BRIGG PUB PLAYED A PART IN THE FORMATION OF OUR TOWN'S CRICKET CLUB

Brigg Blog recently chanced upon a cricket scorebook from the 1970s, whose entries demonstrate the part played by a town centre pub in the formation of Brigg Town Cricket Club.
This club was founded through a meeting held in autumn 1973 - playing its debut season in the Grimsby & District Saturday League the following May.
Some of the future Brigg Town CC stalwarts enjoyed playing friendly matches for the Queens Arms pub, on Wrawby Street, in spring and summer 1973.
Among them were Brian Parker, currently Town Mayor of Brigg; Dave Foster, who went on to become chief environmental health officer for Brigg-based Glanford Borough Council; Allan Kemshell, still in the area today; and Dave Willey, who had several spells with the Town club and re-appeared in a charity match at Brigg Rec last season.
The scorebook recording Queens Arms games in 1973 includes an inter-pub encounter played at Brigg Rec against Hibaldstow's Wheatsheaf hostelry.
The Queens rattled up 177 for seven in only 18 overs, Dave Foster retiring after making 54 and Allan Kemshell hitting 32.
Cousins, with 27, top scored for Wheatsheaf, who totalled 99 for four in reply.
The Queens also played W. A. Sass Ltd, of Monument Garage, Brigg.
The pub side made 126 for eight and dismissed their opponents for 58.
Richard and Jon Sass turned out for the company team, with Michael Burbidge being in fine all-round form for the Queens, scoring 24 and taking three wickets for only one run.
This scorebook also shows the changing face of policing in Brigg.
The Queens was directly opposite the town's original police station, which was still under the control of the Lincolnshire Constabulary back in 1973.
The Police then had sufficient off-duty officers and support staff to field a full 11 for evening cricket encounters, while other colleagues remained on shift at the local 'nick'.
Opener Johnson (rank not given in the scorecard) made 51 of the Police's 89 for five, with Dave Foster cracking 60 not out as the Queens chased down this target for the loss of only two wickets.
Later pages of the scorebook feature friendlies played by other local teams in 1974.
Newly-founded Glanford Borough Council arranged a Councillors v Staff match on Brigg Sugar Factory's ground - the elected representatives losing by a wide margin.
Brigg Town Cricket Club's first season featured two friendlies against Brigg Grammar School, with details recorded in this scorebook.
In the opener the club side made 190 for seven (Wes Allison 43) but physics master Dave Brittain's 73 helped BGS to a three-wicket win.
The second encounter proved to be Gerry Longden's match.
The chemistry & PE master who later played a season or two for Town top scored with 41 as the School totalled 124, and then took six for 24 in 10 overs with his leg-spinners and googlies to dismiss Town for 101.
Brigg Blog has good reason to remember this game - it was our debut for the Town Club (July 27, 1974).
Town enjoyed an opening stand of 40 before Gerry came on first change and dismissed the top six in the batting order- John Stead, 'Yours Truly', Brian Parker, Dave Foster, Allan Kemshell and Dave Willey.
Three of us were stumped by keeper Dave 'Boots' Robinson, who later made his mark with Town as a quick bowler and a quick run-scorer.
Having turned the game in his side's favour, Gerry left the attack and the innings was polished off by senior pupils who included Neil Marland and Dean Nutbrown, both of whom went on to play for Brigg Town.
A few weeks earlier, Brigg had lost narrowly in a friendly at Marsh Lane, Barton.
The scores were: Brigg 79 (John Strudwick 15), Barton Town 80 for seven (Keith Hunt 4-31).
Brigg also visited Grimsby Town for a Sunday friendly at the noted Augusta Street venue.
Brigg 144 for nine (Bob Elwood 42, John Stead 33), Grimsby Town 150 for five (Pete Kerridge two for 20).
This scorebook also includes details of a game played in May 1976 which was one of Brigg Town's first after joining the Broughton & District Evening League.
Openers Brian Parker and John Stead scored 24 and 20 respectively, but failed to hit a boundary between them in the face of tight bowling.
Brigg's innings then fell apart and the all-out total was only 68.
No details of the Nuform innings are recorded in the scorebook, so perhaps heavy rain came down at the midway point and saved Brigg on this occasion, with the points being shared.
Brigg Town: John Stead, Brian Parker, Dave Foster, Nick Good, Dave Willey, Allan Kemshell, Frank Herbert, Dave Robinson, Graham Mumby, Pete Kerridge, Nigel Fisher.
One of the earliest entries in the scorebook records a match played very nearly half-a-century ago, in May 1972, between Brigg Rural District Council and Scunthorpe Junior Chamber of Commerce at the steel town's Quibell Park.
Mick Butler and Dave Foster both retired after making 25 in the RDC's 88 for five, and the Staff went on to dismiss their hosts for 68 (D. Stones taking three for 22).
Some Queens Arms games recorded in 1972 failed to identify their opponents in the scorebook, but in one of these Keith Smith scored 35 and Michael Burbidge 33 for the Wrawby Street hostelry.
Even fewer details were noted in the book from another match played in Brigg 50 years ago, which is probably just as well as the entire side was dismissed for only TEN runs. And four of those came courtesy of a boundary by last man Williamson!
The name of the team was not recorded; nor was the identity of its opposition.
Simpson and an unknown player both scored two, while Dennett and Hornsey managed a single apiece.
Failing to trouble the scorers, as the saying goes, were Evans, Bowness, Atkinson, Driffill, Marshall and Lawtey - all dismissed for ducks (no runs).
These names might perhaps be sufficient for someone today to identify this Brigg team for us.

PICTURED: Brigg Town Cricket Club's team at the Rec Ground in May 1974, plus the Queens Arms pub and the old police station during this decade.