STAND Cricket Club celebrated its 150th anniversary on Saturday (April 26).

Former players, officials and members of the Hamilton Road club enjoyed a family fun day, the first of a series of special events which will culminate in a cricketing festival week.

The club where such greats as Gary Sobers and Frank Worrell, and Lancashire and England players Brian Statham and Cyril Washbrook have entertained the crowds now has some of the finest facilities in the Central Lancashire League, including a newly-laid square and a newly-opened lounge extension.

Joining Saturday's celebrations were the Mayor and Mayoress of Bury, Councillors John and Stella Smith.

Special invitations also went out to members of the club's 1962 championship winning team.

The new club extension has increased capacity from 75 to 125 and officials now hope to attract more outside organisations to use the premises.

Stand Cricket Club was founded in 1853 and matches were played on the nearby Dales Estate. In 1888, a pavilion was erected on the present site. The tennis section was founded a year earlier.

The cricket team originally played in the South Lancashire League. In 1915 it joined the newly-founded Lancashire and Cheshire League.

During and after the Second World War the club had a remarkable sequence of championship wins every seven years -- in 1941, 1948, 1955 and 1962.

Among home-grown players who were to move on to become star performers are Warren Hegg -- son of club president Glenda Hegg -- who is current Lancashire captain, and Norman McVicker , who collected championship medals with both Warwickshire and Leicestershire.