I WOULD like to preface this week’s article with some thoughts on the current issue regarding the major changes happening in the local cricket due to the impending new Greater Manchester League.

I would like to make it clear I am not burying my head in the sand by not adding my thoughts on the subject in my fortnightly column.

I was asked to contribute to the Bolton News with my insight into the Association and its history and will continue to do so until the end of the season. I still feel it is important, even more so now.

I am greatly saddened by recent developments and hope that proposals between ourselves and the Bolton Cricket League come to a conclusion that is favourable to all local cricket clubs. I appreciate the views of other people but I find it abhorrent that those with sincerely held views about the tradition and history of the Association are abused and vilified via social media, hiding behind the mask of anonymity and pseudonyms.

**********************************************************************

DURING its 13 years of competition, the Vimto Trophy was won by 10 different clubs.

Only Adlington, Atherton and Golborne were successful twice. Blackrod beat Little Hulton in the inaugural season, completing an historic treble by also taking the Championship and the Cross Cup.

Along the way, they defeated Deane and Derby from the Second Division in the second round.

D&D had sprung the first shock of the competition beating Adlington in the first round by eight runs. In the semi-final, David Farrar recorded the highest individual score (178) v Atherton.

In 1987, Blackrod suffered a similar fate to Adlington, losing to Bolton Indians by one wicket, the latter only succumbing to a 1-0 bowl out to British Aerospace in the next round.

Atherton sailed through the early rounds, beating Little Hulton at the second attempt when the original game was abandoned after 20 overs.

Adlington’s first success came in 1988, a season noted only for Lawrence Moore’s 87 in the final v. Standish.

Adlington, the following year inflicted a heavy defeat on YMCA, their total of 28 being the lowest score on record.

Steve Dearden recorded the second century (102) for Walshaw but lost to Bolton St. Andrews who progressed to beat British Aerospace in the Final.

This year also marked the highest team score, Daisy Hill notching up 293-7 v Bolton Teachers.

British Aerospace gained consolation in 1990 beating Blackrod quite comfortably, the season which saw Walshaw beat Edgworth in an earlier round by the dreaded bowl-out.

Golborne became the sixth winners beating Walshaw in 1991, another bowl out enabling Bolton to beat Clifton in the first round. Standish made it seven different clubs in seven years, favourites Atherton surprisingly failing by five runs to overcome 126.

Following a tied semi-final in 1993, Clifton progressed by losing fewer wickets than Daisy Hill and then losing to last year’s losing finalists Atherton who became the first side to win a second title.

The following year was a vintage one for the batsmen with 17 individual half-centuries recorded as well as centuries for Daisy Hill’s John Hopkins (100 v Darcy Lever), Clifton’s Garry Garner (146 v Adlington) and Darcy Lever’s Garry Harper of (102 v Spring View).

Despite Garner’s efforts, Clifton lost to Golborne by 33 runs, a winning margin replicated as Spring View beat Golborne in 1995.

Golborne lost again in 1996 to Darcy Lever, who won their only trophy in modern times. Edgworth beat Elton in 1997 and Adlington wound up the Competition by taking their second title in 1998, Darcy Lever posting a total of only 86, the lowest total in a final.

So what did happen to the Vimto Trophy? Well, there was no single Vimto Trophy.

The Sponsors, J N Nicholls, presented a glass trophy every year to the winners, so there is 13 individual Vimto Trophies adorning display cabinets at Association grounds, certainly there are two at Adlington.