BRIGG CRICKET MEMORIES FROM THE LATE 1980s

Brigg Town Cricket Club returned to the Lincolnshire League in 1989, being re-admitted after spending some seasons in the South Humberside Alliance and having won the championship of this competition two years running.
Town's home games 31 years ago were played at the Sugar Factory Ground, on Scawby Road, Scawby Brook, which had its own licensed clubhouse selling beer at very low prices.
Brett Smith, who has an interest in preserving sporting history, has scanned that year's league handbook into PDF format and posted all 60 pages on social media.
Brigg's first team rejoined division three and the opening home game was against Louth 2nds on Saturday, May 6, 1989 in which we played under the captaincy of Barrie Briggs.  Other players at this time included Mick Wescott, 'Gig' Smith, Garry Dunderdale, Tony Bailey, Steve Frankish, Simon Pottage, Patrick Kenny, Gary M. Smith and Martin Willerton.
In a home game in June, Brigg we think Brigg posted 215 against Normanby Park Works - an unusually high total for the Factory ground and for division three cricket  in that era. The last fixture was at home to Caistor 2nds on September 9.
Broughton, Kirton Lindsey and South Kelsey also played in the Lincs League in 1989, while Hibaldstow had yet to gain a place in the county's largest competition.
In that season's George Marshall Trophy, Brigg were drawn away to top flight Ross Sports (Grimsby) in a late May first round tie. We lost heavily but it was an honour to play on a Minor Counties ground against opening batsman Geoff Robinson, who had captained the Lincolnshire county team only a few years earlier. Ross being a notable food-producing company, the teas were always very good.
Building supplies company Harcros gave generous sponsorship to the league at the time. Brigg Town 2nds played in the Humberside Alliance in 1989.

PICTURED:  Above - Dunderdale, ('Gig') Smith & Bailey 30 years ago; below - the handbook's front cover and some of Brigg's first team fixtures in 1989 (click to enlarge).