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Search forGlory boys are back from summer of 68
Thursday, July 24, 2008, 00:01
It is 40 years since Westbury won the Gloucester Knock-out Cup final in front of a crowd of around 3,000 at the Gloucester Spa ground.
Back then, before the onset of local leagues, the Gloucester Knock-out Cup was the most competitive club competition in the county.
The humble Westbury side of the late 1960s also won the Longhope, Huntley, Ross, Lydney and Highnam knock-outs, as well as Winget Cricket Club's annual six-a-side tournament.
“Winning the Gloucester KO was a big achievement,” said Pete Wyman, who helped organise Saturday's reunion.
“Fortunately, everyone who played in the final is still alive, but waiting 50-years for a reunion would be too long.
“We beat British Rail in the 1968 final, who were also a very good team. It was a 20 overs per side competition but there was no limit on how many overs someone could bowl.
“Our strength was two outstanding bowlers, Roy Grindle and Bruce Sargent, plus a really good fielding team.
“We knocked out a lot of the top teams, including Winget.
“They were the club's glory days. The players were all of a similar age and we grew up together in the village.”
Pete and Brian Wyman remain closely connected to Westbury Cricket Club, while Phil Ayland and Jim Pitt also still live in the village.
Dave Boyce lives nearby in Minsterworth.
The captain of the 1968 side Bob Watkins, a former builder and undertaker, moved away to Dartmouth, while John Smallwood now lives in Tiverton in Devon.
Roy Grindle, Roy Pitt, Bruce Sargent and Monty Turner completed the side.
Roger Hughes and Dennis Dunn were the 12th and 13th men.
Also in Westbury on Saturday was Jack Moore, the son of Dick Simmons, who presented the Gloucester KO Cup to Westbury all those years ago.
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