Brigg Town Cricket Club's complete playing record from its very first season has come to light... after 47 years.
A former player of more recent times, Lee Fielden, who lives in Barnetby, has obtained a Grimsby Cricket League handbook which shows Brigg Town's debut season in this competition, in 1974, when they finished top of Division Two by a very wide margin, having won 12 of their 16 Saturday fixtures, drawing once, having one exciting tie and only losing two games.
Opening batsman Bob Elwood scored more runs that anyone in Division Two during this campaign, winning a league trophy for his efforts.
South Kelsey was a long-established Grimsby League club by the time Brigg joined, and other pages in Lee's handbook show some village players were also trophy winners in 1974 - Arnold Neve, Ted Bemrose and Gordon Neve.
Batsman Edwin Chappell won a trophy as a young player with Nettleton Mines in 1974 but later spent many seasons making runs for South Kelsey.
Indeed, Kelsey CC eventually moved from Skipworth Ridge in their own village to play at the Nettleton Mines ground in Holton-le-Moor, close to the Hope Tavern and the A46. There had been ore mines nearby, in the Lincolnshire Wolds, supplying Lysaght's works in Scunthorpe, until 1970.
The stone was taken to Scunthorpe by rail via Barnetby, and sidings at Holton-le-Moor - on the Lincoln-Barnetby line - adjoined the Nettleton Mines sportsground.
Brigg Town played many weekend games against Kelsey in the Grimsby League (initially), the Lincolnshire League, the Humberside Alliance (1980s and 1990s) and latterly the North Lindsey League.
PICTURED: Brigg Town Cricket Club's team in May 1974 at the Recreation Ground, plus extracts from the handbook (kindly supplied by Lee Fielden). Bob Elwood is third from left on the back row of the team picture, while Coun Brian Parker (currently Brigg's Deputy Town Mayor) is second from left on the front row.
