Ossett Cricket Club

Another appearance by that Blue thing

Our History
July 6, 2016

The origins of Ossett Cricket & Athletic Club date back to the 19th Century when an area of land at Dimple Wells was left in trust solely for the purpose of sporting activities. For many year Ossett Cricket Club was the only occupier of the site which boasted an excellent ground and adjoining cricket pavilion and clubhouse. One of the attractions back then was the excellent views across the ground itself and beyond looking over the Calder Valley towards Thornhill and Middlestown. Even today that view remains one of the most attractive features of the facility, few venues in the whole of Ossett and surrounding areas can match the beauty or the panoramic views of the valley.


Over the years and with a name change to Ossett Cricket & Athletic Club several sporting organisations have taken up residence on the site. In the mid-fifties Ossett Albion Football Club moved in and developed their own ground and have since progressed up the Northern Premier League in the higher echelons of Non-League Football. Ossett C & AC Bowling club had now established more than 20 teams competing in various leagues throughout the summer months. Ossett Albion Junior Football club (formerly Ossett Trinitarians Boys Club) also has its own facilities within the grounds and operates over 20 teams for young boys and girls. Ossett Rugby Union and Football uses the social club as its headquarters for its operations in Yorkshire League 4 and more recently the Club has welcomed Ossett Rounders Club as an addition to it sporting organisations. There are also quiz teams, snooker teams and a Golf Society operating under the banner of Ossett Cricket & Athletic Club.
Over the years the old cricket pavilion has undergone many changes including the provision of a main lounge bar with views over the country side, a games room and a bar facilitating snooker darts with a smaller lounge bar which again benefits from an excellent view.
Upstairs there is a meeting room with conference type facilities and an adjoining fully fitted kitchen which can be used for onsite catering.
The Club has extensive parking facilities for over 100 vehicles with designated disabled parking.
Within the Club's ground is an extensive 4G Astroturf training area has been created and this facility is open for hire by other sporting organisations within the local community at very reasonable charges. the Astroturf area measuring 65 meters by 35 meters is available for use any day of the week and even has flood lights if you like to train in to the darkness!

Cricket
The present club owes its origins to the Ossett Mechanics Institute Club which can be traced back to 1858. This team played on a ground in Southdale Road and in 1865 and 1866 arranged for an All England X1 to play a Twenty-Two from Ossett and District. Ossett won the first match but capitulated in the second when they were dismissed in their second innings for 37.
Following a short lapse, a new club, Ossett Perseverance, was formed in 1874 from the ashes of the old Mechanics Institute and for several years played on the same ground. After two or three years the name was changed to Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club and in 1881 they moved to the present ground at Queens Terrace, overlooking the Calder Valley.
In 1884, Ossett won the second Heavy Woollen Cup competition in a final at Chickenley. Under skipper A Smith they posted a total of 221 which proved to be 56 runs too many for their opponents Dewsbury & Saville.
A news cutting at the time recorded that Ossett were a good all round side, thoroughly deserving of their victory with a special mention given to their fielding, especially Glover.
This was an early indication in their history that they were going to be a major power within the umbrella of the Yorkshire Council.