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BackCropston CC History
The club officially dates from 1920, but recent discoveries have found a Cropston team playing in 1915.
The ground; a field at the back of the Bradgate Arms was a cow field from which the cattle, the electric fence posts and Jim, a Shire horse, had to be removed prior to play. To add to the situation there was a pond just behind the slips at the bottom end. The ground had an end-to-end slope of about 10 feet and ridge and furrow contours as well. The changing facilities were a former Great Western Railway carriage with the opposition changing in ‘first class’, although not all at the same time. (only room for 6). The water for the tea came from the well at the pub. During the years of steam railway the nearby Great Central trains could be seen and heard, which tended to excite Jim and play would cease until he had calmed down. His occasional gallops across the square made the already underprepared pitches even more unpredictable.
During the 1950s and 60s both X!s had several characters similar to most village clubs: Norman Johnson, ex RAF, a strict disciplinarian but no match ability wise for those ‘play to win’ miners from ‘over the forest’; two excellent wicketkeepers in Jack Needham and Reg Reeder, who both stood up to all bowlers having first removed their false teeth; Danny Orme, a farm worker, who was an excellent all-rounder, top class footballer and low-handicap golfer; Derek ‘Pongo’ Waring, who bowled down the hill all afternoon, in 1961 he took 66 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 6.
The 1st XI mainly ‘survived’ in Division 1 of the North Leicestershire League during the 50s before finally being relegated in 1958. 1961 saw them promoted as champions before finishing as runners-up in Division 1 to Ibstock in 1962.
1962 marked the start of the advancement of the club both on and off the field. Under the driving force of Ken Kinton, the captain, and Keith Jackson, the landlord of the Bradgate Arms, a new pavilion was erected by a dedicated group of volunteers (including Harry Francis and Dick Southam of Pitcher Bros who provided the materials including the demolished Regal cinema for the hardcore).
The pavilion was opened on St Swithins Day 1962 by the President, Alan Bryan, and a rain affected game was played against the President’s XI, captained by Ray Haywood, father of the recently retired LCCC chairman, Paul.
Gang mowers, a diesel roller and a former civil defence Ferguson tractor, donated by the President, arrived at the ground; the pond was drained; parts of the outfield levelled; a boundary rope, flag and bell arrived and suddenly the facilities had been taken to a new level. Ken Kinton’s expertise in pitch preparation produced pitches where scores of 150 became the norm rather than the 75 of previous years.
The improved facilities produced improved performances: such as in 1962 when Cropston became the first side to score 200 in an innings in the North Leicestershire League, when scoring 200 for 2 to beat Ibstock in 1962; in 1963 Richard Kinton became the club’s and the league’s first centurion with 100 v Birstall BL, a feat he repeated in 1966 with 106 v Syston.
The 1970s proved very successful with the club winning the NLCC in 1972,1973,1975,1976 and 1979; the league cup in 1977; the Rural Tankard in 1974 and 1977 as well as reaching two County Cup semi-finals.
The club joined the newly enlarged Leicestershire Club Cricket League in 1982 and immediately secured a place amongst the top teams, finishing runners-up in 1988, 1989 and 1990 before winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992. A County cup triumph in 1994 was followed by three seasons in the lower divisions as a result of league rule infringements. The club winning three consecutive lower division titles (and two league cups) before rejoining the top flight in 1998. During this time several individual league records were set by Andy Jackman: 302no v Market Bosworth helping him to an average of 133.37 in 1996. These records are still standing.
An internal dispute in 1998 lead to the loss of most of the 1st XI and the club suffered three relegations in four seasons before stabilising in division 3. Promotion from 3 to 2 and, in 2011, from 2 to 1 followed together with success in various evening formats. Much of this recent success has been built on the foundations laid at the turn of the century when the junior sides were re-established. Indeed, on a Saturday in 2014 19 of the 22 players had played for the junior sides (albeit 4 of those in the 1970s and 80s). Our junior section continues to thrive with the Under 13s being crowned County champions in 2019.
Until the Bradgate Arms was sold by the Jackson family in 1989 the after-match discussions took place there; but in 1992 the club extended the pavilion to include its own bar. This has funded further development of the facilities and ground; including levelling the outfield and improving the sightscreens in 1995 and part funding the artificial net (with help from ECB) in 2010.
The club achieved Clubmark status with the ECB in 2009 and has been re-accredited in 2012, 2015 and 2019.
2012 saw the club reach the semi-finals of the National Village Cup. Our run of success included victories over the champions of Northamptonshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands before coming up short against Woodhouse Grange from Yorkshire.
The club finally gained promotion to the Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League Premier division when finishing runners-up to Rothley at the end of the 2018 season, 20 years after our previous appearance at this level. Premier division status was maintained in 2019 in preparation for our Centenary season in 2020 as one of the twelve highest ranked clubs in Leicestershire.
The ground; a field at the back of the Bradgate Arms was a cow field from which the cattle, the electric fence posts and Jim, a Shire horse, had to be removed prior to play. To add to the situation there was a pond just behind the slips at the bottom end. The ground had an end-to-end slope of about 10 feet and ridge and furrow contours as well. The changing facilities were a former Great Western Railway carriage with the opposition changing in ‘first class’, although not all at the same time. (only room for 6). The water for the tea came from the well at the pub. During the years of steam railway the nearby Great Central trains could be seen and heard, which tended to excite Jim and play would cease until he had calmed down. His occasional gallops across the square made the already underprepared pitches even more unpredictable.
During the 1950s and 60s both X!s had several characters similar to most village clubs: Norman Johnson, ex RAF, a strict disciplinarian but no match ability wise for those ‘play to win’ miners from ‘over the forest’; two excellent wicketkeepers in Jack Needham and Reg Reeder, who both stood up to all bowlers having first removed their false teeth; Danny Orme, a farm worker, who was an excellent all-rounder, top class footballer and low-handicap golfer; Derek ‘Pongo’ Waring, who bowled down the hill all afternoon, in 1961 he took 66 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 6.
The 1st XI mainly ‘survived’ in Division 1 of the North Leicestershire League during the 50s before finally being relegated in 1958. 1961 saw them promoted as champions before finishing as runners-up in Division 1 to Ibstock in 1962.
1962 marked the start of the advancement of the club both on and off the field. Under the driving force of Ken Kinton, the captain, and Keith Jackson, the landlord of the Bradgate Arms, a new pavilion was erected by a dedicated group of volunteers (including Harry Francis and Dick Southam of Pitcher Bros who provided the materials including the demolished Regal cinema for the hardcore).
The pavilion was opened on St Swithins Day 1962 by the President, Alan Bryan, and a rain affected game was played against the President’s XI, captained by Ray Haywood, father of the recently retired LCCC chairman, Paul.
Gang mowers, a diesel roller and a former civil defence Ferguson tractor, donated by the President, arrived at the ground; the pond was drained; parts of the outfield levelled; a boundary rope, flag and bell arrived and suddenly the facilities had been taken to a new level. Ken Kinton’s expertise in pitch preparation produced pitches where scores of 150 became the norm rather than the 75 of previous years.
The improved facilities produced improved performances: such as in 1962 when Cropston became the first side to score 200 in an innings in the North Leicestershire League, when scoring 200 for 2 to beat Ibstock in 1962; in 1963 Richard Kinton became the club’s and the league’s first centurion with 100 v Birstall BL, a feat he repeated in 1966 with 106 v Syston.
The 1970s proved very successful with the club winning the NLCC in 1972,1973,1975,1976 and 1979; the league cup in 1977; the Rural Tankard in 1974 and 1977 as well as reaching two County Cup semi-finals.
The club joined the newly enlarged Leicestershire Club Cricket League in 1982 and immediately secured a place amongst the top teams, finishing runners-up in 1988, 1989 and 1990 before winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992. A County cup triumph in 1994 was followed by three seasons in the lower divisions as a result of league rule infringements. The club winning three consecutive lower division titles (and two league cups) before rejoining the top flight in 1998. During this time several individual league records were set by Andy Jackman: 302no v Market Bosworth helping him to an average of 133.37 in 1996. These records are still standing.
An internal dispute in 1998 lead to the loss of most of the 1st XI and the club suffered three relegations in four seasons before stabilising in division 3. Promotion from 3 to 2 and, in 2011, from 2 to 1 followed together with success in various evening formats. Much of this recent success has been built on the foundations laid at the turn of the century when the junior sides were re-established. Indeed, on a Saturday in 2014 19 of the 22 players had played for the junior sides (albeit 4 of those in the 1970s and 80s). Our junior section continues to thrive with the Under 13s being crowned County champions in 2019.
Until the Bradgate Arms was sold by the Jackson family in 1989 the after-match discussions took place there; but in 1992 the club extended the pavilion to include its own bar. This has funded further development of the facilities and ground; including levelling the outfield and improving the sightscreens in 1995 and part funding the artificial net (with help from ECB) in 2010.
The club achieved Clubmark status with the ECB in 2009 and has been re-accredited in 2012, 2015 and 2019.
2012 saw the club reach the semi-finals of the National Village Cup. Our run of success included victories over the champions of Northamptonshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands before coming up short against Woodhouse Grange from Yorkshire.
The club finally gained promotion to the Leicestershire & Rutland Cricket League Premier division when finishing runners-up to Rothley at the end of the 2018 season, 20 years after our previous appearance at this level. Premier division status was maintained in 2019 in preparation for our Centenary season in 2020 as one of the twelve highest ranked clubs in Leicestershire.