Cricket mourns popular Jim

CRICKET is mourning the death of former Lancashire and Somerset player Jim Hilton, a name synonymous with CLL club Werneth.

Jim (77) died in Royal Oldham Hospital on Wednesday after a lengthy illness having suffered two serious strokes.

It was at Werneth where Jim and his late elder brother, Malcolm, began their illustrious careers, Malcolm going on to play Test cricket for England. Jim played a total of 79 first-class matches for Lancashire (1952-53) and Somerset (1954-57).

A right-arm off-break bowler he claimed 134 wickets, Jim’s best return being seven wickets for 98. He also scored 1,093 runs, with a top score of 61 not out. After his time in county cricket came to an end, Jim had spells as a professional at Scottish club Kelburne and at Fleetwood in the Northern League.

He returned to Werneth as paid-man for three years and finished his playing days at The Coppice as an amateur. Jim also spent many years coaching youngsters and was one of the youngest cricketers to pass the MCC’s advanced coaching qualification.

Once his playing days were over, Jim maintained a keen interest in Werneth where he served the longest-ever stint as club president, spanning 10 years.

Long-serving Werneth official Jack Roscoe said: “Our cricket club played a big part in Jim’s life. The great thing was that when his playing days ended, he was very involved in the administration side and wanted to give something back to the club where he started.

Jack’s views were echoed by Jim’s son Warren who added that his father’s relationship with Werneth had lasted almost his entire life.

“Werneth was very much in his blood having started his playing days at the club and finishing back as an amateur,” he recalled.

Jim was also heavily involved in the ex-players’ association at Lancashire and had a three-year stint as president of that organisation until being forced to stand down due to ill-health.

Apart from cricket, Jim was also a talented footballer who once had trials for Torquay United and Accrington Stanley. He was licensee of the Falconers Arms, Hollins Road, for 13 years and also worked for the Wild Leisure Group in a managerial/maintenance capacity.

He leaves a wife of almost 56 years, Hilda, sons Warren and Simon and four grandchildren.

Jim’s funeral takes place at Oldham Crematorium on December 8 (noon) followed by a wake at Werneth Cricket Club.