Rainham Cricket Club in 1968
How were things at the club all those years ago when I first joined? Strangely enough, not that different to today even though it was another era.
Enclosed with a greater number of trees, the ground had a similar atmosphere in comparison with today but there were a few differences. The clubhouse with a small bar was situated to the right of the present changing rooms building although it wasn’t quite as spacious as the present one at the opposite end of the ground. A proper car park didn’t exist, one practice net with a lightning fast surface stood in the bottom corner not far from the main entrance and a large roller with a wooden frame dating back to the 1920s was used for rolling the wicket by hand. A regular groundsman didn’t exist and the players prepared the wickets themselves.
The wicket generally played well but there were some days where it could play up. As today, matches were played there by the First and Second XIs on weekends and a midweek XI performed on Wednesday afternoons against teams like Medway Police and Sittingbourne Wednesday. A colts XI didn’t exist until 1972 although Rainham teacher Eric Rotherham introduced boys to the club from Rainham Secondary school and later the Howard School.
Local rich fruit farmer and former player Sid Callaway served as President, Eric Fitzgerald Fixture Secretary and Terry Glazier Treasurer while old Rainham veteran George Eccles still served on the committee. Terry Glazier captained the First XI and Mick Harriss the Second XI. The only regular umpire continued to be Ernie Halsey. Ted Whiffen senior sometimes played the piano in the clubhouse and regular heavy drinking was the norm with regulars being John Tatton, Charlie Maley and visitors like former players Derek Gould and Phil Austin.
Problems in those times were similar to those of today with non payment of subs and the lease of the ground being two ongoing headaches. Large outstanding bills were dealt with by President Sid Callaway who paid these off at the club AGM held at the Rainham Cricketers Public House.
Matches were played were on a friendly basis as leagues did not exist with the First XI playing most of the better local sides and regular all day matches against Folkestone and Dulwichians. The Second XI played local village teams like Upchurch, and Minster. The only competition on offer continued to be the Gillingham Ashes in which the club participated. Special matches included the annual Married v Singles match played on August Bank Holiday Monday which had existed since 1885 and the annual Second XI match against Rainham School.
An assortment of characters formed the playing staff with the volatile bat throwing wicket keeper batsman Ted Whiffen regularly smashing the ball over the railway line or demolishing the stumps in a stumping attempt. Newcomer and former Lancashire League player Ian Crabtree added some class to the batting. Roy Smith often swung the ball like a boomerang on a humid day while Mick Ward ran in almost from the boundary edge to deliver his gentle medium pacers. Slow opening batsman Austin Barrett could cause confusion when batting because he was partially deaf. Youngsters in the First XI included George Phillips, Alan Clarke, Danny Clout and Denis Chambers while captain Terry Glazier tried to lead by example.
The Second XI ably led by Mick Harriss contained characters like John Tatton who regularly opened the batting but rarely scored double figures, never bowled and usually fielded at fine leg. Veteran Jack Temple scored many runs and John Durham added a touch of class while 63 year old Alec Tassell bowled round arm and had to wear his glasses to hear (a hearing aid was built into them). Peter Rycroft bowled at lightning speed but everywhere except line and length. Reliable medium pace bowler Tom Jay took wickets regularly. Alan Heath performed as a regular and big Martin Budden, Dudley Sanger and Aubrey Belson sometimes made runs. Bill Booth moved in and out of the teams but was always a boost to the Second XI with his accurate bowling and left handed hard hitting batting style.
Overall, Rainham CC was a fairly stable club in 1968 with regular sides, a thriving membership and acceptable facilities that made them one of the better Medway clubs at the time.
