YEADON Cricket Club celebrated the career achievements of 19 of their past and present players at a nostalgic ceremony held in their clubhouse.

In front of an audience made up of their contemporaries embroidered caps were presented to players who have taken more than 300 wickets or scored 5,000 runs in league games while playing for the club at first or second team level.

They were joined by four wicketkeepers who have claimed over 100 victims and these included the former Hong Kong and Yeadon wicketkeeper-batsman Patrick Fordham who also scored 3,855 runs for Yeadon.

Another former international player receiving an award was the Yorkshire and England spinner Geoff Cope. The former Yeadon CC Chairman is the current President of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Cope took 362 Bradford League wickets for Yeadon between 1981 and 1988 and also captained the side. He was the driving force behind the club getting their current clubhouse, being involved in protracted negotiations with Bass Brewery who owned the ground.

Special tributes were paid to four cricketers who have sadly passed away - the much-admired seamer Peter Graham, outstanding all-rounder Dennis Bateson, fine opening bowler Brian Redfearn and seamer George Cousins, whose son Billy also got an award.

PC Graham was one of the best bowlers to ever grace the Bradford League and the Northumberland Minor Counties star was once described by Australian captain Allan Border as the best bowler not to have played County cricket.

Tributes were paid to PC by former opponent and current Bradford League Chairman Billy Holmes and former Pudsey St Lawrence teammate Chris Gott, who presented PC's award to his widow Shirley.

Brian Redfearn's award was received by his son, former Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn. Some in the audience reminisced about how fledgling footballer Neil honed the skills that would bring him a pro career on the Yeadon outfield and the adjacent Celtic football pitch.

Bateson qualified in the bowling but also made 3,882 runs for the club.

Heading up the batsmen to receive a cap was Les Wood, a popular figure among the league’s umpiring ranks, who is the club’s all-time leading run scorer with 10,271 to his name.

Club secretary Andrew Pickering is closing in on Wood’s tally with 10,038. He was instrumental in setting up the event after he and Paul Machell were presented with caps last Autumn after passing the 10,000 runs and 500 wickets marks respectively in the season past. Machell now has 568 wickets for the club.

This unassuming pair pushed for others who had reached certain landmarks to be similarly rewarded.

They were called forward to be re-presented with their caps allowing the audience to show their appreciation for all the hard work and loyalty the pair have put in at the club after joining as very young players.

As well as being Secretary of the club Pickering is also the club's groundsman while Machell, one of five brothers who have played for the club, has had a leading role as coach to the club's junior players.

Pickering said: "It is important not just to acknowledge the achievements of the players but also recognise their loyalty and service to the club. A lot of work has gone into planning this event and none of it would have been possible without the incredible work of Michael Rhodes of the Bradford Cricket League who spent hours going through the league records to provide the statistics for each of the players.”

The batsmen honoured were: Les Wood 10,271 runs, Andrew Pickering 10,038, Darren Smith 7,462, Damon Gormley 6,676 and James Todd 6,252.

The bowlers honoured were: Paul Machell 568, Nick Darfield 558, Billy Cousins 502, Richard Machell 426, Dennis Bateson 405, Geoff Cope 362, George Cousins 355, Brian Redfearn 324, Peter Graham 305 and Tony O’Connor 305.

The four wicketkeepers honoured were: Jake Wray 220 victims, Glyn Draper 208, Pat Fordham 198 and Paul Hebden 110.

The event was compered by Bradford Premier Cricket League CEO Alan Birkinshaw. It also saw club stalwart Andrew Dean installed as a Life Member by club chairman Wayne Ralley.

* All images courtesy of Ray Spencer - Bradford Premier Cricket League.