35 Facts About Albert Cordingley

Albert Cordingley was an English professional cricketer from Yorkshire who played first-class cricket for Sussex in the early years of the 20th century.

Albert Cordingley played for the Yorkshire 2nd XI the following year, as well as in one non first-class match with the first XI against Worcestershire, but then rejected the offer of a place in the Yorkshire first team squad as backup to Wilfred Rhodes and returned to club cricket, this time at Wiseton in Nottinghamshire.

Albert Cordingley moved south and determinedly worked his way back up from club cricket to make his first-class debut in 1901 at the age of 30 for Sussex.

Albert Cordingley was sparingly used though, bowling just over 100 overs, and was dropped from the first team for the following two seasons but stayed contracted to Sussex and was recalled in 1905 to play four final matches for them.

Albert Cordingley remained involved in cricket for the rest of his life, devoting over 25 years to the village club at Pease Pottage, near Crawley, Sussex, as a player, coach, groundsman, and umpire after joining it in 1912, as well as making guest appearances for several other Sussex clubs.

Albert Cordingley had three elder brothers and three sisters, and the family started out poor but were aspiring.

Albert Cordingley took 7 wickets for Eccleshill in a 26-run victory at Chickenly in June 1892, and the following season helped them to a third-place league finish, along the way claiming a hat-trick as part of a five-wicket haul for 27 runs in a convincing 21-run victory over fellow title-chasers Guiseley.

Albert Cordingley was re-engaged for the 1896 season but, not being required in Lancashire until later in April, he was able to play a game for his old club Eccleshill against neighbours Idle on the 18th, showing that he was keeping in touch with his cricketing roots in Yorkshire.

Albert Cordingley had another fine year in Lancashire in 1896, and in one match towards the end of the season in August took 9 of the 10 wickets to fall in a thumping 85-run victory over visitors East Lancashire Wanderers.

Towards the end of the 1897 season, Albert Cordingley came to the attention of his native county team and he competed with Wilfred Rhodes for a place in the Yorkshire first team after the sacking of bowling all-rounder Bobby Peel for misconduct.

Albert Cordingley handily outperformed his younger rival in the match, finishing the first day's play with the impressive figures of 8 wickets for 33 runs off 21 overs for Yorkshire against the Colts.

Match reports at the time in the mainstream press relate instead that Albert Cordingley had actually been selected to play, and it was only on the arrival of all-rounder Jackson "at the last moment" that Albert Cordingley lost his place, while Rhodes had already replaced the absent all-rounder Milligan in the Yorkshire team.

Whatever the reasons, Cordingley had to be content with a role as the twelfth man, his only minor consolation perhaps being getting the opportunity to take to the hallowed turf on the second day as substitute fielder for Haigh while the great W G Grace was at the crease.

Rhodes meanwhile bowled with "great distinction", albeit on a classic "sticky wicket", taking 13 wickets for 45 runs, and after this run of form Albert Cordingley was forced to accept that there was no immediate likelihood of taking his place.

Albert Cordingley however believed that if he stayed on at Yorkshire it would only be as back-up to Rhodes and so refused the playing contract he was offered.

Albert Cordingley played instead for the Sussex second XI and for various Sussex club sides while he waited for his county residency qualification, which would not become official until January 1902.

Albert Cordingley put in a remarkable all-round performance in one of the first of the club fixtures, in June 1900, scoring 33 with the bat for Silverhill and taking 9 Southborough wickets for 27 runs off 16 overs, the last 7 wickets coming at a cost of just 7 runs in 10 overs, 6 of which were maidens.

Albert finally made his first-class debut at the age of 30 on 27 June 1901 in front of a crowd of over 2,000 spectator at the Saffrons Cricket Ground in Eastbourne in a match between Sussex and Oxford University, whose captain Frank Knox graciously allowed Cordingley to take the field even though he was not yet officially qualified to play for his new county side.

Albert Cordingley was called upon to send down just 8 overs in the match, for no reward, and was bowled by Hirst for 8 runs in his sole appearance as a batsman.

Albert Cordingley stayed on with Sussex the following year, but played only three second XI matches in each of the 1903 and 1904 seasons, taking just 13 wickets in total in the six fixtures.

Finally, Albert Cordingley was recalled to the first team for his last four matches in June and July 1905, all producing draws, and with little personal success for the veteran bowler; he took just 4 wickets in aggregate for 127 runs from 48 overs.

Albert Cordingley came from a humble background and had had to search out income wherever he could throughout the early years of his career; he had for example been obliged to labour in a Bradford furniture warehouse in the winter before his first season with Yorkshire in 1898 because he received no remuneration from the club during the close season.

Albert Cordingley celebrated his new appointment in fine style in the first game of the year, a home fixture at the club's West Street ground against a strong Brixton Wanderers team, by top-scoring with 55 runs out of a total of 186 and taking 6 wickets for 64 runs to set up a victory by 35 runs.

Albert Cordingley ended up serving as club professional for five full seasons, but again poor business management by his employer created a worrying situation for him.

The former county player was ostensibly hired to work as a gardener at the Goddard family's residence, Tilgate Forest Cottage, and the Cordingley family took up residence nearby in the village, but Albert spent most of his time initially as a player, coach, and groundsman, and latterly as an umpire and groundsman, at Pease Pottage Cricket Club, of which Jack Goddard was the President, and whose ground adjoined the Tilgate estate.

Once established in the side, Albert Cordingley became one of its mainstays.

Albert Cordingley took 10 wickets for 102 runs to seal a victory by an innings and 110 runs in a match that saw the club's record opening stand of 289 by Adair and Crossland.

Albert Cordingley continued his winning streak against Merstham the following month playing for Reigate Priory, the Yorkshireman contributing 3 wickets and 9 unbeaten runs to a slim 13-run victory for the home side.

Albert Cordingley played for two first-class counties, Yorkshire and Sussex, but only played first-class cricket for Sussex.

Albert Cordingley was involved in three matches against Worcestershire, the first for Yorkshire in May 1898, and the other two for Sussex in 1902.

Worcestershire was recognised as a first-class county in December 1898; if it had been recognised just six months earlier, Albert Cordingley would have had first-class cricket records for both counties for whom he played.

Albert Cordingley was an accomplished billiards player, being for example the "very popular" winner of a tournament at East Grinstead in January 1908, and entertaining members in an exhibition tournament at the Crawley British Legion in October 1934.

Albert Cordingley died from heart disease at Crawley and District Hospital, West Green, Crawley, not far from his home at 5 Saint Peter's Road, West Green, Crawley, Sussex, on 27 April 1945, aged 73.

Albert Cordingley's funeral was held just a few yards away, between the hospital and his home, at Saint Peter's Church, West Green, Crawley three days later, on 30 April 1945, a date mistakenly reported in some sources as being that of his death.

Albert Cordingley Drive forms part of a large new development called Woodgate of over 600 homes, parkland, and a school at Pease Pottage that was originally approved in 2017 by Mid Sussex District Council.