Crimble Memories – Colin Wroe

Colin Wroe made his first team debut in 1980 and would play in the side until the 1988 season. He returned to Crimble for another spell in 1994 and 1995. He scored an impressive 4,663 runs and would play in the double winning side of 1984. Still a regular visitor at the club Colin has taken the time to give us his memories of his days at Heywood.

Do you remember your debut?

I remember my debut in the u15 against Milnrow! 1978 the team was managed by DA Fare, think I got a duck, but started as a bowler and got a couple of wickets, that didn’t last long!!!

What was your favourite game for the club?

Favourite game is very difficult as there has been so many, playing with and against some great cricketers, in a very privileged era for league cricket. I would probably choose the first Wood Cup final I played in, at Middleton against Oldham, what a fantastic experience playing in front of a crowd of 2000 plus people, we lost but what a day! I don’t think Paul Jewitt scored another run!!

Did you have a favourite away ground?

Favourite away ground has to be Middleton.

Who was the best Pro you played with and against?

Best Pro to play together with is also difficult, SC Wundke gets it for me both in talent and as a teammate. Curtley goes without saying, but Jenson Joseph was just as quick, not quite as accurate though my helmet could tell a different story! Alan Starmer, Jenson and me were having a sneaky practice at the club one hot afternoon when he proceeded to run in at full pace, not sure if he know the difference between nets and the middle! Bowled three consecutive quick bouncers that hit me clean flush on my brand new lid, them were the days.

Best opposition pro has to be Ezra Moseley, his consistency was fantastic, Andy Roberts, Franklyn Stephenson, Joel Garner! I could go on but it really was a huge privilege to play against these guys, it may never happen again as cricket at the top levels are played all year round, fab memories even if they did hurt at times! Also impossible not to mention the pure class of Carl Hooper, his 189 at Heywood was amazing, even though I put him down on the edge when he was 150!

Best amateur is not simple, John Punchard has to be up there, but not his greatest fan. Tim Orrell at Werneth, Mark Chadwick at Milnrow

Best amateur, choose any DK Page, Nolan Hall, Peter Devine (top keeper), I should name all the players of the eighties as I feel we played as a team, a special mention goes to Al Starmer for the great times we had opening the batting together, although DA Fare may not agree when we opened against Werneth at their place, we amassed TWO runs in the first 10 overs, shag did press that panic button!!

Best on field memory?

That would be my first hundred against Castleton Moor

What about off the field?

Best off field, there are hundreds but I will mention one, Oldham away 2^nd team, Bob O’Keefe as captain, in the changing room before the game Phil Wright and I had been warned about whistling Teddy Bears Picnic, then the team talk, Dearden, Farmer, Wilson, VD Ball?, not to mention the others. As you may or may not know Bob Dearden was not the tidiest of cricketers, then we gathered round Bob and someone threw disappearing ink all over his not so white kit , “you did that on purpose you bunch of *********” you know how it goes, but by the time he had finished ranting the said disappearing ink  had done its job, priceless.

Later in the game Phil Wright at long leg was clearly bored and decided to start to whistle the teddy bears picnic whilst Bob O’Keefe was bowling. Bob stopped his run up, gave Phil an evil, and went back to his mark. Over the wall at Oldham’s ground is an estate, as Bob came into bowl an ice cream on the estate rang out, TEDDY BEARS PICNIC!!! Absolutely true, Dearden behind the stumps cracked up first after a very short glare from Captain Bob, even he found the funny side! You could not write that, another priceless memory for me.

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