There is no doubt that cricket existed at Illingworth during the 1850’s as is proved by Tom Emmett in Old Ebor’s "Talks with Old Yorkshire Cricketers". In fact Tom Emmett can claim to be Illingworth’s one player to have reached County and England standards. At one time he was known to live in or close to Cousin Lane before moving to a cottage at the top of Moor Lane. He stated that his early cricket was played "close to my Uncle, John Dilworth of Illingworth, near Ovenden, who was fond of cricket. One of the great traders of this place was Mr. Henry Ambler who owned Holmfield Mills (now Smith, Bulmer & Co.) and he had a fine carriage drive leading up to his residence, Ovenden Grange. At the entrance to the drive were two stone posts and it was one of these that we used for our wickets. That is where I was first initiated into cricket and found that I could hit the post with a round-arm delivery One of the two gates of the entrance to the Grange with the stone posts still exists today in Keighley Road, almost next door to the Queens Head public house.

As Tom had been born in 1841 in Crib Lane, Halifax, this must have occurred in the early 1850’s at the very latest. He talks of becoming the "cock of Ambler’s Walk Top" and having dodged a fearsome police constable by the name of Nicholson. While’p laying here he once struck a ball through the window of an adjoining combing shed and hit a man called Harrowby, who was persuaded not to carry on with magistrates proceedings after Tom promised to pay for the broken glass.

Emmett relates that his first Club was called "Illingworth" with its headquarters at the White Lion Inn at the corner of Cousin Lane and Keighley Road, later to be converted to cottages known as North View and which are still there today. By this time he had removed to the top of Moor Lane but he was made a member of the Club and once played in an Illingworth Feast Match against Thornton. He also mentioned that he was with the Illingworth Club when a Mr. Priestley, a fellow member who had connections with the Todmorden Club, engaged him to play for the latter against George Farr’s XI. In this match Emmett related that he scored a century and took 6 or more wickets. No trace of this match appears to have been handed down but it was prior to 1864 and was almost certainly not against the All England Eleven with which Fan was connected. It was not long before he joined the Halifax Club as a professional and was paid 2s 6d a match. In 1863 Keighley acquired his services where he stayed until he joined the County Club three years later.

International Record

Test Debut: Australia v England at Melbourne - Mar 15-19, 1877

Stuart Law was the second overseas player. He returned to Queensland after only eight games due to a knee injury.

During his stay, he showed his potential with a century at home to Addingham and an immaculate 42 at Horsforth on a treacherous wicket.

His swing bowling was also a successful feature of his short stay. He bowled 608 deliveries, 17 maidens and took 14 wickets for 270 at an average of 19.2, an economy rate of 2.66 runs / over. He took 5 wickets on two occasions; he also took another 5 wicket haul in the Waddilove Cup first round against Crossflatts.

On his return to Queensland, his career went from strength to strength, gaining an undefeated half century in, surprisingly, his only Test appearance for Australia (v Sri Lanka in Perth) although he has played in many one day internationals including a World Cup Final.

He has captained Queensland to Sheffield Shield Champioships and made many influential performances for Essex during several seasons, topping the First Class Averages in 1999.

International Record

Test Debut: Australia v Sri Lanka at Perth, 1st Test, 1995/96

ODI Debut: Australia v Zimbabwe at Perth World Series, 1994/95

Australian Cricket Academy 1988

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1998

Roger Bradley was the first overseas player of the modern era of Illingworth Cricket Club.

In answer to the growing number of overseas players, in particular first class players that began to appear for Airedale & Wharefedale teams in the mid 1980s Roger Bradley came from New Zealand in 1986 and began a long series of popular overseas players from 'down under'.

Unfortunately, Bradley was looking for much more cricket than the club was able to provide and so he returned to Middlesex before moving and settling in Amsterdam, Holland.

Having gained ICC qualification status, Bradley began an illustrious and influential career opening the batting for the Dutch National side which regular play in the Natwest Trophy.

International Record

ICC Trophy Debut: Netherlands v United Arab Emirates at Toronto - Jun 29, 2001