Origins of Cae Glas Cricket Club

The origins of the club are probably to be found in the dark days of the 2nd world war when organised sport in the UK was unknown to the youngsters who were growing up. Suddenly in 1945, when most of the founding members were in their early 'teens' an Australian side came to the UK to take on England in what was known as the Victory Tests. During the following 3 summers, teams from India (1946), South Africa (1947) and Australia (1948) toured the Country - the latter including such greats as Ray Lindwall, Keith Millar, Don Bradman and Lindsay Hassett - each one a giant in the world of cricket. No TV then, only radio commentaries and school parties in uncomfortable, slow, lumbering buses to Old Trafford and Trent Bridge to watch cricket as a whole generation had never been seen it played before - such never-to-be-forgotten occasions fired the imagination of those youngsters who experienced them and led to a fascination with the game and a desire to imitate.

Prior to its inception as an organised club, Cae Glas existed for a number of years as an informal association of teenagers wanting to play cricket but for whom the opportunities were limited. The driving force in the days prior to 1953 was Mike Foulkes ably assisted by his brother John and Brian (Rusty) Roberts who lived nearby and just beyond the perimeter of Cae Glas Park. Games were arranged at short notice against a variety of opponents - which sometimes involved the players in having to cycle about 6-7 miles after school/work for an evening games starting at 7pm and finishing some 2-3 hours later followed by the ride home - Quinta School and various local youth organisations provided much of the opposition. Equipment was minimal and always 2nd or 3rd hand and practice took place pretty well every weekend during the summer months on the local beauty spot known as Oswestry Racecourse, where batsmen took to the crease frequently minus any gloves, pads or other form of protection against a hard ball and fast bowling. Sore and tired, participants without bicycles ended the session with a 2-3 mile walk home.

By about 1951 organised cricket at a local level had been re-established and although there was no league, friendly fixtures incited much rivalry and limited over knock-out competitions became a feature of the summer game. It was as a result of witnessing the advantages of organised club cricket, the lack of opportunity to play for one of the Oswestry Teams and a general spirit of rebelliousness, that a spontaneous yearning arose among a nucleus of the players who comprised the irregular side, for the club to be established on a formal basis. The movement was given further impetus by an advert in the local newspaper inviting any youth team in the Oswestry area to play the Shrewsbury Monkmoor Boys Club and asking any club, willing to accept the offer, to make contact in order to arrange a fixture.

The urge to benefit from the network of properly organised fixtures and competitions led to a meeting in the back room of the White Horse Public House in Church street, Oswestry one cold winter's night sometime in early January 1953. At the meeting a chairman (R Jones), a secretary (G P Duncan), a treasurer (F B Richardson) and a captain (E C Davies) were elected and the club was established on a democratic basis. The name of the club was unanimously agreed but unfortunately it had no ground and the prospect was that all the matches would be played away, which says much for the confidence and youthful exuberance of its founding members - particularly since it has now been in existence for 50 years.

The newly appointed secretary worked miracles in arranging 18 fixtures during the limited period of five months which he had available up to the beginning of the first season in May 1953:- the Club also entered the Advertizer knockout competition. Despite having no home ground, the Headmaster of Oswestry School, quite unexpectedly, gave permission for 3 or 4 matches to be played on Maesyllan. Of the 18 matches 9 were lost, 5 were won, 3 were brought to a premature end by rain and 1 was cancelled. Two fixtures on - 6th June and 3rd August 1953 were arranged with the Monkmoor Boys Club but on both occasions Cae Glas were beaten. A particular success in the first season was however, winning against Whittington in the 1st round of the limited overs knock-out competition.

Due to the efforts of the secretary and others, a practice area was made available in the grounds of Brongynton Park by permission of Lord Harlech. Funds were found for the purchase of nets and equipment - some still second hand - and practice nights were established on Tuesday and Thursday evenings followed by coffee/snacks in a local cafe of a benevolent and long-suffering proprietor.

From about 1953 onwards the demands of national service became an ever present factor of life for team members and one by one over the period up to 1958, stalwarts disappeared for the compulsory 2 year period mostly never to return to the club.

John Foulkes - took over the captaincy for the second season which proved to be more successful than the first but the duty of national service meant that the post became vacant at the end of the 1954 when Chris Ainsworth was appointed captain - a position which he retained for a second year in 1956.

Probably the most sustaining factor during the early fragile years of the club was the permanence of its Secretary (G P Duncan) who served in the post for a period of some 12-15 years.