MEMENTOES recalling legendary Nantwich cricketer Edwin ‘Ted’ Steventon, the fast bowler and all rounder who dismissed 1,554 Senior A batsmen in his illustrious amateur career, are to be sold by a Nantwich auction house.

They include four of the balls he used to rack up the enviable tally, presented to him by his teammates at Nantwich Cricket Club, each on silverplated stands formed by cricket stumps; medals; a silver presentation bell inkwell; two pewter cricketing tankards; a Nantwich Cricket Club team photograph and a portrait photo of Steventon in his heyday.

The collection, to be sold by Peter Wilson in Nantwich, will be sold as a single lot to ensure it remains together and is expected to realise £300-400 in the auctioneer’s important fine sale on November 26 and 27.

One of Cheshire’s best known sporting personalities and a legendary figure in the North Staffordshire Cricket League , Steventon joined Nantwich CC as a schoolboy.

His best league performance came in 1921, when bowling for Nantwich in a Senior B match, he dismissed the entire Haslington team for three runs.

Less well known was Steventon’s footballing career as a goalkeeper of some ability. After playing for Nantwich, he joined Shrewsbury Town in 1913. The team won the Shropshire Senior Cuo and were runners-up in the Birmingham League.

Trials with Aston Villa and appearances with its nursery team, Stourbridge and Nantwich were followed by his debut in 1921 as an amateur with Stoke City.

He retired from active sport in 1940 after captaining Nantwich for 16 successive seasons, but completed 26 years as the club’s secretary in 1947.

He died in 1961 aged 69.