BALDERSTONE'S PEN AND TON

Since it is raining and the middle of September, my mind considers cricket! Well, only just, as it is the turn of the seasons and football is beginning to take preference amongst the majority. As cricketer-footballers go, Chris Balderstone of Carlisle United FC and Leicestershire CCC, might not have been in the class of Denis Compton (please don't say "who?"). Denis won the Football League and FA Cup with Arsenal and is only one of eight men to boast a Test batting average for England of over 50 runs. 

BUT Denis had never played in a professional football match in the evening after helping his County cricket side to the County Championship that same afternoon; Balderstone had!

Huddersfield born, Chris Balderstone was the last man to play both sports at the "top" level in England, although he never made it to the First Division at all. Before the 1973-4 season, Balderstone was "stripped" of his position as captain of Second Division, Carlisle United and suspended for chosing to remain playing cricket with Leicesterhire as they finished the county season.

The club softened their "stance", as Balderstone was recalled to help his beloved Carlisle United to promotion. He scored a decisive penalty against SPURS to send Carlisle top of the first published league table of the new season. Carlisle did not stay in the "top division" for long though, being relegated in last place at the end of the season. Balderstone was transfered to Fourth Division Doncaster Rovers.

On the day, Leicestershire won the 1975 County Championship, at stumps, at Chesterfield, Balderstone was 51 not out . He then drove 30 miles to Belle Vue, where Donny "ground" out a 1-1 draw with Brentford. Chris was back at Chesterfield the following morning to complete his century and to take three wickets to wrap up the game. His innings of 116 is the only century to have built around a Football League match!

Chris played for Huddersfield Town, Carlisle Utd, Donny and Queen of the South. He played and umpired in first-class cricket making it to international level – he played in two Tests in 1976 and umpired in two ODIs between 1994 and 1998. In a long club career, he was a key part of the five trophy winning Leicestershire side of the early and mid-1970s.

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1958–1965	Huddersfield Town	117	(24)
1965–1975	Carlisle United	376	(68)
1975–1976	Doncaster Rovers	39	(1)
1976–1978	Queen of the South	34	(0)

Football 

Carlisle United:-

• Second Division 1973/74 – promotion
• League Cup 1969/70 – Semi finalist

Cricket 

Leicestershire:-

• County Championship – winner – 1975; runner up 1982
• Sunday/National League – winner – 1974, 1977; runner up 1972
• Benson & Hedges Cup – winner – 1972, 1975, 1985; runner up 1974
• England

  Test debut	22 July 1976 v West Indies
  Last Test	12 August 1976 v West Indies

  Umpiring information
  ODIs umpired 2 1994-8

"Ray Illingworth took me to Leicestershire. I might be a decent bloke on the outside but he knew I was mentally hard through football. Cricketers might think they're pretty hard but they're not compared to footballers. It was a great move for me." In 1976, Balderstone was called into the England Test team to make his international debut aged 35 having focused in his younger days on football.

Chris Balderstone died suddenly at his home in Carlisle on 6 March 2000, having suffered from prostate cancer.