Runcorn Cricket Club

In June 1873, sandwiched between a report of the fall in
the number of vagrants in Runcorn to 843, and an advert
for Samuel Williams, the Practical Hatter, the long defunct
Runcorn and Widnes Examiner reported the results of the
first known game for Runcorn Cricket Club.

1873

On Saturday 14th, we made the trip over the Mersey to play
Everton Cricket Club, probably somewhere in Stanley Park.

Although we acquitted ourselves reasonably well in the field
– with the home team making 154 all out, Runcorn were
skittled for just 29 (no jokes about nothing having changed
since then please).

1895

Runcorn played at venues including Canal
Street and Irwell Lane but had no long-term
home during the reign of Queen Victoria.

1906/1908

A proud assembly of a selection of
Runcorn Cricket club members in 1908.
The Club found its first permanent home
in Weston Road (now the Pavillions).

1908

Annual Meeting October 21st
Election of Officers and Committee.

1912

First XI gather for a team picture
at Weston Road

1914

Contemporary letter from
Runcorn Cricket Club to a
local business

1920/1930

In between the wars, cricket in Runcorn
was played by two leading clubs –
Brunswick who played at Clifton Road and
St Michael’s who had a home on Norman
Road.

Many former Runcorn Players moved to
the teams with Brunswick proving the most
popular

Brunswick CC had formed in the 1920s
from the Sunday School of the Same name.
They played at Rocksavage Road then
Clifton Road where the old pre-war
Runcorn CC Played. Brunswick finally
settled in Moughland Lane in the 1930s
when Mr RH Posnett bought the land and
allowed them to rent

1938

The ground was alleged to have enjoyed a
royal visitor when King George VI came to
the town and spoke to the field.

On 4 December 1952, BrunswicK Institute
and Recreational Club held its general
meeting in the cricket club pavillion. A motion
was carried unanimously that the club’s
name be changed to ‘Runcorn Cricket Club’
in time for the 1953 season – and the club
was reborn.

1952

The reformed Runcorn C played their first
game at Moughland Lane on 25 May 1953,
defeating Winsford by 67 runs

1960s

Ten years after becoming Runcorn CC again,
the club entered its first competitive
league – The Cheshire Cricket Association.

1967

Runcorn Cricket Club 2nd XI, 1967

1970s

Our cricket in the 1970s was played
in the Cheshire Cricket Association and our
first team was consistently one of the
strongest around.

1973

Runcorn CC’s 1st XI at Moughland Lane
against Alvanley

The 1st XI were league runners-up and regularly
finished in the top four of the table.

1975

Moughland Lane wickets were amongst
the finest in the league, thanks to the efforts of
groundsmen, Charlie Bilsborrow

Stalwarts such as Brian
Pendlebury, Les Yates, Peter
Redican, Glynn Sefton and Frank
Pierce, were joined by younger
players such as:

Clive Hooper, Brian Rawlinson,
Steve Foster, Robbie Roan
and Mike Best. Bowler Norman
Barton also arrived and
performed superbly as captain.

1978

Our under 18’s were the first youth team
in the Cheshire Youth League, winning the
Northern Competition in 1978, captained by
Rob Beech.

By the end of the decade the
arrival of talented Dave Batty
further strengthened the 1st XI
but the Association had started to
fracture and clubs began to
move away.

1980s

The 1st XI were relegated to the
Cheshire Association’s second division
early in the decade as we struggled for
consistency.

1982

Giant strides were made off the pitch
with the building of both new changing
facilities and a dedicated club house
making Runcorn the envy of our opponents.

1983

Batsman of the decade was undoubtedly
Andy Bennett, dominating every bowling attack
in the league with two league batting awards.

1983

Roy Darlington – player, captain, umpire
and committee man over five decades.

1985

Runcorn 1st XI v Glazebury July 13th 1985 in front
of the new Pavillion.

The biggest progress made in
the decade came from former
Warrington all-rounder, Alan
Richards. His arrival in the mid
80s transformed the attitude in
the team.

1990

1990 proved to be the last season in the
CCA League for Runcorn and they decided
to join seven other clubs to form the new
North Cheshire Cricket League.
Tony White’s record breaking 9 for 25
began the highlight of the season.

1996 was a huge year for the Club as we
joined the mass merger of the Merseyside
Competition, which accepted teams from the
NCCL, Cheshire Cricket Competition and
North Wales League. For the next two years,
all team’s aggregate performances would go
towards them being placed in the new first or
second divisions in 1998

1996

Our points haul over that two year period
was more than good enough to place us in
the 1st Division of the new league.

1996

Batsman Mark Cahill, who joined the club
in the early part of the decade scored a record
906 league runs with five centuries in one season.

Captains during the period included Andy Booth and
Jim Morrell while we alsorelied on the experienced
Ian Conway and thetalented Iain Williams for runs

By the end of the decade we were sure
of our position in the new structure - and
our future was secure with the production
line of home grown talent producing more
quality players such as Steve Ollerenshaw, Jamie
Hill, Steve Bebbington, John O’Brien, Ian McLean
and the late - and dearly missed Matt Shaw.

1996

We continue to play an annual challenge game
with our friends from Frodsham CC each year
for the Matt Shaw Trophy.

The new Millennium saw us
starting life in the Cheshire
Cricket League and it has
remained our home ever since.

2000

2003

Jamie Hill (seated centre) was the longest
serving captain in the decade and took on the
new ball responsibilities for much of the first
years of the 21st Century

By the end of the decade, the first team
captaincy had been taken over by Iain
Williams (Standing 7th player from left).

2003

Our junior section continues to go from strength to strength,
producing players for our senior teams and talent for the
county system. At the last count, four boys and two girls have
received full Cheshire honours while almost two dozen have
been picked for Cheshire district and Halton Borough
representative teams.

Thanks to the combined efforts of our Management
Committee, our progress over the past decade has
seen us achieve both ECB Clubmark and Focus
Club accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to
the development of young players and our working
involvement in local schools an the wider community.

2000-2015

With the support of Cheshire Cricket, we
received grant funding from the ECB, which
was matched by our long-standing corporate
sponsors, Maltacourt Global Logistics. We now
enjoy top-class practice net facilities and can
continue to nurture our own talent.

2015

We have been able to enjoy Runcorn playing cricket at
Moughland Lane for the last seven decades, thanks entirely
to the kind patronage of the Posnett Family who own
the land the club plays on. Our current President, James
Posnett has been a passionate supporter of Runcorn CC
and our ideals. He follows in the footsteps of his father,
CC Posnett who was our president from 1953 to 1990 and
facilitated the move to Moughland lane.

1873 - 2013