Origins

Although 1862 is often cited as a ‘birth date’, the Club was formally established in 1865, by six men: George Wright, George Hardwick, Sam Haley, Alfred Starkey, James Strafford and Robert Corry. Valuable assistance was received from James Woodcock of Marsh Rolling Mills. These founding fathers were all members of the

Cleckheaton Wesleyan Sunday School and thus it was decided that all members of that first inaugural team had to attend chapel regularly to play and this meant they often struggled to find a full side. One of the Club’s earliest fixtures was against Hunsworth Mills, which itself has developed into what is now known as Cleckheaton.

In 1865 the Club moved from Whitcliffe Road – its first home – to Spen Lane, where it has resided ever since. It also became known as Cleckheaton Victoria (rather than Cleckheaton Wesleyans), which then later became Spen Victoria. The field at Spen Lane was sub-let to the Club for 1/- per week by Charles Mortimer. Soon after, a set of rules were drawn up. It was in fact very fashionable for cricket clubs to name themselves after the monarch of the time, with other notable examples such as Birstall Victoria, Copley Victoria, Greetland Victoria, Ripponden Victoria, Sowerby Bridge Victoria. By 1867 the club had 17 members, and in 1872 the it hired its first professional, Mr B. Doughty.

There were several important events at HQ during the last years of the nineteenth century including:

1888 – 3,000 square yards of turf were added to the playing area.

1890 - £120 was spent on erecting first cricket pavilion.

1893 – Ground improvement plans were given the green light by the committee.

The bowling green was opened in 1894 – hence the formal emergence of Spen Victoria Cricket & Bowling Club. In this part of West Yorkshire – and beyond – it has been quite common for sports to ‘amalgamate’ within the same club organisation, with Spen Victoria a prime example.

Earlier Triumphs

In 1887 Spen scored 472 in a 2nd Round Heavy Woollen Cup match against Dewsbury Clerks. This remains the second highest-ever score in the competition. In the final they lost to Dewsbury & Savile by a record runs margin for

a final of 271 runs. The 1895 final which Spen lost to Batley by 12 runs

remains the lowest aggregate score (100) for two completed innings in a final.

Spen finally won the trophy in 1896, beating Low Moor at Dewsbury CC and were defated finalists in both 1895 and 1914.

At the time Spen weren't in the Bradford League, but instead played in the Yorkshire Council and won the Heavy Woollen Championship in 1914, 1927 and 1930.

Club Developments

The Spen Lane ground was purchased in 1902 and the Club decided to build the existing pavilion and clubroom. It was officially opened in 1909.

The Spen Victoria C.C. Ladies Committee was established in 1911, three years prior to the outbreak of the Great War. Over the following decades, the Committee distinguished itself through its commitment to fundraising and the serving

of matchday refreshments in the tea room (built originally at a cost of £500). Their contribution is still very noticeable today, the ladies of the club working exceptionally hard to ensure the players and fans are looked after.

Bank Holiday Monday, August 1914, was the date of the first-ever opening stand between legendary Yorkshire cricketers Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe. It was achieved for Spen Victoria in a Yorkshire Council game at Spen Lane against Keighley. Spen Victoria had bowled Keighley out for 105. Holmes

and Sutcliffe then knocked off the target together. Unsurprisingly with that pair at the helm, Spen went on to claim the Heavy Woollen Championship that year.

Not yet part of the Bradford League, Spen, instead playing in the Yorkshire Council, won the Heavy Woollen Championship in 1927 and 1930. In 1930 not only did the first team win the division but the seconds also finished ahead of Morley and Heckmondwike to claim the title. It was then decided a tougher challenge was sought. (news)

Early Bradford League Years

In 1931 Spen joined the Bradford League and they finished runners up in their first season. A.C. Rhodes topped the League batting charts with an average of 46.88. (news)

The Club’s early years in the Bradford League were relatively successful. They were runners-up in 1933 when Yorkshire and England batsman Wilf Barber was a key

member of the side. In 1932 the Yorkshire Evening Post featured some key

figures from this period.

The Club recorded its first Priestley Cup triumph when Harold Mortimer led them to a 32-run victory over Lightcliffe in 1936. (news)

Fall & Rise of SVCC

Spen were relegated to Section ‘B’ in 1942, despite the heroics of Clifford Sykes. Interestingly, this event was a prelude to an amazing renaissance in the Club’s fortunes. The Spen attack was led by Derbyshire and England bowler George Pope and Yorkshire spin merchant Arthur Booth. In 1942 they scooped the Division ‘B title, with the two men taking a combined total of 149 wickets.

Back in the top division, Spen enjoyed their best ever season. In the midst of the World War, they bagged the Division ‘A’ and Priestley Cup ‘Double’ as Booth and Pope again weaved their magic for a side which was shrewdly led by Sykes and

included the talented batman Arnold Hamer who scored over 605 runs while Pope took 67 wickets and Booth 61. Pope was the star of the Priestley Cup Final. He top scored with 76 and took 6 wickets for 36 as they defeated Yeadon by 72 runs. (news)

After the war Spen experienced leaner times. They were relegated in 1949 but bounced back as runners up in Division Two in 1956 when they were also beaten in the Priestley Cup Final by Pudsey St Lawrence, despite a hat-trick from their great opening bowler Percy Watson. He joined the club in 1954 from Salts after being recommended by Pope and was to play at Spen Lane for 17 years. During that time he was to gain most of his tally of more than 1,000 Bradford League wickets and in 1962 he recorded the best ever Bradford League bowling figures of 10 for 11

against Yeadon.

Spen were relegated again in 1957 and had to wait until 1968 before returning to the top flight as Division Two champions. The yo-yo existence continued. Relegation in 1977 was followed by another Division Two triumph in 1979. They reached the Priestley Cup final in 1979 and 1981 but suffered defeats to Bingley on both occasions. (news)

In the 1980s Spen's ups and downs increased. They were relegated in 1982, 1985 and 1988 but hit back to make the top flight in 1983, 1987 as champions and 1989. In 1990 inspired by the fast bowling of John Wood, Spen crushed Pudsey St Lawrence to lift the Priestley Cup. Solly Adam was the captain of a talented side which included three players who were to go on to play first class cricket, Wood (Durham and Lancashire), Tim Walton (Northants and Essex) and Mike Smith

(Gloucester and England).

The side also included talented Indian player Tosh Arothe who was part of a long line of overseas players who have enriched the cricketing landscape at Spen Lane.

Overseas Stars

The first was the West Indies test player Enoch St Hill, a fast bowler who appeared during war time, but it wasn't until the 1980s that the club invested consistently in overseas talent.

Iqbal Qasim and batsman Mansoor Akthar had both played for Pakistan at Test level before joining the club but it was Spen's success at signing talented young players which was to bear fruit.

Vinod Kambli, a fledgling left hander who had set a world record opening stand with Sachin Tendulkar in Bombay schools cricket, lit up Spen Lane in 1991 and made his Test debut against England the following winter hitting a double century in his third Test.

India has also capped Wasim Jaffer, who played for the club in 1998 and Lalchand Rajputt. Shaheed Butt, Jimmy Sangani, Abdul Jabber, Rohan Gavaskar and Seraj Bahutoule were other Indians to make their mark at Spen Lane.

But one man - opening batsman Chris Pickles - dominated the 90s. The

former Yorkshire all-rounder was a prodigious run scorer and topped

1,000 in three consecutive seasons from 1994 to 96. The club won two Heavy Woollen Cups in 1996 and 1998 and after relegation in 1999, returned the the top flight at the first attempt as runners-up to Undercliffe in 2000. (news)

That promotion owed much to one man, Australian all-rounder Grant Lambert. He was so disappointed at seeing the club relegated during his first season in 1999 that he set about restoring their top flight status in stunning style. Lambert literally ripped up the Bradford League record book in the 2000 season. He set a new league scoring record of 1,683 runs, beating the previous best by 200 runs, he hit a record seven centuries, and made the highest score of 170 against Manningham Mills. Lambert finished the season with an incredible average of 120.21 to

easily top the league batting averages. For good measure he topped the

bowling average too with 31 wickets at 7.77 each.

Lambert returned for a third season in 2001 and despite having to return home in August to take up a contract with New South Wales, he scored 688 runs and took 38 wickets to help Steve Bethel's side re-establish themselves in the top flight.

The 2002 season saw the club engage Pakistani fast bowler Rao Anjum as their overseas star. He topped their batting and bowling averages in a season when Spen's young side finished ninth after an inconsistent season.

Anjum starred with the bat in 2003 as Spen surprised everybody and finished second behind Pudsey Congs, but the loss of a passport while on international duty meant he missed the 2004 campaign when Spen narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the season. They weren’t so fortunate in 2005 when after losing many of their experienced side they were relegated after winning only two matches.

Spen Lane however has maintained its prestige and in 2004 was selected to host the Crowther Cup Final.

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