Billy Platt's North West Cricket History

Billy Platt's North West Cricket Histories

19: The North West and World War I

When war against Germany broke out in early August 1914, the North West of Ireland cricket programme for the season was virtually completed.

18: Aubrey Finlay of Ireland, Sion Mills and Strabane

Finlay and another teenager, Brendan Donaghey, formed the youngest ever opening senior partnership in North West cricket.

17: The NWCU Senior Cup 1888-2000

The North West of Ireland Cricket Senior Cup was competed for 130 times during the period 1888–2017.

16: Waterside Cricket Club

Waterside CC, which sadly no longer exists, was one of the earliest clubs (1863) to be formed in the North West area.

15: William Jeffrey - the big-hitting batsman

Willie Jeffrey, who entered North West senior cricket in 1920, was a batsman with great hitting power and a fearless, aggressive manner.

14: Bowling Stars of the past - Baird and McGarvey

Two of the outstanding North West bowlers in the first part of the 20th century.

13: Prominent City of Derry cricketer Angus Platt

Angus Platt was an outstanding spin bowler and a member of a well known family, whose name is synonymous with the famous City of Derry club.

12: When Andy McFarlane put Sion Mills on top

Andy McFarlane of Sion Mills thrilled the crowds with his tremendous batting power over a long number of years.

11: The NWCU Senior League 1894-2000

The North West of Ireland Senior League, formerly known as the County Derry Cricket League, was competed for 97 times during the period 1894-2000.

10: The Year the Senior Cup went South

Perhaps the most memorable North West Senior Cup final of the post war period was the 1959 Donemana - St Johnston final.

9: The era when Shearer hit them for six

Many cricket enthusiasts in the North West of Ireland say that EDR Shearer was the greatest batsman to grace the local cricket scene.

8: Three Greats: Flood, Donaghey and Cochrane

The careers of leg break bowler John Flood, gifted batsman Brendan Donaghey and star allrounder John Cochrane.

7: Ossie Colhoun - the complete wicketkeeper

Ossie Colhoun crouched behind the stumps was a common and feared sight in North West and Irish cricket for many years.

6: Batting stars of the 30s and 40s

P McLaughlin and RW Taylor were two great North West batsmen of the 1930s and 1940s.

5: City of Derry Cricket Club

Formed after the Boer War, the club finally folded in 1978 after suffering the effects of sectarianism at its Duncreggan Road home.

4: Limavady's first league championship

A hurricane hit the North West on 9 September 1961 to seal a first North West League title for the Roesiders.

3: South of the Border - St Johnston CC

It took St Johnston almost a century of trying before they finally won the North West Senior League title.

2: The Fastest Century in North West Cricket

In 1930 JL Rankin of Strabane scored his maiden century in just 29 minutes against Sion Mills.

1: A Profile of Scott Huey

No one can study Irish cricket in any depth without coming across the name of Scott Huey, the Eg1inton and Ireland left-arm slow bowler.

The Author: Billy Platt

This series of articles was drawn from Billy's books and is a tribute to the progress of the game in the North West of Ireland over a long number of years.