Charlie Underwood - Keyworth Legend

It is with great sadness, we have learnt of the death of Charlie Underwood on 17 June 2010, one of Keyworth Cricket Club’s greatest ever players and an Honorary Life Vice President.

Charlie, usually known as ‘Chuckie’ was a left hand batsman and a brilliant fielder. During the Second World War he served under B H Valentine (Captain of Kent CCC) and was considered an outstanding prospect by him. He was Keyworth’s Batsman of the Year in 1948, 1955 and 1957 and between 1935 and 1965 scored over 3500 runs – he rarely bowled.

A reserved man, Charlie could be ruthless at the wicket and recorded three centuries, 100 not out against Sandiacre CC on the 12th of August 1950 and then in two successive matches, the only recorded occasion in the club’s history, 113 against Hucknall CC on 10 August and giving Sandiacre CC another headache scored 105 not out on 16 August, in 1952. In addition, Charlie went past 50 on eleven more occasions and his total career run haul at first team level places him sixth in the all time list – and Charlie played in an era of bowler friendly wickets.

The 594 runs he garnered in the 1952 season stood as a club record until 1976 and has only been bettered in six other seasons by an individual batsman and Charlie’s partnership of 124 runs with Gerald Starbuck in a match played on the 1st of August 1959 against Raleigh Athletic CC still stands as the club record for a seventh wicket batting partnership.

Charlie was also an outstanding footballer and captained Keyworth United to League and Cup honours in the 1950’s.

Charlie’s father, Oliver Underwood played for Keyworth in the 1920’s making a top score of 83 and later was the club’s groundsman and occasionally an umpire, and Charlie’s grandfather William Underwood was a bowler with Ruddington CC who gained selection for Notts Colts in 1875 and 1876 and made one Nottinghamshire CCC appearance in 1881. Charlie’s two brothers in law, Jimmy Longworth and William (Bill) Attewell both played for Keyworth in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Jimmy, was also an outstanding footballer.

The photograph above features the 1948 First XI and many of the club’s best known players

Back row (l to r)…Jack Kershaw (umpire), Alec Bennett (a former Lancashire league pro), Peter Gray (a current Vice President), Tommy Hinchcliffe (a former pro footballer with Derby County & Nottingham Forest and Stuart Meek’s grandfather), Albert Keetley (a former pro footballer with Bournemouth), CHARLIE UNDERWOOD (3rd from the right) William Attewell & Peter Witcomb.

Front row…Ron Armstrong (one of our best ever bowlers), Joe Reid (former Border League pro), Harry Henson (another great bowler and captain 1948 to 1959), Keith Hodgett & John Reeve (both, outstanding bowlers and still club Vice Presidents).

Charlie in recent years had been residing in a Nursing Home in Cotgrave.