RAWTENSTALL CC 1920 -1935

Up until now professionals had usually been English but as the 20's advanced, clubs cast their nets wider. Nelson led the way signing Australian fast bowler Ted McDonald who had cut his way through the cream of English batting the previous summer. Harry Whitehead JP of Brynbella purchased the ground and offered it to the Rawtenstall Corporation on the condition that the land was to be kept as an open space for the use of cricket for ever.

The last match of the season was against Church in which Rawtenstall won by 29 runs. In that season they had only lost one match and that was against Todmorden. The League cup was presented to them at Nelson, the mayor greeted the conquering heros at the boundary and Goodshaw band led the team home. There was an unbroken line of faces stretching to Tup Bridge, in Rawtenstall it was a mass of people.

In 1927 a fete at Alder Grange school raised £2400 which placed the club on a sound financial footing. The chances of retaining the title was looking slim even before a ball was bowled. Tom Walker (snr) had to give up due to work commitments and Pewtress would only be available for a hand full of games. The batting was the biggest disappointment and the club had to settle for a mid-table position.

In April of 1928 the committee appealed for a better support, for over the last two seasons one hundred members had been lost and the current figure of 490 was inadequate for the size of the town.

In 1929 Nelson signed another professional who was to set the league on fire. He was quick, exciting and black! The perfect combination. He was Learie Constantine, the supreme entertainer. Rawtenstall finished 11th, the professional John Willie took 80 wickets, Reg Hitch was top of the clubs batting averages with 539 runs. In this season up at Bacup , history was made when both Arthur Richardson (pro) and Jimmy Molgely recorded 1000 runs in a season. The first club to have two players reaching this feet.

In 1930 Rawtenstall were involved in the usual, the unusual and the unique. The usual being Bacup knocking them out of the cup. The unusual being a tie at Rishton (81 runs each) and the unique a double hat-trick in one innings.

For the 1931 season the club signed without doubt the best bowler in their history, Sidney Barnes. The worlds best Victor Trumper and Herbie Taylor found him troublesome, but Barnes preferred the leagues where lesser mortals found him impossible. He had to date taken 3373 wickets including 189 in test matches. East Lancs saw the real Barnes who, defending 115 in one spell took 5 wickets in 3 overs for 0 runs. Finishing victorious with 7 for 30. A big crowd gathered to watch the great confrontation between Constantine and Barnes. Constantine won on points making 96 out of Nelson's 175 followed by 4 for 34 in Rawtenstall's reply of 103 all out. Barnes was told off for not getting 7 wickets! Barnes reached 100 wickets versus Church on the 19th of August and finished the season with 115 wickets at an average of 6.3, the best in the clubs history. The team finished fourth, 10 points behind the formidable Nelson. In batting Hitch was the most constant, then Winston Place (in his second season) hitting his first 50 at Middleton then with 102 v Enfield he accomplished the first league century since 1915.

1932 depressing weather, poor batting and doubtful decisions combined to leave the club 3rd from bottom, this forced a change in captaincy Joey Middleton taking over from GB Fenton who dropped into the 2nd team. The rain and Barnes were the only constant things in the club. The Ramsbottom matches were good value. In the first match Barnes played well with 9 for 55, but still lost. In the return match Ramsbottom pro Sid Hird came out top, hitting 152. The third meeting this time in the cup took four nights to settle, in the end it was very close Rawtenstall 167, Ramsbottom 168 for 9. The club came bottom and Barnes took his services elsewhere, he kept playing competitive cricket till he was 67.

1934 was a good season in which the batters excelled, with amateurs achieving career bests. Winston Place 111 not out and 95, Howarth 86, Hitch 64. Place reached 646 runs in a season followed by Middleton, Howarth and Hargreaves to get to 500 runs. Rawtenstall didn't do quite as well the next season, they finished 8th. Winston Place had another good season this time getting 756 runs at an average of 39.7. This total including six fifties. Reg Hitch also had another good season getting 531 runs including five fifties.

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Honours : Past Professionals : Hall of Fame