60-year highlights of cricket’s Spicer Cup

CRICKET’S Spicer Knockout Cup was first played for in 1934 for people employed in printing and allied trades. The Spicer League began in 1936.

The first cup winners in 1934 were Adam Brothers and Shardlow and the first league winners in 1936 were the Leicester Mercury.

Adam Brothers and Shardlow were the first team to do league and cup double in 1950.

There were up to four divisions at one time. Doug Norman, of Leicester Tigers and England, played for and captained Adam Brothers and over the years there have been many fine cricketers playing in the Spicer League.

Wally Weston scored a lot of runs on poor wickets; David Studley was a fine all-rounder and David Raven scored a century in a 16-over game . There was also my very good friend Barry Randle.

Bill Bickerdike was a fiery character. Batting against him on a gloomy night on the Abbey Oval was no picnic, as he dished out the same treatment to No.1 and No.11.

David Studley remembers playing against Bill when his team’s No.11 went out to bat taking a right-hand guard. As Bill was just about to start his run-up, the batsman reverted to left hand – I can’t imagine what was said (well, I can, but not for print!)

A most unusual trophy was donated by vice-president Larry Jarvis, the Rose Bowl, to be played for by the bottom two teams in the league at season’s end. The last Spicer Cup was played for in 1994, Plyglen being the winners.

The success of the Spicer competitions is down to all the players and officials over 50 years.

Roger Cox, Knighton