Our History
Our Guest Speakers
1974 - 1975 Season
26th September 1974 A Pilling & Keith Goodwin of Lancashire CCC
25th October 1974 N Oldfield Lancashire CCC and England and Joe Massey Blackpool CC.
Glamorgan veteran David Evans was the speaker at the dinner of 20th November 1974. He was a wicket-keeper making his first-class debut in 1956, and becoming the regular wicket-keeper in 1958. He played his entire career at Glamorgan until he retired in 1969 and became a first-class umpire in 1971. He stood in nine Test matches between 1981 and 1985, including the famous Test between England and Australia at Headingley in 1981.
27th February 1975 Alan Wharton of Lancashire, Leicestershire, the MCC and England. This was his second visit to the Society with his final appearance at the dinner of the 23rd January 1985. Alan sadly passed away on 26th August 1993.
Worcestershire and England player Basil D'Oliviera was the guest at the meeting held on 21st March 1975. Basil D'Oliviera was born in South Africa and a victim of apartheid that stunted his development as a professional cricketer. Broadcaster John Arlott persuaded Middleton, the Central Lancashire League club, to take him on as their professional in 1960. He was then signed by Worcestershire and he played 44 tests and 4 ODIs for his adopted country and played 362 first class games. He is widely recognised as being responsible for exposing the apartheid regime in South Africa..
England, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Tasmania, and Yorkshire all enjoyed the benefit of John Hampshire's playing ability who was guest on 5th April 1975. As a player he was a middle-order batsman and an excellent close fielder. He made a hundred on debut against West Indies in 1969 but was dropped after the next match, making only occassional appearances after that. He captained Yorkshire for two seasons (1979-80) during one of their most turbulent times. He staged a "go-slow" at Northampton as a protest against what he saw as selfish batting by Geoff Boycott. He ended his career with three seasons at Derbyshire. After retiring, Hampshire became a first-class umpire in 1985 and was appointed to the Test list in 1989. In 1999 he was added to the ICC panel of umpires and remained a high quality umpire on the county circuit until 2005.
1975 - 1976 Season
The fourth season of meetings, that got under way on 18th November 1975 with Ireland and Derbyshire Mike Stevenson. He sadly passed away on September 19, 1994
Alvin Kallicharan of the West Indies and Warwickshire was the very special guest at the dinner on 3rd December 1975. He had played his finest and controversial innings of 158 against England in Port of Spain in 1973-4. With his score on 142, he watched his partner Bernard Julien play the last ball of the first day to Tony Greig at silly point before walking down the pitch towards the pavilion never having returned to his crease from backing up. Greig threw down the bowlers stumps and Kallicharran was given out by Douglas Sang Hue only to be reinstated next morning. He later took on the captaincy of the West Indies in 1977-8 when Clive Lloyd resigned over the Packer issue.
Farokh Engineer of India and Lancashire was the speaker at the next dinner held on February 4th 1976. At the time he was coming towards the end of his international career, wicketkeeper Engineer had moved to England where he was playing for Lancashire. His chiselled features and rugged good looks made him an obvious successor to Keith Miller and Denis Compton as a Brylcreem model. He retired from the first class game in 1976 after a career that started in 1958.
Another wicketkeeper followed in David HK Smith of Derbyshire who was the guest at the dinner of 20th February 1976.
March 1976 saw the return of David Lloyd accompanied by journalist Derek Hodgson.
More guest speakers from 1977 -1978
More guest speakers from 1972 -1974
site info
Website Design © 2006 Chris Banting.