Accrington Cricket Club

John Lindon Dewhurst, one of Accrington Cricket Club's finest and most respected players has died in hospital at the age of 89.

A true gentleman both on and off the field, Lindon was respected by both team-mates and opponents alike.

In the twilight of his career, Lindon captained Accrington to the Lancashire League title with the great West Indian Wes Hall as professional in 1961.

After a short spell at Howard and Bullough, Lindon spent his working life at Vale Manufacturing Co in Blackburn, rising from the shop floor to become General Manager until his retirement in 1980.

During his spell in the army, Lindon broke his leg playing football in Scotland. It was then that Lindon met his match, marrying his nurse Christina in July 1942.

The couple, who were married for 56 years until Christina's death in October 1998, had three children, the late Arthur Lindon, the late Ida Christina and John Leonard who was born as Accrington closed in on the Lancashire League title in 1961.

A hard hitting attacking batsman, Lindon's total of 6260 runs from 373 Lancashire League innings was the second highest in the club's history. Very exciting to watch, Lindon was famous for his straight drives back over the bowlers head.

One of his first matches for Accrington was against an Accrington Observer team in 1932 when he was just 14 years of age. He first made his mark as a bowler taking a hat-trick against Cambridge Street Methodists at Highams in 1936 and the following season he made his senior debut against Colne, taking a wicket with his very first ball.

The following season he began to make his mark with the bat, scoring 242 runs. Like most of his contemporaries, Lindon lost a huge chunk of his career to the Second World War. In 1949 he was appointed as First Team captain, a position he held for two seasons. Two years later he took charge again, remaining at the helm until stepping down after leading his side to their first championship for 45 years.

Famous for his enterprising cricket, Lindon's teams always strove for victory in the era of 'time cricket'. He was a strong advocate of Sunday Cricket in the mid 1950's and after his retirement from the senior side in 1962 he joined the committee at Accrington.

During his career, Lindon made two undefeated centuries for Accrington and he also had the unusual honour of playing in the same senior side with both his brother Roy and his eldest son Lindon junior.

Lindon also played football for Accrington Stanley reserves in 1939, scoring four goals from centre forward.

Lindon leaves his youngest son Leonard who also represented Accrington at senior level, daughter-in-law Beverly, grand daughter Debbie and her husband Ian, grandchildren Maxine, Janine, Gareth and Adam, and great grandson Phelix.

Lindon's funeral will be on Monday at 1.40 pm at Accrington Crematorium.
Donations may be made to Accrington Cricket Club through Hyndburn Funeral Services

Arrangements: Hyndburn Funeral Services.