Rawdon Cricket Club are pulling out all the stops in a bid to win the Airedale and Wharfedale League title which they relinquished last year to Adel after championship success in 1996.

They currently head the table but are being keenly chased by Adel who beat them in a 20 over thrash on Saturday as Rawdon took a chance in therain.

Rawdon have the disappiointment of their cup defeat by Knaresborough to set firmly behind them if they are to lift the title again.

Skipper Bruce Percy has provided an excellent lead - the all-rounder with Minor Counties experience with Buckinghamshire - has lifted his troops well after the close season squabble with Pudsey St Lawrence over their overseas bowler Andrew Sugars.

After three years with Rawdon Sugars decided to try his luck in the Bradford League after initially agreeing to return to Rawdon.

Rawdon made a good signing in the former Guiseley and Otley all-rounder Robert Atkinson whose spinners add another string to Rawdon's

bow.

They also brought in former St Mary's schoolteacher Martin Hings to partner the ever reliable Darren Murray in opening the attack.

They also recruited a new wicketkeeper in Mark Pearson from Cleckheaton with Peter Smith leaving for Horsforth.

Rawdon look to former skipper Craig Walsh, current skipper Percy, the big hitting Jamie Davey, Robert Atkinson and David Whittaker for their runs and it is perhaps on the bowling front that they struggle a little and they may not bowl so many sides out.

Early days

Cricket was first played at Rawdon in 1876 but the exact founding date of the club is not known.

The club was one of the founder members of the Airedale and Wharfedale League and their member Hedley Verity senior - father of the late lamented England player of the same name - was the league's firt President.

As well as Verity the Rawdon Club boasts having given a leg up in the cricketing world to former Yorkshire players Brian Close and Bryan Stott.

Hedley Verity played what was possibly his last game in England on the Rawdon ground and what a finale it was.

He took all ten wickets for

51 runs to skittle out Earby on June 28 , 1941.

Also in the Rawdon side that day were J Illingworth, J Palliser, A Carlisle, F Bailes, W Hand, J Lees, J Bowler, H Fitzpatrick, J Gill and A E Walker.

Glory years

Perhaps the most successful period in the club's legue history was in the late 1940s when they were joint league champions in 1947, joint Waddilove Cup winners in 1946 and winners again in 1947 and 1950.

In that period their star performers were Clifford Carlisle who hit an unbeaten 51 in the 1947 final and 36 in the 1946 final backed up by 3-47; and J Palliser who made an unbeaten 68 in the 1950 final aagainst Ilkley at the old Otley D P and E ground.

In this game Rawdion bowler C Stretton took 5-58.

Rawdon had a long wait - until 1979 - for their next Waddilove Cup final appearance.

That was at Otley's Cross Green ground against a high riding Knaresborough side who were appearing in their third successive final.

Knaresborough totalled 225-8 with openers Mike Hollis (70) and Tom Stanford (44) in top form.

Rawdon then struggled against the bowling of Trevor Mead (4-52) and Mike Baxandall (5-21) as they were

put out for 108.

Their top score of 21 came from George Pickard.

Rawdon appeared in the final again in 1995 when they took on local rivals Horsforth at Knaresborough.

Batting first Horsforth made 157-6 with wicketkeeper Steve Thompson, now with Guiseley, leading the way with an unbeaten 50.

Rawdon's bowlers Darren Murray, Craig Hitchenor, David Whittaker and Aidan Walker were unable to get on top that day.

Rawdon then fell seven runs short of their target as wicketkeeper Thompson urged his side on and although Jamie Davey made 47 Rawdon crumbled at the critical stage as old stager Keith Smith used all the experience he had honed in the Bradford League with Pudsey St Lawrence to steer his men home.

Rawdon are continually striving to improve their facilities and their much improved clubroom boasts fine views of the wicket.

The club has a good junior programme with teams in the Airedale Junior League's Ur-17, U-15 and U-13 sections.

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