Cricketers Arms
64 Peter Street
St Helens
Merseyside
WA10 2EB
01744 361846
Contact: Chris Quinn - 07904 923091
Moving from the UVC Village Club in the 2022 season, The Cricks have taken the name of their new Venue - The Cricketers Arms in St Helens Town Centre. CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2018, it offers a range of at least 13 hand pumped beers, ales and stouts, several of which are brewed in the onsite Howzat brewery. It also has a fine range of ciders, wines and spirits.
The Cricks are a team bearing a much older name, the original U.C.C. Blues having played in the League for four seasons between 1987 and 1990 before disbanding. The present team was formed prior to the 2000 season and had up to the end of 2003, played all their subsequent league matches in Division Two.
The team itself might once have been described, in a moment of whimsy as the "Committee team" as three of the squad members were serving officials of the League. They were the League's General Secretary; Colin Shaw; Assistant Secretary; Graham Wilcock and John Winnard who is Vice Chairman and also the Club Steward.
The team was noticeably strengthened by Eric Lupton, who made a welcome addition in mid-May 2002, when that League season was just a month old. No stranger to quizzing, Eric is a regular member of the 'Ten Singers' team in Division One of the Ormskirk Quiz League
The team was further strengthened part way through 2002 when they were joined by Dave Massey, a regular with the Litherland RBL team who played in the Northern division of the Merseyside Quiz Leagues. Dave unfortunately left at the end of 2004.
The team was joined on a regular basis by Robin McIntosh in time for the 2007 season, and another MQL stalwart, Chris Quinn. A season or two later, John Purslow and Andy Firth also became regular players. For the 2014 season, Eric Lupton decided to bow out, to be replace by Colin Foster, a regular player in the Warrington Quiz League and a Mastermind semi-finalist.
Winning the now defunct close season 'Superbowl' in 2001/2 was the team's only competition success at that time but, considering the relative life of the team it is was definitely a case of "so far-so good".
The 'Blues' did not have too long to wait for further success as the close of the 2003 season saw them winning Division Two from St. James' S.C. by the narrowest of narrow margins, beating them on the last question, in the last match, on the final week to clinch the divisional title!
2003 proved to be a very good season for this team, having won their first trophy the previous close-season they had immediately followed it with their first divisional title and they added to their haul by winning the Knockout Plate as well. Winning appeared to have become something of a habit with the 'Blues' as they continued to ruffle a few feathers by storming up the top division to finish in the Runners-Up spot at the end of the 2004 season. On the way they were the only team to better the mighty Bold Hotel, and they were unlucky to have lost a previous encounter by a single point!
Honours came again in 2005 when they repeated their 2003 success by winning the League Knockout Plate. For the next four season the team appeared as the permanent team at number three, as the major spoils were enjoyed by the big hitters of Old Dog and variously named Simms Road/Owl Inn etc.
They had to wait until 2009 to appear in the Knockout Cup Final which they lost to new team Millstone. The 2010 season saw the team excel with success in winning both the League and Knockout Cup titles.
In 2012 they again won the League title, and narrowly lost in the Knockout Cup final to Robin Hood, the competition being undecided until the final question.
For the 2015 season they were joined by Colin Foster, a regular in the Warrington League. Colin dropped out in 2016 to be replaced by Paul Prior who has experience playing in the Ormskirk League.
In 2018, the venue changed hands and was renamed the Upholland Village club, so the team were renamed accordingly!
For the return after lockdown the venue and team name were both Changed to The Cricketers - the venue being a former CAMRA Pub of the Year, serving at least 13 different real ales daily, some brewed on the premises at the Howzat Brewery.
Former Old Dog players Graham Barker have now become regulars for the team.