council for a grant to help with the cost of a new
pavilion.
1985 – A club tours takes place to Warwickshire. The club was relegated into
Division Two.
1986 – On the 3rd July the committees of Ashley and Old Alts CC meet to
discuss a possible merger.
1986 – At a meeting held on 25th July the club resolved to amalgamate with
Old Altrinchamians Cricket Club. The position of Chairman was created, Peter
Birtles was elected to the position.
1987 – 3rd XI created.
1990 – 1st XI loses only one game and go through the season without being
bowled out; they are promoted as champions to Division 1. A new pavilion is
discussed at the AGM.
1991 – Club is reprimanded for fielding only 8 men in the first 2nd XI game
of the season.
1992 – An application for the funding of a new pavilion had been turned down
by the Sports and Arts Foundation.
1994 – Relegated to the 2nd Division. One of our 3rd XI opponents complained
to the league that we were fielding ineligible players; they were later
reprimanded for the same offence and they had 77 points deducted. Grant
funding secured for the new pavilion. Steve Tyrrell scores a league record
1037 runs, including 5 centuries.
1995 – AGM held in the new pavilion funded in part with the help of
Macclesfield Borough Council. Roger Arnoll retires (for the 1st time). 2nd
XI wins the knock out competition.
1996 – 2nd XI wins the league championship. They win 9 of the last 11 games.
1999 – 1st XI shares the league title with Bollington. Roger Arnoll returns
to playing.
2000 – The club tours are revived; this year the team visits South Wales
losing to Ammanford and beating Dafen.
2003 – The 2nd XI travelled to Malpas with only 7 players. Ashley hosts a
Cheshire Cricket League representative fixture.
2004 – The 1st XI is denied promotion to the 2nd Division. The annual tour
this year is to Devon.
2005 – The 1st XI wins the 3rd Division championship. Ashley are awarded
Club of the Year at the annual league dinner
2006 – 1st XI promoted to Division One as runners-up. 2nd XI wins the
Twenty20 cup and promotion to Division A as runners-up.
2007 – The club enters an Under 9s team into the Cheshire County league and
an under 13s team into the South Manchester Junior Cricket League; the Under
13s reach the semi final of the League Cup.
2008 – 4th team created, which will play in the 4th Division of the Cheshire County League. Another junior side, at Under 15 level, joins the South Manchester Junior League.
