Tributes pour in for hero on and off pitch
Cricketing legend dies suddenly
TRIBUTES have poured in for a ‘hero’ dad and ‘one of the finest ever cricketers’ following his sudden death.
Alan Worsick, who was born in 1943 in Rawtenstall to Ann and Richard, had a stroke and passed away peacefully at the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Friday, March 17 at the age of 79.
The beloved Rawtenstall Cricket Club cricketer’s career started at 16-years-old.
He was signed by Rawtenstall as professional for 1979.
Alan’s five-year spell in the pro ranks at Accrington Cricket Club impressed Rawtenstall sufficiently for the Bacup Road side to add him to their roster of professionals for two seasons.
His 8-53 at Haslingden won him the ‘Telegraph Tankard’ for the best amateur bowling performance of the 1970 season.
His wife, Victoria Worsick, said: “Alan was very humble and didn’t boast about his achievements.
“It often took a lot of coaxing to get him to talk about himself and relay those great cricketing stories.
“We had a good life together and I’m grateful we were able to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary with the family last September.”
His daughter, Alex Worsick, said: “Dad loved all sports and we shared a special bond thanks to 30 years of watching Accrington Stanley together.
“I loved our time at the games, just the two of us, and I was so proud to see how popular he was.
“Everywhere he went, he was greeted with “Alright Woz!”.
“He was my hero and I’ll miss him dearly.”
Alex says her father used to tell her that Rawtenstall was a lovely club and he enjoyed his time there.
In an interview with Accrington Observer in 2011, Alan recalled a fond memory of him playing as professional at Rawtenstall.
He said: “One of the funniest incidents I can recall was playing as professional at Rawtenstall, I did not have to bat too often due to the talents of Peter Wood and Glen Barlow.
“After about 10 games we were playing at Todmorden
when Bert Hanson, who was chairman of Rawtenstall, said: “Over the years Worsick has smashed us for God knows how many sixes and he hasn’t hit one for us.”
“He had barely finished his sentence when the ball flew over my favourite mid-wicket boundary and demolished someone’s front headlight – Bert’s!
“The crowd around dissolved into laughter and to this day he doesn’t let me forget it when we meet.”
The sporting legend won the Accrington and District Cricket League Bowling Prize at just 18-years-old for taking 40 wickets for 107 runs at 2.6 each helping Accrington 3rd XI to win promotion to the A Division in 1961.
Alan’s 83 wickets at 10.8 secured the Lion Brewery Award for the most successful amateur bowler.
A strongly built medium pace bowler, he played for Accrington Cricket Club until 1971.
He brought great victory to Accrington with the historic 1975 Lancashire League win.
Alan enjoyed playing football and rugby in his youth. Every weekend he and his friends would be down the Ribble Valley hiking and camping on the Isle of Scilly during the summer.
After leaving Accrington Grammar School, Alan started a three year apprenticeship as a bricklayer. Alan decided to see the world and said goodbye to Accrington at the age of 21 and sailed to Durban in South Africa but after 12 months he was missing home and came back, much to the delight of his parents.
He met Victoria in 1969 at a cricket match which she attended with some friends.
The couple bought a flat-topped bungalow on Moss Hall Road in Accrington and got married at Cannon Street Baptist Church in Accrington in 1972.
Their son, Nick was born in 1975, followed by their daughter, Alex in 1977.
By this time, Alan was working in the wholesale domestic appliance industry.
The family moved in 1982 to Spout House Farm in Huncoat where Alan became a very enthusiastic
vegetable and fruit grower.
They lived happily there with a dog, cats and a pony until Nick and Alex went to university and the farmhouse became too large for the two of them.
They subsequently moved to Leyburn Close where Victoria and Alan lived for 23 years celebrating their 50th Golden Wedding anniversary last September.
Alan’s incredible cricketing career also saw him help Accrington Cricket Club win the Worsley Cup in 1970 and the Telegraph Cup in 1986 when he was named man of the match.
Following a phenomenally successful two-year stint with Ribblesdale League Read, where the father-of-two is still revered to this day, he engaged as Accrington’s
professional for the 1974 season.
Alan’s first season as professional yielded 69 wickets and 328 runs, which almost doubled his previous total of runs for Accrington in his eight previous seasons and he also took a hat-trick in the Worsley Cup semi final defeat at Church.
After a brief retirement, Alan came back to Accrington as captain and continued there until retirement at the end of the 1987 season, aged 44.
In his career at Accrington Cricket Club, Alan had scored 2,714 runs and taken 873 wickets in the Lancashire League.
Alan loved wildlife and was often seen in the local supermarkets searching the isles for bird food for the back garden and a supply of good wine.
He was very proud that his grandson, Freddie is following in his footsteps and plays with the Under 11s at Accrington.
Rawtenstall Cricket Club shared Accrington Cricket Club’s Facebook post which reads: “It is with great sadness that the club has to announce that one of Accrington’s finest ever cricketers, Alan Worsick, has passed away at the age of 79.
“Our thoughts are with Alan’s family at this sad time.”
The Accrington Cricket Club President (19881994) will be dearly missed by his friends, family and colleagues.
To read more about Alan’s career visit Accrington Cricket Club’s website.