HEWORTH Cricket Club will begin their 225-year anniversary celebrations with a Novotel dinner dance tonight.

The oldest cricket club in Yorkshire will then host a Ten10 competition on Sunday featuring teams from Acomb, Dunnington, Clifton Alliance and Stamford Bridge.

Other events planned to mark the landmark occasion include a game against Past York City Football Club players on August 23 and a Junior Gala Day on September 6.

Heworth are also due to auction off two special edition Heworth CC ‘225’ polo-shirts, signed by former England captain Michael Vaughan, while other lots open to bids will include an autographed item of memorabilia from 1966 World Cup winner Ray Wilson.

Signed shirts from Scotland and Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifiers have been donated too.

As well as laying claim to being the White Rose’s first cricket club, Heworth are one of the oldest in the country.

Historic evidence confirms cricket was played on Heworth Moor, now known as the Mill Lane district of York, in 1784 every Tuesday and Friday morning from June to September.

Players were paid a penny a game but fined threepence if they were not within sight of the wickets before the Minster bell struck 5am.

Explanations for the early starts vary.

One reason given is that leisure time was at a premium due to long working hours. Another claim is that it was the only time livestock took shelter away from the pitch, while a third suggestion claims cricket was against the law of the land and required dawn secrecy. For much of the next two centuries, Heworth led a nomadic existence before moving to Meadow Way, off Stockton Lane, in 1953.

They then entered the York and District League five years later and, in 1964, moved to their current home at the City of York Hockey Club in Elmpark Way.

Highlights for the club over the past 225 years include reaching the Yorkshire Champions Trophy in 1977 and winning the York and District League’s first premier division title in 1998, having won the old first division championship six times.

Tragedy, though, befell Heworth in 1989 when six foot, 20 stone skipper Ian Reed died on the field of play.

Reed is one of the club’s all-time greats having taken 176 wickets, scored 833 runs and claimed 20 catches during the memorable 1977 season.

The club’s junior section, meanwhile, has blossomed with more than 100 youngsters playing at under-9, U11, U13 and U15 level.

Tonight’s dinner will be attended by Alan Martindale, who captained Heworth first team in 1958 and is now an honorary life member.

Former players are travelling from far and wide, with David Bowling heading to York from Inverness.

Tickets are still available from Sandra Barratt on 07962 225441.