Sport In Profile UK Issue 14 | Page 22

Hessle FOLLOW US ONLINE twitter.com/sportinprofile Hessle Cricket CLUB A passion for cricket since 1838 Hessle Cricket Club is one of the oldest clubs in Yorkshire. They have played a big part in the local community for nearly 200 years and are working hard to continue to do so for many years to come. Founded in 1838, the club originally played on a site in the centre of the village up to the 1920’s and then at the local recreational ground. In 1977, the club joined forces with Hessle RUFC to provide the community with one of the best all-year round sporting facilities in the area. Set in the shadow of the Humber Bridge and on the banks of the River Humber, this picturesque setting is now well established as its spiritual home. Hessle currently run three senior teams on a Saturday/ Sunday throughout the summer and have a vibrant junior section that comes alive on Sunday mornings at the club with local kids of all abilities, disabilities, race and gender from the age of 5 to 15. On the field, Hessle was undoubtedly at its strongest in a real purple patch from 1947 to 1963 when it’s 1st team won the top division 11 times and the cup 3 times. The 1980’s saw the 1st team win the league 3 times in 4 years and the 1990s saw the 22 Issue 14 2nd and 3rd teams win 4 leagues and two cups. A lean period followed until 2015 when the 2nd team won a T20 cup. Further success soon followed in 2016 with the 1st team picking up a league title for the first time in 30 years. Off the field recently, Hessle appeared on Sky Sports Cricket AM where they were last seen giving former England captain Adam Hollioke a tough time in the end of programme “bowl off”. Hessle’s recent success at both senior and junior level is not by accident. They are currently half way through a 5-year plan to revitalize the set up after having a long hard look at what was happening within the club and on the local cricket scene. A simple plan - improve the playing facilities to attract and keep senior players and attract and develop an army of young people to be the next generation of Hessle cricketers. Chairman Mark Rudston, himself a 4th generation cricketer with Hessle, commented in 2015, “We’ve come to realise that