Wigston’s Good Form (30.4.1966)
Opening their programme at Lutterworth on Saturday, Wigston scored a decisive and well deserved victory. Despite the lack of pre-season practice, the fielding and bowling were tidy whilst the batsmen generally played their shots as though it were mid-August.
Roy Mason, finding a length on his first delivery, and David Hill gave the Lutterworth batsmen absolutely no chance to settle down and between them, took the first six wickets.
The Wigston innings, by way of contrast, was a more solid, forthright affair. Bob Markham, in his first innings for Wigston, hit a bright half century and Graham Willows graced the proceedings with a number of drives to the boundary.
This was a very satisfactory start for Wigston.
Moore Pulls Wigston From Doldrums (15.5.1966)
With the ball tending to keep rather low, due to a certain amount of sponginess in the turf, runs were not easily obtained when Wigston met New Lount on Sunday.
Wigston won the match by 38 runs, although the batsmen on both sides helped to contribute to their own lack of runs.
Had his colleagues copied the sound technique displayed by Malcolm Moore, a much larger Wigston total would most likely have ensued.
The early New Lount batsmen also appeared anxious to avoid troubling the fielders and fell to run-outs and strokes of a capricious nature normally associated with evening cricket.
Malcolm Moore and David Hill, bowling intelligently and with some hostility, quickly ran through the Colliery side. The highest stand was 14 runs for the last wicket.
Bruises Easier To Come By Than Runs (21.5.1966)
On a wicket generally agreed to be one of the worst on which they had been asked to perform, the early Wigston batsmen found that bruises were more easily acquired than runs when they met Uppingham Town on Saturday.
As a direct result of this several easy wickets were taken, although it came as no great surprise to anyone.
David Gibbins, playing with creditable application, and the controlled hitting of Graham Willows, overcame these difficulties gradually, their efforts paving the way to another fine innings by Malcolm Moore.
With the exception of their captain, the efforts of Uppingham batsmen were puny indeed against the hostile bowling of Malcolm Moore and David Hill, 21 overs only being necessary to see them back in the pavilion.
So far this season Wigston are unbeaten, though a number of games against strong sides have been cancelled by rain, including Sunday’s game at Barrow.
Great Glen Go Through To Second Round (30.5.1966)
In the first round of the Sir Lindsay Everard Knock-out Cup, played at Great Glen on Monday, Great Glen won an exciting match against nearby rivals Wigston by four wickets.
Great Glen now go through to meet Gaulby in the second round of the cup, to be played by June 18.
Wigston batted first on Monday but after a fairly good start, and a strong innings from Roy Mason, the side collapsed and we’re all out for 89.
For Great Glen R. Smith bowled exceptionally well, taking six wickets for only 29 runs. A. Sutton gave able support, taking four for 54.
The home side went in to bat and, for a while scored slowly. At one stage they only had 44 on the board for the loss of six wickets.
But strong stands by J. Lucas, W. Allen and A. Sutton pulled the side into a commanding position and they easily passed the Wigston total, closing their innings at 97 for six.
For Wigston, David Hill took four wickets for 28, Geoff Dunkley 0-13, Malcolm Moore 0-49.
Wigston Batsmen Out Of Form (4.6.1966)
Wigston’s batsmen, after starting the season in great style, were strangely out of form when they met Langtons on Saturday and lost by 65 runs.
With the Langtons score at 13 for five wickets, things looked very rosy indeed, but a series of dropped catches enabled Spence and Patrick to restore the situation to normality.
Wigston’s innings proceeded along the same lines until at 18 for 7, David Gibbins found a more able partner in Nick May and together they advanced the score into the fifties, though it was probably too much to expect that the Langtons fielders were going to be as charitable as Wigston’s had proved.
Competent Batting Brings Its Rewards (11.6.1966)
Wigston regained their early season form on Saturday afternoon with a convincing and well-deserved victory over Leicester Casuals by seven wickets.
Without a doubt much keener fielding and some competent batting brought about its own rewards.
Batting first in humid conditions, the Casuals quickly lost three wickets, but managed to partially recover after a good stand between Gill and Moore.
Later in the innings Greathead played attractively for his 31, but sadly lacked support from his colleagues at the other end.
Wigston’s batsmen were soon in command with Bob Markham and Malcolm Moore looking for quick runs, and their good start enabled Brian Carter to hit a savage half-century in the last hour.
Wigston Complete A Great Double (18.6.1966)
Wigston completed a double over New Lount Colliery at Gelsmoor on Saturday when the two sides met again.
Fortunate enough to lose the toss and be set the happy task of bowling in humid conditions on a damp wicket, the Wigston opening bowlers, Malcolm Moore and David Hill, soon had the home side reeling.
At the end of the first hour the score stood at 25 for eight wickets, six of them falling to the guile of Moore.
That the innings lasted until tea, was due entirely to the doggedness of the three tail-enders, who set an example that the senior batsmen would have been well advised to follow.
Wigston, by contrast, batted with considerably more skill on a wicket still assisting the bowling and the eventual result was never in any serious doubt.
Wigston’s Weekend Is Thwarted By The Rain (25.6.1966)
Playing what should have been two of their most attractive fixtures at the weekend, Wigston were thwarted by continuous rain and only managed to fit in two hours of cricket.
The hour’s play they had at Buckminster against the home team on Saturday produced 53 runs for the loss of half their wickets and the rain here might have been timely, though runs were obviously going to be difficult to get on both sides.
Ivan Clowes (29 not out) and Malcolm Moore (10) were the main contributors to the score.
One Hour’s Play (26.6.1966)
Sunday’s game at Belton Park, the family seat of the Brownlows during the last 300 years, was curtailed to only one hour’s play in which the score rose to 75 for four wickets, of which Brian Carter scored 31.
A protracted 16 by David Gibbins, 14 not out by Richard Carter and nine by Hyde all helped to swell a total that even at that early stage promised a sufficiency of runs.
Convincing Win Over New Opponents By Wigston (2.7.1966)
With their bowling strength somewhat depleted due to the summer holidays, Wigston did well to beat so convincingly their new opponents, Hinckley Town, when the two sides met at Willow Park on Saturday.
After getting away to a good start, the Wigston batting faltered somewhat, the last six wickets adding only 30 runs, though little time was available for them to become established.
Ivan Clowes, Bob Markham and Richard Carter’s contributions were compiled attractively and quickly whilst at the other end Malcolm Moore went safely and steadily along for the best part of two hours picking up runs off the occasional loose ball.
Hinckley started off like a house on fire and kept going in that style despite losing inevitable wickets to the accurate bowling of Nick May and Derek Young.
Gibbins’ Great Effort Fails To Stop Battling Oadby (3.7.1966)
Willow Park has, in the past, been the venue for many, many thrilling games of cricket. It was, therefore, no surprise when Sunday’s exciting local derby between Wigston and Oadby came up to, and at times exceeded, the cricket connoisseurs’ greatest expectations.
Last weekend’s match was made considerably more interesting by the fact that Oadby were without their three pace bowlers, Commons, Armitage and Garner, and opening batsman Wells. In contrast, Wigston were almost at full strength.
The game began eventfully enough, with Oadby batting first. Runs came slowly against the fierce pace attack of Malcolm Moore and Nick May, Moore in particular being extremely accurate. He bowled four maidens in his first five overs.
Then, when Oadby’s score had painstakingly reached 28, Moore clean bowled Bernbaum for 20. But skipper Ken Pounds took over and held the side together with a well hit 55, until he declared at 139 for nine, after being last out, caught and bowled by Moore.
Wigston were given two hours to score the necessary runs to achieve victory. Their opening stand put on 61 in 53 minutes, of which David Gibbins scored 46. But a change of bowling brought about Oadby’s first success, Pounds got Vic Hardy lbw for 11.
Spinner Roy Burley then produced an amazing spell during which time he sent back the next four batsmen without a run being added to the score.
Lost Dignity Regained In Great Style (9.7.1966)
Wigston regained much of their lost prestige after their sound beating at Oadby last weekend, with a first ever win over the strong Holwell Works side on Saturday.
After losing their opening batsman, Ivan Clowes, early on in the innings, Bob Markham and Malcolm Moore restored the situation with a fine stand worth 40 runs in quick time.
Vic Hardy, with a number of well placed shots, including a six to long-off, together with valuable support from the middle order men, ensured a solid start for Wigston.
Particularly pleasing was the sight of Roy Mason hitting the ball well after an unusually lean spell. The tail enders also batted with some success and by the tea break an imposing score had been realised.
After the tea interval, Holwell started slowly and, with the loss of one of their openers, Ayto, it looked black for them.
Then the middle men began to take control and pull their side right back in the game. Bird hit a neat 18 before being run out and Creed played well for his 14. But there was only Pearce remaining, and he stayed until the end, having scored 13 not out. The last four batsmen only managed to score four runs between them and the innings collapsed at 69.
Wigston Notches Up Another Win (16.7.1966)
Wigston maintained their record of never having been beaten by Symington’s with an easy win on a firm wicket that belied the considerable amount of rainfall.
Bob Markham, undeterred by giving several chances to the close fielders, and Ivan Clowes got Wigston off to a good start by putting on 37 runs for the first wicket.
After this pair departed the scene, two quick wickets were lost to Keenan, bringing together Vic Hardy and David Gibbins who in less than even time added 46 runs.
By contrast to Symington’s lax fielding, the Wigston players took all the chances offered and generally responded well to bowlers who gave little away.
Defeat For Wigston Was A Shock (17.7.1966)
Following Saturday’s competent showing, Wigston’s defeat at Ufford Park the following day came as something of a shock. The standard of fielding and catching in particular was as poor as the previous day’s was good.
Wigston taking first innings were held up for the best part of two hours by heavy rain, during which an early tea was taken. On a new wicket few of the batsmen made much headway against lively bowlers. Brian Carter and Richard Carter alone reaching double figures.
The home team were set 90 runs to get with only 73 minutes remaining, and an exciting close finish seemed probable.
Unfortunately, the Wigston bowlers were somewhat wayward and profiting from dropped catches the aggressive Ufford Park batsmen won with twenty minutes to spare.
Wigston In Control (23.7.1966)
Wigston batted first, against North Leics. Miners Welfare, on an easy paced wicket and immediately took control.
A steady and neatly compiled opening stand between Malcolm Moore and Graham Willows provided a solid foundation for a sizeable total.
After Willows went, Brian Carter, scoring very freely and Moore raised the century in less than even time.
The Miners batsmen were rather disappointing against the Wigston attack. Only Newman, who scored his 41 runs out of the first 50, was in any way successful.
Dead Keen – They Cut A New Wicket (31.7.1966)
Blaby were so keen to get a game despite the rain when they played Wigston, that they cut a new wicket off the square so that play could start at 4p.m.
Malcolm Moore, opening for Wigston, was soon able to return to the shelter of the pavilion, being out first ball. Not long after he was joined by his colleague David Gibbins.
Aggressive batting at this stage by Brian Carter began to relieve the situation, though the slow outfield did much to restrict boundary hits.
Later in the innings Roy Mason took command of the bowling and eventually Wigston were able to declare, leaving Blaby 83 minutes batting time.
French and Russell kept Blaby in with a chance with good batting until rain finally called a halt to a game that had hardly ever seemed possible.
It’s No Bother (Thanks To Boulter And Markham) For Wigston To Win (20.8.1966)
Arriving at the ground late, and with only nine players Old Linwoodians were rarely in this game and their moderate score was due mainly to a placid wicket.
Stevens, Scholes and Jordan all progressed in the 20s after a great deal of playing and missing the ball, and all might well have been taken in the slips. Later in his innings Scholes played some very attractive strokes and his unbeaten 27 was the highest of his side.
Wigston passed their total in under 90 minutes thanks to a neatly compiled half-century by Bob Markham, his third of the season, and a fine innings by Malcolm Boulter whose highest innings for the club included a good sprinkling of well timed drives.
But It Always Rains On Sunday (21.8.1966)
By complete contrast with Saturday’s glorious weather, Wigston’s match on Sunday against Duddington & Tixover had to be abandoned due to heavy rain, when they were in a strong position.
Sanders, who hit seven sixes, scored the bulk of Duddington’s runs against adequate and often skilled bowling.
Wigston with a sound innings by Vic Hardy and an unfinished stand by Richard Carter and Malcolm Moore recovered from an unpromising start in which two early wickets were lost.
When prolonged heavy rain finally called a halt to the proceedings, Wigston needed only 49 more runs with seven wickets standing.
Oadby Easily Beat Wigston (27.8.1966)
Oadby maintained a lengthy unbeaten run over their neighbours Wigston with a well merited victory at Uplands Road.
Wigston, batting first, suffered two early setbacks and from that point struggled for runs against bowlers using the ball with rare intelligence.
David Gibbins and the ever watchful Vic Hardy survived for some time but when they left, the Oadby bowlers ran through the middle order batsmen in quick time.
Armitage, taking three wickets in one over, caused chaos in the Wigston ranks.
When Oadby batted, they too lost two early wickets, but Wells and Bowyer added 68 in an unbeaten stand to win the match. Wells in particular batted most attractively.
