Chorley Hospitals v Outcasts

Wednesday, 11th May, 2016

At The Bolton School

Chorley Hospitals won by 6 wickets

Hospitals Pip Outcasts In Low Scoring Match

Outcasts took on Pete Labbett and his Merry Men on the 11th May in the splendid surroundings of the Bolton School (for a bit of history, see below).

Outcasts batted first and, in truth, never really got going on a very slow pitch.  Wickets fell at frequent intervals and the visitors found themselves at the half way stage with only 30 runs on the board and 5 men back in the hutch.  Things didn't get any better, and the innings ended with 9 men out for a total of 61 runs.  None of Outcasts batters reached double figures, and extras was by far and away the top scorer with 21.  Hospitals used 8 bowlers and the wickets were shared around.  Chapple, as usual, was his economical self, taking 1 wicket and conceding just one run in his maximum allocation of four overs.  He was ably assisted by Ray and Burns.

A target of little over 3 an over seemed to offer little difficulty when Hospitals began their reply, but tight bowling and fielding by Outcasts managed to keep the game competitive.  Indeed, after 10 overs, Hospitals were fractionally behind Outcasts at the same stage, with 29 on the board.  However, they had lost only 2 wickets compared to Outcasts' 5.  Chiltern and Chapple - yes, him again - made steady progress, however, with 20 and 27 runs respectively.  Despite an impressive 3-wicket haul by Raging Bull (Paul Mooney), Hospitals slowly hunted down the Outcasts' total.  It took them to the 19th over, but they ran out winners in the end by 6 wickets.  Mooney was the pick of the Outcast bowlers with a return of 3 for 6 off 4 overs, while the visitors performed very creditably in the field in trying to defend what was always going to be an inadequate total.

Chapple was the Man Of The Match for his performances with both ball and bat, while Paul Mooney's bowling made him Outcasts' star on a night when few others shone.

Meanwhile, a bit of history................

According to Wikipedia, "established as Bolton Grammar School, it is not known exactly when the boys' school was founded although it is recorded in 1516. In 1524, William Haigh of Wigan left land worth 33s 4d towards the maintenance of a schoolmaster to teach grammar in Bolton. In 1644, it was endowed by Robert Lever the start of a long relationship with the Lever name. During the 17th Century, the school moved from its original Tudor building to new premises beside the Parish Church in Bolton.

In 1913, Sir William Hesketh Lever jointly endowed the Bolton Grammar School and the Bolton High School for Girls, on condition that they should be equal partners known as Bolton School (Girls' and Boys' Divisions). On 1 April 1915, the Bolton School Foundation formally came into existence.

Construction of the Boys' Division and Girls' Division buildings began in 1924. In the same year, the school was granted a Coat of Arms. The Boys' Junior School was established at Broomfield on Chorley New Road in 1928 and in 1938. The 1950s saw the creation of a new sports level and the building of the Tillotson Pavilion. The main wings of the Boys' Division and Girls' Division were completed in 1965 realising Lord Leverhulme's plan to have purpose-built school buildings.

In 1982, the Leverhulme Pavilion at Oldfield was opened by Philip Lever, 3rd Viscount Leverhulme, Lord Leverhulme's grandson. Other additions to the school’s facilities included the sports complex and swimming pool in 1986; the Arts & Conference Centre, opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1993; and Patterdale Hall, an outdoor pursuits centre at the southern end of Ullswater in the Lake District.

The school completed a £19m expansion project and renovation project including refurbishment and an extension to the Junior Boys' School and the construction of a new Infant School building in 2009." (Wikipedia, edited)

A list of Old Boltonians includes former Lancashire County Cricket Captain Jack Bond, and two current playing members of the Lancashire first team squad, The Royle Family actor and Manchester United supporter Ralf Little, and Sir Ian McKellan. And especially our own Steve Ramsden. Also, it transpires that Pete Labbett himself appears on the schools’ sporting honours board for both cricket and football – perhaps someone could expand on this?

CW

28 July 2016