The YCSPL are very saddened to hear of the passing of our League Life Member and Hall of Fame inductee Bill Croft yesterday morning.
Bill Croft was a much-loved stalwart of Sheffield Collegiate CC, for whom he was a fast-medium opening bowler and tireless committee worker during his 50 years with the club. Having started his cricket career as a junior at Sheffield United CC, he then played for Rotherham Town in the Yorkshire League, Brighouse in the Bradford League, and Elland in the Huddersfield League, before joining Sheffield Collegiate in 1975. Amongst his many cricketing achievements were taking all ten wickets against Hull in 1987; nine against Rotherham in 1979; winning the Yorkshire League bowling averages in 1984; and helping Collegiate to their first Yorkshire League silverware – a cup and league double in his final season of 1990.
Off the field, Bill served on the committee of Sheffield Collegiate for all but one year of his time at the club, holding several positions including fund-raiser, treasurer and Yorkshire League representative. For several years, he served on the board of the Sheffield Amateur Sports Club and he was the groundsman for the Abbeydale Sports Club in 2008 and 2009.
Whilst competitive on the field, Bill always enjoyed the social side of the game, and was always great company over a beer in the clubhouse, placing great
value on the friendships he made with both team mates and opposition during his long career, and was latterly always ready to share amusing stories from his playing days.
Bill was a pro-active and ‘hands-on’ President of the Yorkshire League between 2008 and 2011, during which time his balanced and forward-thinking approach earned him great respect. He was inducted to the Yorkshire South Premier League Hall of Fame in October 2017, and made a Life Member of the YCSPL on its inception in 2021.
We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends, and to all at Sheffield Collegiate CC..
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