Two lifetime achievement awards were presented at the YCB Cricket Collective Awards at Headingley on Friday night, as Bill Marshall reports.
They went to Milton Samuels, of Sheffield Caribbean Cricket Club, and Ron Welford, of Westow Cricket Club, near York.
However, and this is not to belittle the magnificent achievements of the two gentlemen mentioned, the only standing ovation of the evening, and it was spontaneous, went to Grounds Management Team of the Year Award winner Harry Jackson (below).
Caption: Yorkshire pace bowler Ben Coad presents Harry Jackson with the Grounds Management Team of the Year Award at the YCB Cricket Collective Awards at Headingley.
Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com
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A sprightly 92 years old, Harry has been tending the square and the outfield, plus a lot more besides, at Humbleton Cricket Club, near Hull, for a staggering 76 years.
He started in 1947 – before the Un-American Activities Committee began investigating communism in Hollywood, and pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier – and Harry is so conscientious that he was even working on the ground on his 90th birthday.
Not even the death of his wife or hospital operations could keep Harry away from Humbleton Playing Fields, in the heart of Holderness, for long.
Explaining how his involvement with the club, which was founded in 1946, began, Harry said: “It just sort of happened.
“I started when I was at school, and they used the school playing fields, which were owned by the education authority.
“It is a long story. There were two fields – one was four and a half acres – and they put them together.
“It is a quarter of a mile round the boundary, so you can imagine how many miles I have walked in 76 years! It is just amazing.”
Harry added: “I have been a farm worker all of my life and have done 63 harvests, but it’s not easy being a groundsman, and I lost my wife Kathleen recently and she did the cricket teas for over 50 years.
“I used to go snow ploughing when I was younger, all night sometimes, to keep the roads open for the milk lorry.”
As for his work at Danthorpe Lane, Harry confessed: “I don’t do as much as I used to do and I get some help with the wicket, but I am still the groundsman, and we have spent a lot of money on it this year, so we are hoping for big things next season.”
Seen in conversation with 16-year-old groundsman Alex Jenkins of Kirk Hammerton Cricket Club – winner of the Francesca Anoble Award for a Rising Star – after the awards had been presented, Harry’s best tip was: “Keep an eye on the grass and make sure that it doesn’t get overboard.
“You have to know what you are doing and understand the weather, but, being a farm worker, I understood the weather.”
As for the future, Harry said: “Touch wood there is plenty of life in the old dog yet and I am very lucky to be healthy.”
Full List of Winners
Congratulations to everyone nominated and the complete list of 2023 award winners is available on the Yorkshire CCC Website, along with their involvement in the recreational game.
Ben Coad (left) with Starbeck Cricket Club – Photo credit: SWpix.com
Want to read more?
We’ve interviewed some of the 2023 YCB Awards winners so take your pick from the incredible stories below:
Starbeck Cricket Club – Only Just Getting Started
Meet Frecheville’s Game Changer: Harriet Barber
Straight Drive to Survive: Vinesh’s Story
It was one of those special evenings where it was humbling to hear the stories of the winners. Being nominated alone was special. Well done to Richard Graves as MC too for the way he ran the show
I was 2rd team captain at humbleton cc for a season and had to report to Harry if we never had a game.
he would answer the phone at all hours .what a true gentlemen and honour to have worked with him