GNAA Cricket Photos
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)
Groundsman Bert Tomkins and Sunny Jim - 1937
Club vrs Great Northern Railway Directors
July 1913
Ken Young Writes 'My Recollection is of an
annual match when Great Northern Railway Directors raised a side
to challenge the Club. Amongst the shareholders or the
non-executive directors were some Test Players/Captains and some
fine County Players. My father, (Alf Young - centre right) playing
for the visitors was a fine fast bowler by all accounts and the
time was a Territorial with WW1 not far off. It's a shame he was
badly wounded in 1917, losing a leg. This put paid to his
promising cricket career. Of the Club players above, I knew Frank
Davey, Ernie Pollington and Frank Cornell, all GNAA members.'
The first Post WW1 Challenge Match
Ken Young writes 'Amongst the bevy of great
players both Test and County, were three of our greatest club
members, Bill Thornton who opened for the firsts and still heading
the averages in the thirties, Charlie Poole an Agile keeper and
middle order bat and Doug Irwin, one of the hardest hitters I ever
remember. His "piece de resistance" was the lofted drive from the
far end onto the bridge! Liddy Liddicote was a superb
batsman/spinner and Arthur bend who was playing up to the late
twenties. All these were boyhood heroes I was luck enough to know.
Look at the names on the front row, G J Weigall, Lawaon, Frank
Mitchell, F S Jackson, F L Fane, Nigel Haig, all cricketing
legends. Incidently this was Dad's first year of umpiring. He
finally gave up in 1985'
Eastern Region British Railways v Eastern
Command, British Army mid 1950's
Ken Young writes ' The Railwaymen were chosen
from the many players in their employ. There were three Minor
Counties, two County 2nds and Yorkshire League players. The Army
were still able to call on National Servicemen and were quite a
strong XI. We lost but not disgraced. This was the first
2representative" game post-war (WWII). The two two beefy
characters either side of the regional manager were the Army
Commander and another Staff Officer of similar rank' (Note the
Captain of the Railwaymen was our own Ken Young)
Ken Young Coaches Colts at Holtwhites Hill
1956
Ken Young writes 'The Devil should cast his net!
The winter of 56 after our weekly indoor coaching session. A
photograph taken by Enfield Gazzette and Observer. My memory for
names is poor but in this case assisted by a well-beeched
Australian...Alan Vooght (The tall dark one extreme right). The
lads left to right, ?, Alan Barwick, John Rule, Alan Hill?, the
son of the Enfield Captain at the time, then Alan Vooght. The
centre of attention young Heanes, the one with the bat. I have
fond memories of Geoff Heanes his father and Nina his striking
dark-haired wife. Watching Geoff Heanes bat was a stroke-making
pleasure, enterprising, timing to perfection but lazy between the
wickets. Often late turning up and just a bit wayward but totally
disarming under pressure. I arranged a trial for young Heanes at
Lords...he didn't show. Glad to hear he is still playing the great
game.'
1952 Final of the Mowett Cup
Ken Young writes ' The 1952 Final of the Mowett
Cup (Eastern Region, Departmental Team Trophy). We were the "Other
Departments" Team. That means the ones with fewer staff. Skipper
was Stan Robinson the GN Captain of the time, as solid-as-a-rock
Yorkshire opener, centre front. Our opponents were Engineering
Dept. We lost but see next to Alf Young is Alan Ball. His father
is second from right, front row and the first time they played in
the same team. It wasn't all that long after that Alan took nine
wickets, playing for the 2nd XI at Gordon Hill
