Workington’s victory over Furness on Sunday in the final of the Higson Cup was the seventh time they have lifted the trophy since it was first played for in 1923.
Close to a century since the competition was introduced to the North Lancashire League programme it’s worth recalling the trophy’s origins.
It was presented to the League by Thomas Higson, who was later chairman of Lancashire County Cricket club from 1932 to his death at Grange-over-Sands in 1949 aged 75.
Stockport-born Higson had been educated at New College, Oxford where he played for the University as a right-hand batsman and off-break bowler.
He went on to play for Derbyshire and Lancashire as well as Cheshire and Lancashire 2nds in the Minor Counties Championship.
He took 41 first-class wickets at an average of 28.41 and a best performance of 4 for 74. He played 50 innings in 29 first-class matches at an average of 12.69 and a top score of 46
From 1931 to 1934, Higson was a member of the Selection Committee, with Sir Pelham Warner and PA Perrin and helped to choose the MCC side which visited Australia in 1932–33 for the controversial bodyline tour.
On this, his view was that such bowling was detrimental to cricket. He also had strong views on many aspects of the game and in 1934 argued for two-day single innings county matches to brighten the game.
His sons Thomas Higson and Peter Higson also played first-class cricket for Lancashire, and his brother Peter Higson played for Cheshire.
Workington’s first success in the competition came in 1950, and again in 1952 but since the turn of the century have been successful in 2005, 2011, 2015, 2016 and again on Sunday.
