ABOUT US
Founded 1889
PRESIDENTS
|
HISTORY
Discovering Our Heritage – A Change of
Birthday!
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THIRTY-SIX YEARS A CAPTAIN
Do you fancy being captain of a Wollaston cricket team sometime? How about
doing it for 36 years on the trot?
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CONTACT US:
wollaston.cricket@googlemail.com or telephone the Secretary: 01933 663901
JUNIORS telephone: Chris or Neal Perry 01933 663735
Wollaston Cricket Club, formed in 1889 (scroll down to read more) and situated in the heart of the East Midlands, is a CLUBMARK
accredited village club playing on Saturdays in the Northamptonshire Cricket
League.
The First Eleven competes in the First
Division with the Second Eleven in Division Three. In their second season in the
NCL the Third Eleven finished runners-up in Division Thirteen and gained
promotion several times and now compete in Division Nine.
The Club has a thriving Youth Section with teams at Under Nine, Under Eleven,
Under Thirteen and Under Fifteen. Junior County representative
games are also played at Wollaston where the facilities, both on and off the
field, are of the highest
quality.
On our website you will find information on
most facets of the Club including
photographs going
back to 1892, with reviews of
previous seasons.
Check out the statistics and Club records going back to
1957 when Wollaston entered the Northants County League.
THE VILLAGE
pages give a comprehensive background of Wollaston the Village and its
surroundings.
New Players always welcome.
If you would like to join the Club, take part in outdoor and/or indoor net
practice ,or if you would like
information on Wollaston Cricket Club please e-mail us at:
wollaston.cricket@googlemail.com
LOCATION: London Road Wollaston Northamptonshire.
FOUNDED: 1870
CLUB COLOUR: Navy blue
COMPETITION: Northamptonshire Cricket League
SENIOR TEAMS: Three Saturday
JUNIOR SECTION: Four teams. U9, U11, U13 & 15
Wollaston Cricket Club, situated in the heart of the East
Midlands, is a CLUBMARK accredited village Focus Club playing on
Saturdays in the Northamptonshire Cricket League. We have a thriving Youth
Section with teams at Under Eleven, Under Thirteen and Under Fifteen.
In 2010 the Club's Third Eleven entered
division Division Thirteen of The Northamptonshire Cricket League and
subsequent promotions have taken them to division Nine.
Junior County representative
games are also played at Wollaston where the facilities, both on and off the
field, are of the highest
quality.
On our website you will find information on most facets of
the Club including up to date
photographs going back to 1892, with a
complete in-depth review
of previous seasons. Read the captains' reports and check out
the statistics and Club records going back to 1957 when Wollaston entered the Northants County
League.
HISTORY
Discovering Our Heritage – A Change of Birthday!
For a number of years, using
the knowledge that had been passed down over time, it was agreed that the year
1870 was most likely to be the year that Wollaston Cricket Club was founded.
Consequently this date was duly adopted as our foundation year, and bearing this
in mind, it would mean that the year 2020 would have special significance for
the Club. However, it is now apparent that things are not that simple!
After further investigation
it would seem certain that cricket was played in Wollaston before 1870 - but not
under the auspices of a “Wollaston Cricket Club”. Taking this into account it
means that, although somewhat pedantic, a constitutional adjustment is needed
for the sake of accuracy.
Newspaper cuttings from the local paper at
the time certainly confirm that cricket was being played in Wollaston before
1870. In fact there are several match reports from 1865 including a match
between “Wollaston” and ‘Young Northampton,’ and in 1875 Wollaston Mechanic CC
played '22 of the Parish', the match staged in a field belonging to George
Burnham Esq.
A report from 1877 shows that
there were definitely several clubs in the village and along with Wollaston
Mechanic Cricket Club, were Star CC and Joseph Hill's Park CC.
One remarkable game from this period was
between the afore-mentioned Wollaston Park and The Wellingborough United CC.
Park batted first and amassed 220 then bowled out Wellingborough for just 13.
Sent in again, United once more made only 13, but this time for the loss 2
wickets – after which the game was called off when the rain came!
Colonel Hill was an
instrumental part of the Park Cricket Club and we know they played within his
extensive parkland in the grounds of Wollaston Hall (now Scott Bader
Commonwealth) where he resided. Indeed Colonel Joseph Hill C.B., J.P., D.L was a
very influential person towards the latter end of the nineteenth century, and
was a very important figure in the early days of Northamptonshire County Cricket
Club. Born in 1850, he was educated at Eton and Caius College Cambridge and
served in the South African war. He was made Hon. Colonel in the army in 1902.
Under his guidance the club
were very successful – especially in the 1880’s where they went on to win the
Northamptonshire Rural and District Challenge Cup three times (1883, 85 and 86) and consequently
were presented with the cup in perpetuity (which is now in our possession).
However,
following the multiple successes earlier in the decade, by 1889 it is possible
that other pursuits were being followed in the village resulting in both the
Star and Park clubs needing to strengthen their teams. To facilitate this, a
meeting was called during 1889
and the following article reported as follows:
“AMALGAMATION OF THE PARK CRICKET CLUB AND THE STAR
CRICKET CLUB”
"A
meeting was held on Monday evening in the Board School, which was well attended
by members of both clubs. Mr Gibbard who presided said they could not get a
first class eleven without having players from both clubs. – A good discussion
followed, and a proposition was made by Mr J Lucy that both clubs amalgamate and
the new club to bear the name of ‘Wollaston Cricket Club’, and was seconded by
Mr Owen Sanders and carried unanimously. Two captains were elected. First Eleven
- Mr W Lucy and Second Eleven - Mr F. Green.”
So Wollaston Cricket Club was
officially born in 1889 and the amalgamation proved successful. With the new
club based at Wollaston Hall and under the benevolent eye of their host Colonel
Hill, they went on to win the Northampton Cup in 1892 and the Kettering and
District League Second Division (South) in 1912 and 1913.
In 1922 the Club needed a new
home and the President, Mr Gibbard, offered use of a piece of his land which was
referred to for many years as “The Meadow,” which, in the late forties/early
fifties was expanded and became part of Wollaston Playing Field.
The twenties and thirties proved a golden age for Wollaston C.C. In addition
to the first team and recently formed second eleven winning their respective
divisions, several Wollaston players received County recognition. Ben Bellamy
(wicket keeper), Vern Murdin, Reg Partridge and Cyril Perkins all found the
first rung of the cricketing ladder at Wollaston before making their mark for
Northamptonshire over many years.
In 1957 Wollaston joined the Northants County League followed by their Second
team in 1961. The Club won the old Second Division (now the Premier) in 1959-60,
61 and again in 1973 and have been runners up on several occasions including
2006.
In 2006 the Club reached the Board 20 Finals Day At the
County Ground-losing in the semi final and in 2007 won the division one title
and gained promotion to the premier division. In 2009 the Club won the Board 20
Plate.
The Club has a thriving Youth Section under the guidance of a senior coach
and competes at Under 11, Under 13 and Under 15 age groups, and has strong links
with several schools in the area and is now Clubmark accredited.
The Club also stages and encourages Junior NCB representative games at
Wollaston and considers this aspect of the club to be vitally important.
Except for one season (1991) the First Eleven played
in the second tier of Northamptonshire cricket from 1957 until 2007 but
after winning the Division One title we were promoted to the top level (Premier Division) in 2008. A
great achievement and one that the Club and everyone associated with it
(members, vice presidents, sponsors and supporters) should be justly proud of.
In 2006 & 2014 the Club reached the Board 20 Finals
Day At the County Ground-losing in the semi finals.
In 2010 the Club added
a Third league team for the first time. Competing in Division Thirteen of the
Northamptonshire Cricket League and following subsequent promotions the Thirds
have progressed upwards to Division Nine.
Check our "Honours" page
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Check our "Honours" page
MORE PHOTOGRAPHS
THE VILLAGE OF WOLLASTON
WOLLASTON CRICKET CLUB A FOCUS CLUB
County
sports clubs receive national recognition
Wollaston Cricket Club is celebrating after receiving national accreditation from
Sport England and their respective National Governing Body.
The
accreditation scheme has been developed by Sport England and adopted by National
Governing Bodies in 16 sports. It has been designed to recognise and accredit
sports clubs that are committed to providing a safe and child friendly
environment for children and young people. In order to gain accreditation clubs
must demonstrate a high standard in the four key areas of the scheme; duty of
care and child protection, coaching and competition, sports equity and ethics
and club management.
The
scheme encourages clubs to review and build upon existing practices to ensure
that the environment in which they operate is safe, effective and child
friendly. It also enables parents and teachers to easily identify clubs which
are working within minimum standards in relation to health and safety and child
protection.
CLUBMARK
