Archive

The club is open at the following times over the Christmas period:

• FRIDAY 24TH       3:00PM – 11:00PM
• SATURDAY 25TH    12:00PM –  3:00PM
• SUNDAY 26TH      12:00PM – 11:00PM
• MONDAY 27TH       3:00PM – 11:00PM
• TUESDAY 28TH       2PM – 11:00PM
• WEDNESDAY 29TH    7:30PM – 11:00PM
• THURSDAY 30TH     7:30PM – 11:00PM
• FRIDAY 31ST       3:00PM -  2:00AM
• SATURDAY 1ST     12:00PM – 12:00AM
• SUNDAY 2ND       12:00PM – 11:00PM
• MONDAY 3RD        3:00PM – 11:00PM

Tommy Morris who has died aged 84 had been a member ofClifton Cricket Club for 68 years. He joined the Club in 1953 and quicklyestablished himself in the second team as a very useful all-rounder. As abowler Tommy was the classic league cricketer, economical in his run-up andstockily built, his medium pace was unfailingly accurate with a low trajectory.He could bowl all afternoon if required, often up the hill at Clifton keepingone end tied down, his wicket taking delivery often the ‘pea-roller’ whichtrapped many batsmen leg before and earned him career best figures of 9 wicketsfor 9 runs. A tough opponent and a fierce competitor Tommy made the most of hisability and would regularly give a batsman the benefit of his advice when hefelt they were having too much luck. A middle order batsman he had his ownstyle and often infuriated the quicker bowlers by giving himself room to theleg side and slashing the ball to the third man boundary; alternatively, hewould hit the ball through mid-wicket with a shot described by team mates as a‘scutch’.

Tommy was a member of the second team which won theHalliwell Shield in 1959 but during the 1960s he became a first team regular,played in the Cross Cup winning side of 1973 and made a representativeappearance for the B&DCA. During the late1970s and through the 1980s he wasa key member of the second team which won the Hardcastle Shield [Leaguechampionship] in 1982 and the Halliwell Shield [Cup] in 1983. In 1984 at theage of 47 he was recalled to the first team to play in the Cross Cup finaldefeat to Adlington scoring 15 in a valiant last wicket partnership whichalmost won the game.

He continued to play cricket into the 1990s and he enjoyedhis latter playing days in the newly formed third team where having shortenedhis run-up to a couple of paces he still bowled with such accuracy and controlthat he took a hatful of wickets until he finally hung up his boots at the ageof 60. Across four decades, in whichever team he played he was one of the firstplayers on the team sheet, totally reliable and committed to the Clifton cause,his opponents knew they had always been in a game.

Tommy Morris was elected to the General Committee of theClub in 1956 and served until his death for 65 years, rarely missing a meeting.He was awarded the Ron Wilkinson Trophy for services to the club on threeseparate occasions and was a contender many times over. His specialcontribution for over four decades was to maintain, or ‘fettle’ the clubmachinery. All mowers, rollers, and tractors were expertly maintained by himand his care extended the life of many machines, some lasting over forty yearsthemselves, and saving the club many hundreds of pounds. Any groundsman leavinga machine covered in grass and mud would often receive a telling off from Tom.

He also specialised in restoring our cricket balls in thedays when one new ball had to last a first, second and then junior game beforebeing consigned to practice. His method was unique in coating the ball with asubstance similar to varnish then drying them in the oven producing a razor-sharpseam, his garden shed at home being stacked with boxes of balls. He was oftenquestioned by umpires and captains about the hardness of the ball culminatingin one game at Edgworth when in typical exasperation he flung a box of ballsonto the field shouting “tek ‘em all!”

Following his retirement from Chloride in 1999 he spentmany week-day afternoons on the club, firstly with Tom Boardman, then withTrevor Dempster ensuring the club was kept well maintained, tidy and lookedafter to a high standard. After acquiring a new tractor, the ‘Toro’, he washappy to sit on it and sedately mow the outfield each week until he was eightyyears of age.

Tommy Morris was made a Life Member in 1988 and was electedPresident from 1993 to 1999, the two highest honours the Club can bestow. Hespoke through his hands and through the dedicated, consistent contribution hemade over a lifetime both as a player and a committee man. The legacy he leavesis seen in his family who survive him, and who continue to serve the Club.

He will be very much missed and our sympathy is with Joyce,Gail, Ian and Christopher, and all of Tom’s family.

David Robins, who has died aged 79, was the current president of Clifton Cricket Club and a devoted and loyal servant to the club all his life. David served as treasurer for 35 years from1974 to 2009 during a period of huge transformation for the club - both on and off the field. As the business and turnover grew each year, he provided safe and reliable handling of the daily finances, in the days when all was done by hand. Regularity and accuracy were his watch words, ensuring the club gained a reputation as a good employer of stewards, bar staff and cricket professionals. The accountants appointed to do the annual audit of the ‘books’ always commented that this was their easiest job of the year due to the pristine nature of the accounts. David demonstrated immense dedication to duty and loyalty to the committee, where he was an ever-present contributor to meetings during all of his years in post.

David was made a life member in1986 and was elected president in 2017 - the two highest honours the club can bestow. He was one of the three trustees of the club and was still a serving member of both the general and finance committees.

David Michael Robins [D.M. Robins in the scorebook] followed his grandfather, Herbert, who was vice chairman for many years in the 1930’s, and his father, Arthur Robins, who served as both chairman and second team captain until his premature death in 1961. David began to appear in the second team in the early 1950’s as a right-handed batsman and made his first team debut in 1962, which the Journal newspaper reported at the time as ‘being given gradual first team experience and being second top scorer with 35 against Walkden Moor Meths’. A batsman with a correct technique and a solid defence, David would not give up his wicket easily, eventually becoming a first team regular by the early 1970’s. Despite his substantial frame, David stroked the ball rather than hitting powerfully. However, he recalled many times the occasion when he completely surprised himself by hitting opening bowler and Pakistani professional Anwar Khan clean over the scorebox at ‘long on’ with pure timing.

Between 1937 (when Clifton re-joined the Bolton & District Cricket Association) and 1983, the club won ten trophies. David Robins featured in seven of those achievements: he was a member of the 1959 second team which won the Halliwell Shield; the 1966, 1967 and1971 second teams which won the Hardcastle Shield; and he was a member of the first team who won the 1973 Cross Cup, and again in 1977. He played in the championship winning side of 1983 when the first team claimed their first league title, where he made a solid contribution in the middle order and which was undoubtedly the pinnacle of his playing career.

When his playing days were over, David - along with his wife June [also a life member] - were avid followers and watchers of the game: especially the first team. He became a valued and respected member of the selection committee for many years, using his vast experience and knowledge of the game. He was a keen supporter of the move from the Bolton Association to the Central Lancashire League in 2006 and as a league representative forged strong relations at club and league level. He continued in this role when the club became founder members of the Greater Manchester Cricket League in 2016, made even more enjoyable for him when he visited new grounds as club president from 2017.

He watched his last game at Clifton on 1st May sitting on his usual bench, wrapped up against the cold, enjoying the cricket and his first pint of Guinness for many months, whilst keeping an eye on the Wanderer’s score. For seventy years he had been a dedicated member - a quiet example of continuous service and loyalty. He will be very much missed and our sympathy is with June, Zandra and all of David’s family.

If you are visiting the club, you need to download the app

ClubOrder to get served at your table or bench. We suggest you download before you arrive. 

If you tick 'save your details' you will not have to do it every

time you come up.

TheClub Code is 0609

You have to remain seated whilst drinking.

The clubhouse is now open but when walking around 

please wear a mask. 

All other rules ie 'signing in via NHS app', 'social distancing', must be adhered to.