The Twelfth Man 2018

37 I t was in the summer of 1995, a Councillor had a request for help from a former well- known local cricketer Ken Poole. Ken opened the batting for Wakefield’s 1st Xl, just after the war, when I was playing for Wakefield Boys (against Dickie of Barnsley Boys). Ken lived in a house on the main Barnsley Road (A61) and in the highway, right outside was a small, water-hydrant cover. Sitting with him in the lounge, he told me “Now just listen”. Every time a car or lorry passed, there came a loud rattle. He told me that this goes on day and night so bad that he and his wife moved into the back bedroom. I asked what he had done about it and he told me he had contacted the Town Hall, who had promised to ‘look into it’, but nothing had happened, so now he’d called on an old cricket friend, his local Councillor. While normally, I would have sent a report through to the Head of Highways, but in this instance I rang Mr Grist, the engineer responsible for the Sandal area, who just happened to be a keen cricketer. Mike came round without delay and within a couple of days, the loose cover was reset, problem solved. That wasn’t the end of the story however, for Ken invited me back to sit in his lounge and enjoy the calm, before presenting me with a wonderful album of signed First Day Cricket Envelopes, mounted in a large album, he had bought while at the Centenary Test Match in 1980. Gratified as I was, we sat talking cricket, when Ken happened to mention that back in 1939, playing for Crofton in the West Riding League along with his partner Brian Foley, both scored centuries in a Club record unbroken opening partnership of 225. Story of a Grate In The Road By Norman Hazell A few days later they received a hand written letter of congratulation from George Hirst. Ken brought it down and asked if I would like it as he had no-one to leave it to. He wanted nothing for it, just a gift to a ‘young’ friend. That is now a treasured insert in my copy of ‘Hirst and Rhodes’. Unsung Cricket Hero: Ernie Heseltine. A FEW years ago a certain member of the Society, namely Michael Clarke, used to bring up the name of Ernie Heseltine as a player who had the potential at a young age to become a great county player but now has announced his retirement from the game. His last club was Houghton Main where he was a legend not only to them but to the Society. In his younger days his natural talent was abundantly clear as he was selected to go on tour with Yorkshire and England in the under15’s age group as an opening bowler. Before joining Houghton Main he played for Darfield and in 1980 ripped through Wickersley with figures of 7-30. The next year Ernie left Darfield and joined Halifax in the Yorkshire league. Ernie joined Houghton Main in 1986 playing in the evening league, a year later he became the first team captain and remained captain for 27 years. In that period Houghton Main won the Pontefract Division One title in 1996, in 2003 and 2004 they won the Dyson-Skidmore cup and in 2006 they won the National Village knock-out trophy final at Lord’s. He hit at least 20 centuries for the first team, thousands of runs and took plenty of wickets as well. Although he has retired from playing cricket he will continue with his dedicated role of groundsman / junior manager. On behalf of the Society we say Well Done Ernie.