KBGS Old Boys' Forum
A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School.
Now that the cricket season is on us again, I wonder what memories you have of playing local cricket. My own memory's getting dimmer, but two thoughts come to mind at this moment in time : playing for Riddlesden C.C.,along with Allan J., but we were pretty much juniors; and I recall one rainy windy evening trecking up the winding road from Riddlesden,I think,to reach some far away club ground on the tops,but fail to recall the name. A nostalgic topic for me: I continued my love of cricket ( without achieving greatness) but will venture to Trent Bridge this summer......if I can get a ticket.(p.s. if anyone has a good solid top acoustic for sale, let me know !)
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Current location (optional) uk
Just one more cricket recollection and I'll shut up.
I was fielding at mid-on on our own ground up Occupation lane. The batsman played the ball defensively to about half pitch on the on side, and I moved in smartly to retrieve. But he came out of his ground , picked the ball up and threw it to me.
I appealed and he was given out 'handled the ball'
He called me "a right f*****r", and then was threatened with being reported to the league by the umpire. I kept out of his way after the match!
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964
Current location (optional) Wirral
Remember the old wooden slip cradle?? Don't think I've seen one since school. And scorebooks ! They haven't changed much. I expect all old scorebooks from school are kept in some airtight vault somewhere.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Current location (optional) uk
Bill, thanks for sharing that. The Bradman museum ! I found this Eddie Paynter obituary :
"Eddie Paynter, who died at Keighley on February 5 aged 77, was a left-handed batsman who averaged 84.42 for his seven Tests against Australia, a figure which no other Englishman can approach. This in itself would entitle him to a place among the great, but his figures become even more remarkable if his innings are analysed. In three of these matches he came to the rescue at a grave crisis. On the first occasion, the third Test in 1932-33, he came in at 186 for 5, not a good score by the standards of Tests in Australia in those days, and made 77, adding 96 with Verity for the eighth wicket. In the fourth Test at Brisbane, he was taken to hospital with tonsillitis and doubtless, had all gone well with England, would not have batted. But all did not go well, and at 216 for 6 he emerged from the pavilion, refused Woodfull's offer of a runner, was still there at the close, and returned to bed in hospital. Next morning, he was not out until he had scored 83 in nearly four hours. On this occasion he and Verity put on 92 for the ninth wicket. Normally quick on his feet and a fine driver, he had conserved energy by waiting for opportunities to hit the ball to leg, preferably to the boundary. Few innings in history have so captivated the imagination of the public. Moreover, Paynter insisted on fielding for a couple of hours before retiring and then, as if to show that he was none the worse, in a brief second innings he finished the match with a 6.
In 1938 at Lord's, he came in a 31 for 3 and helped Hammond in a stand of 222, of which his own share was 99. In the previous Test at Nottingham he had broken the record for England against Australia in this country with an innings of 216 not out. In all Tests, Paynter's average was 59.23. In the series in South Africa in 1938-39 he averaged 81.62 scoring a hundred in each innings of the first Test, and 243 in the third. Yet Paynter was 24 when he first made a hundred for Lancashire II, and between 1926 and 1929 he appeared only 11 times for the county without any success. It was not until 1931, when he was 30, that he made his first century against Warwickshire at Old Trafford, gained a regular place, and reached his thousand runs. In 1932 he was inconsistent, but on the strength of some notable innings was selected for the MCC side to Australia. He had been picked for the third Test against New Zealand in 1931 but scored only 3.
It was four years after the 1932-33 tour before Paynter played for England again. Meanwhile, he had made plenty of runs for Lancashire, and in 1936 actually scored 964 runs in August; unfortunately the side for Australia had already been picked. In 1937, however, he could be denied no longer. He scored 2,904 runs with an average of 53.77, including 322 in five hours against Sussex at Hove, and 266 against Essex at Old Trafford, and played in two Tests against New Zealand, missing the third because of injury. Two years later the war virtually ended his career. He resisted pressure to return to the county side at 45, but in 1947, in a couple of festival matches at Harrogate, played innings of 154, 73, and 127, the last taking only eighty-five minutes.
A small man, Paynter was by instinct an attacking batsman, particularly effective against slow spin, but also a fine hooker and cutter who did not spare the fast bowler if he pitched short. He was one of the great outfields of his day and almost equally good at cover - a beautiful thrower with a safe pair of hands. This was the more remarkable as early in life he had lost the top joints of two fingers in an accident. At Lord's in 1938, when Ames had broken a finger, Paynter kept wicket through the Australian second innings of 204, and though he had little or no experience of wicketkeeping conceded only 5 byes and held a catch. A wonderful cricketer.
Wisden Almanack 1980"
Strange to think people from different parts of the world recall the windy heights of Morton's ground!! Best wishes to you.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Current location (optional) uk
I thought I would just try to recall all the West Bradford League teams some of us played for:-
Knowle Park Congs, Ingrow St Johns, Oxenhope Parish,
Haworth Methodists, Haworth Baptists, Ingrow, Morton, Morton Banks, Riddlesden,
Long Lee, Crossflatts, Denholme, Cullingworth, Harden, Wilsden. The one who played down at Worth Village (was this Prince Smiths?).
Have I missed any??
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964
Current location (optional) Wirral
While thinking of Eddy Paynter I am wondering if any other Test or County players ever trod the Lawkholme cricket turf. I believe there was a Mike Halliwell(?) who played for Keighley CC and Birmingham City at soccer, and I remember he later worked/owned the newsagents opposite the Essoldo cinema, or somewhere round there. Wonder if Sidney Barnes or suchlike ever played there.
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Terry, the Frank Woolley story sounds a bit dubious!!
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Quite right Bill! - I remember that series very clearly. I also recall the same D.Lillee attempting (but thankfully being denied) the use of a metal bat in an Ashes match around that time.
"As ye sew, so up you", or however the saying goes! 
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65
Bold predictions indeed in the previous 2 postings!
I'm certainly not sticking my neck out, particularly as the "match drawn / no result", once so common in test matches, now seems almost consigned to history.
A.B. is right in saying England could easily have been 2 down at this stage, but we could just as easily have been 2 up. Despite the niggles, and whatever the eventual outcome, it's just great to see us actually competing with the Aussies again after 2 decades of repeated humiliation. 
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65
Yes, the Oval will be a batting track, which will make it hard for the Aussies . However, who would have predicted the amazing denouements(ugh) of the last tests. It will take a special performance from Oz, who have, yes, been outplayed. But, as a parting glass, world-class players don't lose it overnight. Ok..Ponting and Martyn to score hundreds and Warne to do the batsmen again ( poor sod, he's virtually had to take on England on his own : look how any wickets he's got..and runs... let's admire him while we can : who else could have bowled like he did on the final day at TB? No one.)ps anyone got a spare ticket?
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-66
Well, if you're to be proven correct Alan, the Aussies might need Gillespie to do a damn sight more than he did for Yorkshire this summer! 
Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58 - 65
