Grappenhall Cricket Club, one of the premier Cheshire cricket clubs in the North-West. played its first game in 1881 on a ground in Bellhouse Lane. The club moved to its current home of Broad Lane in 1892 with a new clubhouse. There have been several new clubhouses built on the existing site with the most recent developments coming in the late 1980’s with significant improvements to the facilities in 2011. In the early days the club played a number of friendly matches. Grappers then played regular fixtures up to the 2nd World War. In 1939, before war broke out, Grappers were founder members of the North Cheshire League but the league was stopped at the start of the war and was never resumed. From the 1960’s onwards GCC were members of the Manchester Association which was the prelude to the clubs most successful period. The 70’s & 80’s – the golden years In 1981, after a couple of good seasons following promotion to the top division in the late 70’s, the 1st XI won the top flight for the first time. One of Grappenhall’s best teams, it included some famous Grappers names such as Duncan Martindale, Rick Houghton, Chris Ashton, Neil Titchard, Jim Green, Nick Sharp and a young Neil Fairbrother, only a few years before he headed off for big things with Lancashire and England. In 1982, the 1st XI went one better, this time winning the league and cup double with the HC Cup Final being one of a number of appearances the club mate at Old Trafford in the 80’s. The double was repeated in 1987 with another appearance at Old Trafford, this time with the team including another future Lancashire star and future Grappers captain in Steve Titchard. In the same season, the 2nd XI also tasted success by winning the Worthington Cup. There were a number of other cup successes for the club during this period for the different senior and junior teams, with many a memorable game taking place and the tales still being regaled today.
