Tributes to retiring Lancashire League legend Ormerod
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE CRICKET
IT was a frustrating weekend in the Lancashire League, as all of the matches fell victim to the poor weather that was on offer.
Every single match ended in a no result, in what was the final round of fixtures for the Phase Two B Division.
It meant that Accrington Cricket Club legend David Ormerod had to settle for a no result in the final game of his career, retiring after a career which spanned three decades.
There were plenty of tributes for Ormerod, with Bacup’s Tim Farragher providing one of them, after Ormerod previously played for the club.
“Dave’s record as a bowler is there for all to see and, without him, Bacup wouldn’t have won three consecutive championships in the early 2000’s,” Farragher told the Accrington Cricket Club website.
“However, the biggest compliment I can pay to Dave is to comment on how he played the game. In all the time I played with or against him he never once had a crossed word with an umpire, never ‘sledged’ a batsman (even though most of those he bowled at were made to look foolish) and never appealed for a wicket unless he thought it was out.
“He proved beyond all doubt that you can be an outstanding player and at the same time be a good bloke. He is a class apart both on and off the field and I’m sure Alick is looking down, a very proud man!”
Ramsbottom’s Jon Fielding also provided a message, as he added: “I can’t speak highly enough about David both as an older as a player, I always had mixed feelings when good, younger players emerged at other clubs. It was always good for the League to see the next generation emerge, but there was every chance you were stuck with the good ones for the rest of your career!
“That was definitely the case the first time I batted against David in 1990, because I knew he was steeped in Lancashire League cricket and was in it for the long haul.
“He combined his skill with the concentration, perseverance and stamina to bowl long spells. As a batsman you would eye the gaps in his off-side field but rarely got anything to hit there.
“He didn’t need to say anything – you could sense the determination, initially to get you out with men round the bat and, if he felt you had settled, to frustrate you into submission. He set high standards, and any mutterings were aimed at himself, on the rare occasions he missed his line or length. Over his career, which included lots of bowling at the death, he went for just three an over. Bacup were a well-drilled outfit in the 1990s and he was key to this, along with Roger Harper’s accurate off-spin.”