The Albion came into the Twentieth Century in style when
on May 5th at Railswood they defeated Bilston 109-51. G. Breeze
(61). The following week they defeated Swan Village Gas 90-9.
The bowlers being in excellent form. G. Breeze (6-1) and A.
Davall (3-7).
Let us now look at some of the players in 1901. These were
H. Breeze, G. Owen, W. J. Rowley, G. Breeze, W. T. Edwards.
J. B. Snape. E. Dilks (Sen.), L. Dilks (Jnr.), F. Hughes,
A. Davall, E. Breeze.
In 1902 the Albion joined the Wolverhampton & District
League. The highlight of the season being the match at Railswood
against Richmond, who were the previous season's champions.
The local band was in attendance and played selections at
intervals. Albion won the game 84-36. For some unknown reason.
Albion only stayed in this league for one season.
The
social aspects of the game were also well recorded. A report
in the Walsall Observer in 1906 states:- "On Whit Monday
the Albion players travelled to Ind Coopes (Burton Brewery)
and were met by several brewery officials who conducted them
over this fine brewery. Mr. J. Knox, Vice-President of Ind
Coopes. entertained teams to lunch. After teams had regaled
themselves. they prepared for cricket. The Albion won the
match 50-33, G. Breeze making the ball turn considerably and
surprising both the batsmen and spectators".
In 1908 another cricket team was formed in Pelsall which was
to have very close ties for a number of years with the Albion.
This team was called Pelsall Wesley and their President was
Mr. J. F. W. Binns and Club Secretary Mr. Bruce Binns. The
Wesley's first ground was the -Oaklands". but by the
1911 season they had moved to the Railswood ground, having
taken over from the Albion who had now moved to The White
Lion ground in Lichfield Road.
In 1909 the Wesley joined the Walsall & District League.
Division II, Some of their players being H. Breeze. L. Hayward,
S. Till, J. Westwood, F. Hughes. R. W. Slack, W. T. Edwards.
J. Taylor. H. WooIford, S. Eaton, A, Harrington. Pe!salt Wesley
won the Walsall & District League, Division 11 Championship
and Silver Cup in 1910. They had won outright 23 matches including
friendlies. Mr. W. T. Edwards. their Captain, had made 200
runs and taken 47 wickets. Their top batsman was Mr. H. Stevens
(276 runs) and top bowler Mr. H. T. Breeze (47) wickets.
In the same year the Albion had played in the Cannock Chase
League with only moderate success, winning a total of 6 matches,
drawing 8 and losing 4. Their top batsman and bowler was Mr.
G.Breeze with 253 runs and 48 wickets.
In 1911 the Albion joined the Wesley in the Walsall &
District League Division 1. The other division folding up
through lack of support. The Albion and Wesley finishing 3rd
and 5th respectively in the league. Albion's top batsman and
bowler for the season was Mr. G. Breeze (347) runs and (81)
wickets. For the Wesley, Mr. H. Stevens made (238) runs and
Mr. H. Woolford took (56) wickets.
1912 was a good year for the Albion, winning the Walsall League
and Observer Cup outright. Some notable performances of the
season were against Leamore 147-79. batsman Mr. L. Dilks (44)
and bowler Mr. G. Breeze )6-291. and Sutton E.C. 120-102:
with all-rounder Mr, T. Armstrong making (58) runs and taking
(5-20).
The 1913 season opened with Albion joining the Cannock Chase
League. One of their first opponents being Chase Terrace who
were smartly defeated 90-13. with fine bowling by Mr. G Breeze
(5-4 and Mr. J. Westwood (5-9). Albion finished 3rd in the
league, their top batsmen being Mr. G. H. Breeze (244), Mr.
L Dilks (235) and Mr. E. Breeze (228). On the bowling side
Mr. J. Westwood took (68) wickets and Mr. G. H. Breeze (55)
wickets.
It is worth relating an amusing incident which happened in
a game at Pelsall against Cheslyn Hay when Jabe Law was given
out for a duck. He protested stating that the ball had hit
his cap, but the Umpire replied that there was to be no 87
runs this week which was Jabe's total the previous week against
them. He returned to the pavilion and twin brother Eli went
out to bat. The Cheslyn Hay players protested as they thought
he was Jabe. Jabe joined Eli from the pavilion which satisfied
the opponents and caused great merriment. E. Law scored (312)
runs and J. Law (306) runs for the season.
Meanwhile, the Wesley Club had changed their ground, having
secured a good pitch on the Walsall Road behind the Old Bush
Inn. They had also withdrawn from the Walsall League to play
in friendly matches only. At the end of the season they had
played 19 matches, out of which they had won 12, drawn 2 and
lost 5. Total runs being 1,386 for 175 wickets. A typical
Wesley side of the day would have been chosen from T Armstrong,
E.G. Carnwell, I. Taylor, H. Stevens, J. B. Cooper, W. Leadbeater,
R. Sanders, A. Harrington, S. J. Till, C. Allsop. L. Hayward.
W. T. Edwards. F. Hughes, M. Hartshorne. L. Snow. At about
this time the Wesley embarked on a Welsh tour, taking place
around Whitsun. Their tours had become an annual event and
in recent years these have commenced again although the tours
now are of the West Country. The Wesley started the 1914 season
in fine style defeating Perry Barr 91-43. Mr. J. Cooper taking
(4-21). The same bowler was again in form against Burntwood
(4-29). The end of the season total for Mr. J Cooper was (51)
wickets.
In 1919 Pelsall Albion and Pelsall Wesley amalgamated to become
Pelsall Cricket Club. The result of this change far exceeded
the expectations of it's supporters, for out of an extremely
heavy programme of 55 matches, only 9 were lost, 39 were won
and 7 left unfinished. They also started a policy of running
two teams of fairly equal strength instead of first and second
teams. The honours of the season undoubtedly fell to George
Breeze who for forty years was a tower of strength to Pelsall
cricket. His runs for the season totalled (430) and he took
(91) wickets. twice performing a "hat-trick" and
taking (4) wickets with four consecutive balls.
Mention should also be made of the all round ability of L.
Dilks (366 runs and 51 wickets), A. Harrington (368 runs and
84 wickets) and S. Ludlow (333 runs and good work as wicket-keeper).
The club was strengthened in 1920 by the joining of Mr.W.
Hyman, who was a member of Somerset County Cricket Club until
the outbreak of the 1914-1918 War. It is interesting to note
that Mr. Hyman, whilst playing against Shrewsbury. near Bristol,
hit (359) runs in one hundred minutes. In the Shrewsbury side
were 5 County players including Dr. E.M. Grace off whose bowling
Mr. Hyman made 32 x 6's. On 9th June, Pelsall C.C. played
Lichfield away and recorded their highest ever score by winning
the match 281-43, Hyman (124) and G. Breeze (52 n.o.). Just
under a month later, Hyman excelled himself again whilst playing
against QMS 180-44. He scored (101 n.o.), top batsman of the
season without doubt was Mr. Hyman (541) runs, best bowler
Leadbeater (103) wickets.