The Cricket Match - a PR Exercise?

[Andy873]

This one took me by total surprise:

In July 1870, exactly five months after being awarded the contract to build the Great Harwood section of the North Lancashire loop line, a cricket match was played between the Loop line and an eleven of Great Harwood cricket club.

Harwood won 146 runs to 49 - Clearly a one sided affair!
Thank you, @stuving for helping on this one.

The club's historian suggests there would have been "a sizeable crowd", and based on other cricket historians there could have been anything from 500 to a 1,000 watching the match, especially as 23rd July 1870 was the start of the town's Wakes week holidays.

Earlier that month, the local board of health (the council - and based on the reputation of the navvies) decided to build a lockup in the town.

If we put all of this together, do you think this cricket match was a PR exercise on the side of the contractor, Thomas Stone?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Yes, it probably was. However, it was not as strange as you might think because there were many odd matches played in the early days of cricket - e.g. "Married v Single", "Left Handers v Right Handers" etc., etc.

 

[vic-rijrode]

Yes, it probably was. However, it was not as strange as you might think because there were many odd matches played in the early days of cricket - e.g. "Married v Single", "Left Handers v Right Handers" etc., etc.

Not as odd surely as the one-sided matches currently taking place in Australia...

 

[Dave W]

Not as odd surely as the one-sided matches currently taking place in Australia...

Yes "cricketers vs non cricketers" seems a stretch

Great Harwood CC one of many clubs in the cricket-rich tapestry of East Lancashire, even back then I'm not surprised cricket was so utilised as a PR stunt.

 

[DelW]

If we put all of this together, do you think this cricket match was a PR exercise on the side of the contractor, Thomas Stone?

It doesn't necessarily have to have been.

When I worked on a section of the M25 in the late '70s, we had quite a few people living on site - there were two caravan sites, one near the offices for engineers and other staff, and one near the plant yard for drivers and plant ops. We organised a variety of social events, including iirc cricket and darts, against local clubs or pub sides. Usually they were arranged via members of those clubs who worked on the site, or with pubs which we drank at. Since site working hours were until 7pm in summer, cricket matches were about 10 overs each way (if the innings lasted that long, most of us weren't very good), then everyone off to the pub for a few beers.

I don't think we ever had more than a handful of spectators, so not comparable with your event, but they were definitely organised for enjoyment not PR purposes.

 

[ian1944]

Very tasteless now, but I seem to remember a cricket match long ago between one-armed men and one-legged men. Maybe soon after WWI? Re. Great Harwood CC, I was a member in the 70s when the Barbadian pro arranged exhibition matches with touring WI teams. Sobers was at the end of his test career, Greenidge was in full flow. It was supposed that the number of sixes the latter hit over the bungalows across the road (those familiar with the ground will know what I mean) set him up for subsequent carnage on the tour.

 

[telstarbox]

It doesn't necessarily have to have been.

When I worked on a section of the M25 in the late '70s, we had quite a few people living on site - there were two caravan sites, one near the offices for engineers and other staff, and one near the plant yard for drivers and plant ops. We organised a variety of social events, including iirc cricket and darts, against local clubs or pub sides. Usually they were arranged via members of those clubs who worked on the site, or with pubs which we drank at. Since site working hours were until 7pm in summer, cricket matches were about 10 overs each way (if the innings lasted that long, most of us weren't very good), then everyone off to the pub for a few beers.

I don't think we ever had more than a handful of spectators, so not comparable with your event, but they were definitely organised for enjoyment not PR purposes.

Love this.