Cricket grounds will fall silent in memory of 'Mr Heavy Woollen'
A MINUTE'S silence will be observed before all Heavy Woollen Cup and Crowther Cup second round ties next Sunday (May 9) as a mark of respect to Clifford Smith who has died aged 86.
Clifford served as Heavy Woollen competition president for many years and his tireless work and dedication to junior and senior cricket saw him receive a special award last year at the Yorkshire Cricket Board's (YCB) Outstanding Service Awards.
He worked for 40 years at grassroots junior level and spent many as secretary of the Heavy Woollen District Junior Cricket League before taking over as president and then patron.
Clifford lived and breathed the game and was seen as a key figure in Yorkshire junior and youth cricket. He was respected by all who worked or met him and to many around the county was known as 'Mr Heavy Woollen'.
In 1971 he became a member of the Yorkshire Cricket Association Council, a role he held for 25 years, while he also acted as secretary of the National Association of Young Cricketers, masterminding the Under-19 Cambridge and Oxford festivals.
Clifford was a member of the Yorkshire Schools Cricket Association and Yorkshire Senior Schools committees for 21 years.
Born and bred in Ossett he lived there all his life and initially worked at the Hanson and Bentley pop factory where he met his wife Dorothy.
In the 1950s he joined the Coal Board and after being a storekeeper became an auditor, working at pits in South and West Yorkshire until he retired in 1980.
Dorothy was a great support to Clifford in all his cricket work and after she died in 1999 the HW Junior League renamed their Under-11 League Championship in her honour.
His son Neil was an accomplished first-class wicketkeeper-batsman with Yorkshire and Essex before he died in 2003 from cancer aged 53.
Yorkshire CCC captain Andrew Gale, one of the thousands of cricketers who Clifford helped and encouraged, said: "Clifford played a massive part in my early cricket career. "To put the amount of time and effort that he put in to junior cricket in the Heavy Woollen is great testament to what sort of man he was. "As a young cricketer the Heavy Woollen gave me some terrific memories and experiences that have helped me build a career out of the game and without Clifford's efforts this may not have been possible."
Yorkshire CCC vice-president Philip Akroyd added: "Clifford was a tireless worker for senior and junior cricket.
"Many people will associate him with junior cricket but in his earlier years he was very active in the senior leagues.
"Above all Clifford was a very nice man and a big character. He was extremely proud to receive the YCB special award."
Heavy Woollen Cup secretary Lesley Robinson said: "Clifford was a wonderful person. He gave great service to the league and was loved and respected by all who worked with him.
"It was Clifford who got me involved in the Heavy Woollen Cup and I've loved every minute of it."
The Heavy Woollen Cup management committee will hold a two-minute silence before the third round draw on May 11.
Clifford had celebrated his birthday last Saturday at home with his family.
He died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday night and leaves a daughter Kathryn and two grandchildren, Richard and Nicola.
A funeral service will be held at Dewsbury Crematorium on Tuesday at 1pm.
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Weather for Batley
Friday 25 May 2012
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