Ards Cricket Club
www.ards.hitscricket.com
Ards Cricket Club was formed in 1944/5 and plays in Londonderry Park, Portaferry Road Newtownards.
The Club has three senior teams, which play in the Northern Cricket Union leagues with the 1st XI in Division 1 Section 4. Matches are played on Saturdays and Sundays and players may play on either or both days depending on their choice. The season lasts from the last week in April until mid September. Senior practices are held on Monday and Thursday evenings from 7.00pm - 9.00pm. All are welcome at Ards C.C. irrespective of ability. Beginners to cricket will be assisted in learning the game. Age is not a problem, we have players from 10 to 70 years old.
There are three under age teams at under 13, under 15 and under 18 levels. These teams also play in the Northern Cricket Union leagues. Their games are played in the evening during May and June and also in the afternoon during July and August. Practice sessions are held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7.00pm - 9.00pm. Boys and girls are welcome.
Indoor practice sessions are held in Ards Leisure Centre during March and April. Details of these sessions and general club news are published on the Clubs website www.ards.hitscricket.com and in the Newtownards Chronicle Cricket News.
Further information may be obtained by contacting Club Honorary Secretary Rab Dunn or for Junior cricket Les Jones 02891883591
The book "More than Sixty Summers" by Rab Dunn was published in 2005 to coincide with the 60th Anniversary of the entry of the Club into the N.C.U. Leagues in 1946. Ards had played in the Belfast Cricket League in 1945. The book contains nearly 200 scorecards and the N.C.U. tables of all leagues in which Ards' teams played. A chapter is devoted to the history of the Ardcuan Ladies C.C. of the 1940's. There is a comprehensive set of Appendices of Ards C.C. from 1945-2005. There are more than 50 photographs of Ards Lacrosse and Cricket Club, Ards C.C., Donaghadee C.C. and the Newspapermen. Regent House School 1st XI photographs from 1936-1967 demonstrate the link between Regent House and Ards.
The book may be obtained from Rab Dunn,15 Whiteside, Newtownards BT23 4UP.Tel 02891813974 for the bargain price of £9.99 including postage. (cheques made out to Ards Cricket Club please).
Further information concerning this book may be obtained by e-mail rabdunn@yahoo.co.uk
Ards honoured 4 long serving members 20/01/06 (see photo gallery)
At the 2006 Club Annual Awards Dinner, much to the surprise of the four recipients, Billy Shaw announced that the Club had decided to honour 4 of its' members who had given outstanding service down the years.
The first recipient was Les Jones who joined the Club in 1965 and has been a leading member ever since. As a player Les played mainly for the Seconds and won the batting Cup 9 times.
He was elected Captain of the 2nd XI in 1967 and held the post for the next 5 years and later for another 4. Perhaps his greatest gift to Ards in the 80's and 90's was his ability to establish new teams further down the Club and then lead them. In 1984 he founded the Third XI and captained it for 4 years and then in 1987 he started the Fourth XI and and captained it for 7 years.
His contribution to Boys' Cricket has been immense, looking after teams for over 20 years.The highlight perhaps of Boys' Cricket came for him in 1994 when the Under 13 XI under the captaincy of Andrew White won the Greenwood Cup. In the Final played at Ballymena Andrew White scored 54 runs.
In 1975 Les Jones became Chairman of the Club and has now held the post for 31 years.
The second recipient was Rab Dunn who first played in Boys' cricket for Ards in 1953 and went on tour with the senior teams in 1955. Now in his 54th season he still turns out for the Thirds.
He holds all of the 1st XI bowling records with best figures of 9 wickets for 8 runs in 1963, he has taken 72 wickets in a season, and won the 1st XI Bowling Cup for 26 Years. He is the only player in the Club to have taken 9 wickets in an innings on more than one occasion.
Rab has captained all of the teams in the Club with the 1st XI four times, 2nd XI twice and the 3rd XI five times.Rab Dunn was Chairman of the Club for 5 years and Honorary Secretary for 25 years. As part of Ards 60th Year Celebrations he published a book on the history of the first 25 years of the Club called "More than Sixty Summers"
The Third Recipient was Archie Moore. Archie was elected Captain of the 2nd XI in 1981 and so commenced one of the most successful eras of that side in the Club History. He captained the team affectionately known as "Archies Army" for the next 12 years. During that time they won their league twice, were runners up 4 times and were promoted 3 times.They also reached a Cup semi-final. In more recent times Archie has become Grounds convenor and has looked after the square at Londonderry Park. He has carried out this often thankless task with great dedication and some measure of success.
The fourth Recipient was Ian McLean. Ian has played for the Club since 1967. A hard hitting batsman and useful occasional slow bowler he showed right from the start that he was capable of making big scores. In only his first season for Ards 2nd XI he had an innings of 73 runs.Ian McLean has won the 1st XI Batting Cup twice and also the 2nd XI trophy on 2 occasions.
He has the distinction of being one of only two Ards players who have scored 2 centuries for the Club. Norman Lilburn scored a century way back in 1948 and again in 1963.
He has captained the 1st XI 10 times starting way back in 1979 and again in 1985 when Ards got to the final of the Junior Cup and lost to Dunmurry in a match which strretched over a couple of weeks due to appalling weather. He then captained the 2nd XI from 1997 to 1999 before returning to the Firsts as captain from 2000 to 2004.
Richard White the 2006 1st XI captain presented an engraved Rose-Bowl to each of the Club stalwarts.