That may seem incredulous, but ask any of the old hands around your club and I’m sure you’ll get the same response. Links with the past are priceless and clubs that have members still involved after fifty years service are blessed. These guys enjoyed some wonderful times in a golden era of cricket where virtually every club had a big name. It is great to see them when visiting grounds, one of the great traditions in Ulster cricket.
The 1962 NCU season belonged to Lisburn and Instonians who won the Senior Cup and Senior League respectively. For the Wallace Park men it was another notch on their remarkable run of form over the previous decade, and for the Old Boys is was a memorable milestone as it was their first senior success. The links with the past at these clubs are strong as both have 1962 stalwarts still in regular attendance at their games and in the case of Lisburn Guru Cecil Walker still heavily involved. Lisburn’s 1962 team also included the popular McCloy brothers Tom and Billy, and a youngster called Ian McBride. Herbie Martin later emigrated to Australia, but despite declining health, has made numerous pilgrimages back home over the years.
Any mention of Instonians 50 years ago would be aligned to the name of the inimitable Dixon Rose-ageless and priceless over the ensuing five decades. Given their Old Boy allegiance perhaps it is understandable that the Inst. Club still has a useful spattering of their 1962 team following their team in 2012. Dixon’s brother Carson has been a Trojan down the years, despite living and playing in the shadow of one of Ulster sport’s living legends.
Around the clubs there are plenty of stalwarts still on ‘active’ service. Muckamore reached the Senior Cup Final in 1962 and their team included the ageless John McCormick and in the semi-finals they beat the fancied Downpatrick team with Alfie Linehan in his prime. Both remain icons at their respective clubs. The Harrisons brothers were already making their mark at Waringstown with Roy, Deryck and Jim much to the fore and visitors to The Lawn these days will still see Roy omnipresent and Deryck a regular attendee. Brian Walsh and Alfie Redpath were in the St. Mary’s team and Ian Gourley was at Cliftonville. Long serving Umpires Secretary Ian Houston was at Holywood while Charlie Corry and Frank Fee were the top Cregagh stars. Billy Lavery had moved to Collegians.
At Comber Billy Artt and Walter Wishart were top performers. Walter still plays an important part in the club’s activities and Billy is a regular spectator mixing his allegiance to the Firsts with his grandson in the Thirds. Ted Cooke, Mike Crooks, and Wilfie Ridge were at Queen’s University while Ken Kilpatrick and Wilson Scott remain from a strong Woodvale team. John Law was a youngster at Ormeau, but sadly most of the fine cricketers that played for North that season have passed to a higher calling.
One player who was ‘missing in action’ during the 1962 season but with good reason was Lisburn all-rounder Raymond Hunter who was on rugby duty with the British Lions in South Africa. Big Ray is the last double rugby and cricket international 50 years ago, a remarkable achievement that may never be repeated in modern times.
Links with the past are integral parts of local cricket culture and add much to the social side of the game even in times when competition on the field seems to be everything. But listen to these great players from another era and they’ll tell you it was just as competitive in their day!
Time will not age them, despite a few wrinkle and groans gathered over 50 years.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
