Cricket: Busy Barber plays it by the book; LOCAL CRICKET.

Byline: BY PAUL EDWARDS Daily Post Correspondent

WHEN officials at New Brighton CC were considering who might be approached to write the history of their beloved club, it would not be surprising if the old adage that, "those who want a job done should ask a busy man" occurred to them.

But the decision of Malcolm Barber, Liverpool Competition Cricket Chairman and also a Premier League umpire, to embark upon the countless hours of research needed before he even began to write the first draft of his history has paid off handsomely this year with the publication of "Battleground' Rake Lane 1856-2006", a high-quality 132- page book marking the club's 150th anniversary.

"The idea of writing a history of New Brighton had been discussed for many years," said Barber, "but I decided to take the job on in 2000, the second year of my presidency.

"That started five years of chivvying people and gathering information before I really got stuck into the job last September."

For Barber's wife, Cheryl, last September also marked the point when she lost the use of her dining-room for six months as her local historian husband moved in all the documents, cuttings and club records needed to write his book.

The good news for those interested in local cricket history is that all the time and sacrifice has paid off' Battleground Rake Lane is a distinguished and informative addition to the history of the sport.

Barber has concentrated on the first hundred years of New Brighton's history and the book includes copies of significant newspaper cuttings, letters and a large selection of photographs.

Less happy news for those wanting to buy a copy is that the first edition has been limited to only a hundred copies, all of which have now been sold. But in his foreword, the author expresses the hope that the "base has been provided for a second edition" should another willing member volunteer to take on the task.

If Barber's experiences are any guide, his successor will find the job "totally absorbing" although it is unlikely he or she will unearth as many surprising facts about the club as the present historian.

"I wanted to steer clear of playing records and concentrate on historical development," said Barber.

"For example, I was interested to find out that the club used four grounds in the period from 1856 to 1881 when they moved to Rake Lane and a chance discovery in a batch of papers put me on to a series of articles by a former secretary and captain, TE Edwardes, in the Wallasey News. They helped me to identify a number of New Brighton's presidents and captains before 1898, the first year for which we have minutes. "

Barber's researches have also been helped by Harold Wolfe, and his book also features a dedication to Sid Williams, a former president with whom Barber had many long discussions in the early stages of the work, but who died in 2003.

Battleground Rake Lane also includes a detailed examination of the career of Sir Thomas Owen, "truly, the most honoured servant," as it describes him, a former captain, the only New Brighton president to have been knighted and in addition a philanthropist who, in the words of his 1921 obituary, "won no small measure of fame by his munificence in presenting pounds 10,000 to found a chair of science at Bangor University."

As for the title of his book, any Liverpool Competition cricketers who thinks it refers to one of Tim Watkins' explosions when opposition tactics or the shortcomings of his colleagues displeased him, would be mistaken.

"It's simply because of the bomb damage suffered on May 2, 1941," said Barber.

"And also the battles the club has fought to preserve the ground when threatened with building work."

And at the end of his magnificent researches what are Barber's overall impressions of New Brighton ?

"It's a very social club in which players from all the sides mixed together very easily," he said. "Many members will recall a famous former captain J D Canevali standing at the bar and asking for reports from all the sides who had been playing on a given Saturday. All the members get together at Rake Lane. We've never been a club within a club."

Some of the best-known names in international cricket will be playing on the Wirral today when a Birkenhead School XI, captained by 16-year-old David Hurst, take on the Lashings World XI in a match to raise funds for the school's Foundation Trust.

The game is also a part of the celebrations marking the centenary of the Old Birkonians Society and spectators at Beresford Road will see former West Indian Test stars Alvin Kallicharran, Gordon Greenidge and Richie Richardson in action, plus the big-hitting New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns and the former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu Play is due to start at 11am and admission cost pounds 12.

The book's title is because of the bomb damage suffered in 1941

MALCOLM BARBER

CAPTION(S):

Umpire and New Brighton historian Malcolm Barber Picture: SUZY JAMES