THERE'S a new name on the Bolton Association's umpires list this year - but it's a familiar face...

Ralph Livesey, whose first senior appearance for Astley and Tyldesley was in 1949 just short of his 14th birthday, has decided his playing days are over.

But he can't walk away from the game - hence the switch to becoming an umpire.

"I'm not going to do it regularly but I have an agreement in that if they are short of an official they can give me a ring," he explained.

Ralph has only played for Astley and Tyldesley and a short spell with Bickershaw. It's a career that has spanned six decades and made him the Association's highest wicket-taker. His friend Terry Casey has chronicled Ralph's apperances and performances over the last 49 years and it makes for fascinating reading.

The Association record for the number of wickets taken in a career stood at 1,427 by William Hough. Ralph has taken 1,778 wickets. Of that figure 1,651 came in league games, 114 in the Cross Cup and 13 in the Vimto Trophy.

He has played in a total of 862 games, 786 of them league games, has scored 6,280 runs and taken 250 catches.

He has bowled a total of 53,527 balls and his career bowling figues are 7,635.5 overs, 1,891 maidens, 22,000 runs, 1,778 wickets at an average of 12.37.

And of the wickets he took, 436 were bowled, 990 caught (77 of them caught and bowled), 212 were leg before, 110 stumpings and three hit wickets.

Fascinating details, but there are three matches still not accounted for.

Despite intense searches Terry has still not unearthed three match scores. They are A & T v Edgworth on June 13 1970, A & T v Walker Institute April 29, 1979 and A & T v Clifton on August 31, 1980.

If anyone can help with these contact Terry on 01942 819529.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.