Haworth Cricket Club

The History of Haworth Cricket Club - 1887 to present

The formation of Haworth Wesleyan Cricket Club took place in 1887. Soon after that time, in 1890, there were six other Haworth cricket teams mentioned in the Keighley News of the time: Haworth Red Rose; Haworth White Rose; and Haworth Victoria - these three all played on Haworth Moor. There were also: Haworth Britannia; Haworth White Star; and Haworth CC, as well as our own club, Haworth Wesleyan CC. We later became Haworth Methodists CC and are probably the oldest club in the district to have maintained a continuous existence since our formation before 1890. That makes us more than 120 years old at least - something to be proud of!
The Club was formed in 1887 and was originally called Haworth Wesleyans CC, with the earliest information available being of a match against Lees Albion on 14th September 1889. Their first games were played in a field at ‘Long Bridge’ and then from an unknown date, games were played at Cooke Gate until our present ground at West Lane was opened in 1951.
In 1893, the club joined the newly formed Keighley & District Junior League finishing in second place after a play-off with Oakworth. 1895 saw the club join the Keighley section of the Craven Junior League winning the Championship in 1898, and in 1899 the 1st XI gained promotion to the Senior League in the Craven Union and the 2nd XI joined the junior section.
By 1905, the Craven Senior & Junior Leagues had given way to the Keighley and District League and the Club were members of the Senior Section. In 1915, admission was obtained to the West Bradford League and remained members of that League until its demise in 1984.
The club then joined the Craven & District Cricket League and have played there to date. At some unknown point in the distant past the club changed name to Haworth Methodist CC, and then in 1992 the name was changed to Haworth CC which we still hold.
In the early 1980s the club began its first junior sides with an Under 15 team and many of these players are now the statesmen of the senior sides!
In 1994, the club restarted a junior team at Under 13 level. Their first match must have gone down in the record books as they were all out for 6 runs - and 4 of them were byes!! Over the years though, some very talented youngsters have had the opportunity to come through and join senior sides, both at Haworth and in other teams. 2004 was the first season ever with teams at three age groups in the Upper Airedale Junior Cricket Association (UAJCA).
In 2006 the 1st XI had a great season and finished 3rd in the Craven League but 2007 was a shock as the same set of players couldn't escape the bottom two with constant rained-off fixtures and they were ultimately relegated to the Craven League Division Two.
2008 and 2009 have been good years as the 1st XI bounced straight back in Division One and three junior sides were playing again with the club facilities used six nights week sometimes!
Sadly, in 2009, the 2nd XI went down to Division 5 as the club rebuilt again with our older junior players forging their places in the senior sides. Happily, the squad gained promotion back to Division 4 in 2011 and cemented that place in 2012 with a joint 4th finish!
The long-planned, new club room took shape over the 2010-11 winter and the addition of a fully-licensed bar during the 2011 season has proved its worth many times, including the wet summer of 2012 - a very special 125th Anniversary Year when the Club achieved the coveted ECB Clubmark status - but the best was yet to come!
Haworth CC became CDCL Division 1 Champions on September 15 2012 - their first time since joining the Craven & District Cricket League in 1984!
The vision of a few years ago is paying off as those young players from a few years back are now beginning to take their place in senior cricket, ready to enjoy a great sport for years to come! The challenge is to keep bringing new players into our sport and particularly into our Club! With the club and team spirit that challenge will be met!

Thanks to Val, Brian and Graham Ratcliffe


& from the Keighley News

According to an old minute book, Haworth Cricket Club was formed in 1887 and was originally called Haworth Wesleyans CC, with the earliest information available being of a match against Lees Albion on September 14, 1889.

Their first games were played in a Haworth field at ‘Long Bridge’ and then, from an unknown date, games were played at Cooke Gate (just off West Lane) until the present ground at West Lane was purchased and opened in 1951.

From 1893, the club has played in the Keighley and District Junior League, the Keighley section of the Craven Junior League and the Craven Senior League.

By 1905, the Craven senior and junior leagues gave way to the Keighley and District League and the club was a member of the senior section, before being admitted to the West Bradford League.

The 30s and 40s were very successful as they were Keighley Cup or West Bradford League winners 11 times in 14 years. The club stayed there until 1984 when they joined the Craven and District Cricket League. The club changed its name from Haworth Wesleyan CC to Haworth Methodist CC, then in 1992 it was changed to Haworth CC – although it still gets called ‘Haworth Meths’ even now.

Over the years the two senior sides have had good years and bad. From 2008 the committee started to work on the improvements needed to bring the club facilities up to date and able to be used by other groups. Plans turned into action over the next few years, culminating in the social room being built, thanks in part to a lottery grant, over the dreadful winter of 2010/11. Half the pitch was mud and club stalwarts worked hard making the new room and pitch playable for the start of the 2011 season.

From the beginning, visitors and locals couldn’t say enough about the vast improvements that had been made and this was the springboard for the club to continue to press forward – two senior players gained their ECB Level 2 Coaching Certificates last winter and in 2012 Haworth CC was proud to be accredited with the prestigious ECB Clubmark status.

2012 is the year that will go down in the Haworth CC history books as the 1st XI became Craven and District Cricket League champions for the first time in the club’s history.

Haworth CC is keen to work with local primary schools as well as churches and other organisations as their facilities are unique and can be used all year round. The club wants to be more than a cricket club. Now though, the focus is on running an under-9s side for 2013, as well as maintaining its existing junior sides.

For more information, phone (01535) 642965 or visit haworthcricketclub.org.uk or haworth cc.play-cricket.com.

• Can you put names to faces on the early team photo? Please contact the club if you can.