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| It is however in 1870 that this Bradshaw
Cricket Club became established as such, with a wholesale transfer of the
previous season's Bradshaw Works' side. Fixtures that can be traced were
against the following:
Home Away The club also boasted a second team. All these home matches were won, the only defeats being at Eagley, Horwich and Dean, John Holt Jnr. and William Smith completely dominated the season's bowling. Bradshaw Band was reported to have performed during the interval against Horwich 2nd, during the match against Chorley, to have been in attendance at Castle Hill away, and "to have added greatly to the enjoyment" against Castle Hill at home. The documented 1871 season's fixtures are: Home Away The fixture on May 6th at Bolton Cricket Club, a top-class side of the time, must have been quite an honour for the Bradshaw Club, and although only opponents of the 2nd Eleven, they played on the famous Back o'th' Bank ground, scene of some outstanding matches, and graced by the finest cricketers of the day in 'All-England' Elevens. The houses later built on this land and which stood for around 100 years are now all gone, leaving only a public house the 'Cricketers Arms' as a reminder of the celebrated site, now overlooked by Warburtons bakery. |
The Bolton Chronicle of the succeeding
Saturday reported; "This the first match on the Bolton ground was played
on Saturday and won by The Juniors in one innings and 18 runs to spare.
Bradshaw won the toss and elected to go in. No stand was made by any of
the batters against the bowling. Mr. Jones bowled 8 wickets for 3 runs,
the total for the innings being only 19. Bolton scored 88 in the innings,
Bromley 19, A. Monk 14 and W. Dutton not out 26. Bradshaw were equally
unfortunate in run-getting in their second innings. A. Brown's bowling was
too good. There was a fair attendance".
Bradshaw scored 51 in the second innings, T. Tootill 24 and J. Tootill 14. J. Holt with 5 and W. Smith with 2 were the wicket takers, the other batsmen being run out. The preceding Saturday the team had travelled by spring-cart to fulfil the Ramsbottom fixture. The stark result for August 5th in The Bolton Chronicle reads 'Bradshaw 153 for 8, time called without Hindley batting'. Hindley's feelings at this treatment can only be imagined. It must have been an achievement to travel from Hindley to Bradshaw, having presumably worked Saturday morning, in time to play a match, but to be sent away without even being allowed to start an innings can hardley have endeared the Bradshaw club to them. Maybe it was that Bradshaw just got carried away with their own excellence; 153 was a huge score in 1871. In the same sporting context, on the Eagley v Bradshaw match of that year, the "Eagley Cricket Club Souvenir of Grand Bazaar and History of the Club", comments "The annual match between Eagley and Bradshaw was played at Eagley, but came to a rather abrupt conclusion. Bradshaw batted first and made 36 runs against the bowling of Bottoms and Woodhouse. On Eagley taking their turn at the wickets they fared very badly at the hands of John Holt, a slow under-hand bowler, and 8 wickets were down for 18, and all being victims to Holt's "slows". The Bradshaw umpire was very undecided in his decisions, and when after having given his decision as "stumped", he called to the batsmen "Keep thi foot thear". this proved too much for the Eagleyites, and the game ended in a tie, very much in favour of Bradshaw". |