A cricket team crashed out of the cup when their big game clashed with their captain’s wedding.
Most of the first team attended the marriage of club captain James Bibby – while the players left behind collapsed to an innings of just 36 all out.
James tied the knot with bride Becky Ridgway at Beekston Manor, near Houghton, on Saturday, June 4. The couple’s special day clashed with a Worsley Cup fixture – which saw Rishton all out for 36 against Todmorden as players from their third team took the field.
But it didn’t spoil the happy occasion, as the couple who have been together for five years exchanged their vows and the day went off without a hitch.
Best man and former first team captain, Johnny Dobson said: “It was beautiful - a superb wedding, and Becky looked absolutely stunning in her dress. She had seven bridesmaids and James had a lot of cricketers there – in fact, most of the first team was there.”
The couple originally met through a blind date organised through a friend.
Johnny said: “It’s quite funny because they met in a pub, and her mum and dad were there before she got there – so they gave him a bit of a grilling! But he obviously passed with flying colours.” James, 38, of Clayton-le-Dale works for the NHS and has a daughter Ellie, 11, while Becky, 32, who he lives with, is a sales manager. Johnny said: “As for the match, it’s a shame it clashed with the wedding, but all the players who were there loved every minute of it.
“There weren’t just Rishton players there, either, there were quite a few from East Lancashire as well and many of the ones there turned out the following day.
“The wedding itself was perfect, it went really well and it was the best day available.”
