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The history of cricket in the city of Winchester closely mirrorsthe changes in its evolution. At the time that Robert Matthewwrote his poem in 1647 which refers to Winchester’s Collegepupils playing on St Catherine’s Hill, it was a casual sportplayed by boys.
By the 1770s, Winchester was regularly fielding adult cricketteams: it is recorded that in 1774 Winchester refused to allowBishop’s Waltham to finish a match on Twyford Downalthough only six runs were needed. Rather than throw thematch away, the Waltham players stayed overnight andsubsequently warned other teams against playing suchunreasonable opponents.
In 1796 we know that a match took place between thetradesmen of Winchester and the tradesmen of Southampton,marking the shift in the game from a children’s game to anadult’s sport, popular with working men. Another matchbetween local tradesmen was recorded in 1856 at Oliver’sBattery when a team representing the town north of the HighStreet played against another from the south side.
As the game became more popular, its following among thegentry grew and this is reflected in the number of WinchesterCollege pupils who rose to prominence in the sport. We takea look at some of these noted players…
Games akin to cricket have been played on the fields ofEngland since the middle ages, but a game called'crecket' first appears in 1598.
Hampshire’s own cricketing history owes much to thelegacy of the Hambledon and Alresford cricket clubs andthe pre-eminent players produced at Winchester College.
This leaflet offers you an opportunity to trace the historyof the development of the sport across the county ofHampshire. Why not make Winchester your base as youuncover the fascinating landmarks of cricket dottedacross Hampshire?
When Hampshire County Cricket Club looked into renovatingSouthampton’s old County Ground in 1987, it was agreedthat the demands placed upon the pavilion and grounds hadoutgrown the facilities. Thirteen years and £24m later, TheRose Bowl opened.
In 2012 The Rose Bowl was renamed the Ageas Bowl and hasbeen home to many international cricketers since the movefrom the old County Ground in 2001. Shane Warne playedwith Hampshire from 2000-2007. Club captain for four years,he was joined by fellow Australian internationals SimonKatich, Shane Watson and Stuart Clark.
Hampshire also has a strong history of developing Englandplayers: the likes of Robin Smith, Chris Smith, Shaun Udal,Chris Tremlett and Dimitri Mascarenhas have all representedtheir country.
In 2006 the Ageas Bowl hosted the Twenty20 internationalagainst Sri Lanka and, following a successful planningapplication, was awarded Test venue status by the England andWales Cricket Board. It hosted its first Test match, England vsSri Lanka, in 2011 to a crowd of up to 25,000 people.
The new Hilton Hotel at the Ageas Bowl offers 171 bedroomsfor guests looking for a an indulgent and luxurious experienceoverlooking the pitch or the stunning golf course.
For more information, including forthcoming music andsporting events, please visit www.ageasbowl.com.
Winchester City Council's tourism service would like to thank the following for theirhelp in producing this leaflet: Graham Scobie; Charles Inglis; Winchester College; themarketing team at The Ageas Bowl; Stephen Baldwin. The excerpt from a poemfeatured on the front cover on the Winchester College feature was written in 1976by The Reverend Reynell Cotton (1717-1796) School Master of Hyde School,Winchester and President of the Hambledon Club in 1773 and 1774.
Designed by Winchester City Council and printed by Culverlands 2016
Winchester College’s cricketing legacyBishop Ken, a scholar of the college, recorded that he was fond of the game when he was a boy in the 1650s and 60s. In 1845, a college team was reputed to have been surprised when they played a Basingstoke team who won the match by using a catapult instead of a bowler. Regular matches between Winchester, Eton and Harrow began in 1825.
A brief history of cricket in Winchester CRICKET
“Let's join in the praise of the bat and the wicket, and sing in full chorus the patrons of cricket...”
Cricket clubs in and around WinchesterWinchester City Council has two venues available forcricket hire. These are King George V and North WallsRecreation Ground. Both sites offer two cricket pitcheswith pavilion provision.
For more information telephone 01962 840 222 or visit: www.winchester.gov.uk
To see local clubs in action pleasecontact the organisations direct. For
a full listing of clubs please visit
www.getactivehampshireiow.co.uk
or www.hants.gov.uk/shiow for
more details about cricket in the
local area.
Bishop’s Waltham Cricket Club www.bishopswaltham.play-cricket.com
Chawton Cricket Club www.chawton.cc01420 562 294
Easton & Martyr Worthy Cricket Clubwww.emwcc.co.uk
St Cross Symondians01962 866 642www.stcrosscc.co.uk
Hambledon Cricket Club www.hambledoncricketclub.co.uk
Old Alresford Cricket Club 01962 733 612
Wickham Cricket Club 01329 834 398
West Meon Cricket Club 01730 829 639
“And when the game's o'er, and our fate shall draw nigh(for the heroes of cricket, like others, must die),
Our bats we'll resign, neither troubled nor vex'd, andgive up our wickets to those that come next.”
There is also a Jane Austentouravailablewith anitinerary that links tothis one.
Did you know?
Trace its evolution in Winchester and Hampshire
Douglas Robert Jardine(1900-1958)
As an English cricketer andcaptain of the England cricketteam in the early 1930s,Jardine, an Old Wykehamist(the name given toWinchester College alumni) isperhaps best known forcaptaining the English squadduring its 1932-33 Ashestour of Australia.
His team employed thecontroversial ‘body line’technique (where the bowlerdeliberately aimed the cricketball at the body of thebatsman), tactics employedto neutralize the opposingAustralian batsmen,particularly Don Bradman,and which caused a veritablestorm in the cricketing world.
The Ashton Brothers
"We thank thee, we praisethee, we bless thee O Lord, forHubert, Percy, Gilbert andClaude," - so goes the oldWinchester College song, andfor good reason. Sportingprowess ran in the Ashtonfamily - all four brothers wereBlues at Cambridge and alsoexcelled in football. Gilbert,Hubert and Claude allcaptained the university teamin the three consecutiveseasons from 1921 to 1923.
Awarded the Military Cross inthe first world war, Hubert(1892-1979) went on to playfor Essex scoring more than1,000 runs in both 1921 and1922. He was knighted in1959 in recognition of hisservices as an MP.
In 1923, Claude (1901-1942, pictured above)succeeded Percy as captain ofthe university’s cricket teamamassing 916 runs andclaiming 50 wickets with hismedium-pace bowling,together with 21 catches. Heplayed for Essex between1934 and 1938, his careercut tragically short when hedied during a mid-air trainingaccident just before theSecond World War.
William Lillywhite b1792*
Frederick William Lillywhitewas one of the great bowlersof the nineteenth century
He was coach to college teamsin the early 1850s, includingpreparing the boys for theirannual end of term matchesat Lords against Eton andthen Harrow.
He lead the revolution whichmoved bowling fromunderarm (‘Hambledon style’)to round-arm where the balland hand must not be higherthan the shoulder. With hissons he founded Lilywhite’sin Piccadilly London.
*Image by Unknown Artist c 1850, William Lillywhite. Bypermission of the Warden andScholars of Winchester College
Harry Altham (b 1888)
Harry was among the bestknown personalities in theworld of cricket. He played,legislated, test selected andwas a historian and a coachfor 30 years. A master andcricket coach in Winchester,he was also part of a familyof first class cricketers
In 1926, while in Winchester,as a college master, he wrote‘The History of Cricket’, one ofthe earliest defintitive worksand it is still a major referencework today. His great legacyis the formation of nationalcoaching schemes.
Hubert Doggart OBE(b.1925)
Hubert Doggart was educatedat Winchester College andKing's College, a Cambridgeblue in five different sportsand captain in four.
He taught at WinchesterCollege (1950-1972) whilemaintaining a successfulamateur cricket career forCambridge University andSussex Cricket Clubs. Doggartwent on to represent Englandin two Test matches in 1950and has held many offices insports administration, such as President of the MCC(1981-1982).
Mansoor Ali Khan ‘Tiger’Pataudi (b.1941)
Born into an Indian royalhousehold, Mansur Ali KhanPataudi completed his educationat Winchester College afterinheriting the titular dignity ofNawab of Pataudi upon hisfather’s death.
After playing for Oxford, hewent on to captain the Indiannational side at 21 and played310 matches, scoring 15,425runs, his highest being 203 (not-out). Mansur Khan made hisTest debut against England atDelhi in December 1961.Following his retirement,Mansur Ali Khan Pataudibecame the Indian nationalcricket coach (1974-75) andlater refereed ICC matches.
/activewinchester@activewinch
Rules and regulations1760-1771: During the period of Hambledon’sprimacy, several rule changes occurred that turnedthe sport into its modern recognisable form.
Bowling: Delivery of the ball was pitched under-arm, the ball was originally rolled along theground and then hit with bat shaped like ahockey stick. In the 1820s William Lillywhite leada campaign to all round arm bowling. The lawswere changed to the over-arm style bowling wehave today in time for the 1864 season.
Wicket: The third (middle stump) was introduced. Before this if the ballpassed through the two stumps the batsman was deemed not out;
Bats: The original bats had been of crooked or ‘hockey-stick’ design butevolved into a flat-faced type to cope with the new bowling style. In1771 the width of the bat defined as 4¼ inches when noted cricketer‘Shock’ White emerged onto the pitch one September day in 1771 witha bat the full width of the wicket.
This unsporting behaviour led the Hambledon Club to minute: "In view of the performance of one White of Ryegate on September 23rd that four and quarter inches shall be the breadth forthwith.” The ruling was accepted by most other clubs elsewhere, and recognised in the Code of 1774.
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12
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4
1
N E W F O R E S T
To Salisbu ry
The Alresford Connection
According to John Arlot
t, (see right), Alresford
Cricket Club was one of
the strongest cricket
teams in England, stand
ing "higher in cricket th
an
any town its size has do
ne in the history of the
game" between 1770 an
d 1795.
Alresford’s excellent crick
eting reputation was we
ll
deserved and fiercely pro
tected by the players. In
1774 The Hampshire Chr
onicle reported that wh
en
the team appeared to be
losing a match
against the united paris
hes of Alton
and Chawton the Alresfo
rd players were
not keen to continue pla
y the next day
on the same ground as w
as generally
the practice. According
to
the newspaper this was
because, ‘not having
lost a match the whole
summer, they were
determined to preserve
their fame entire
throughout the season.’
Alresford’s Hambledon Players
Thomas Taylor (1753-1806) T
his famous English cricke
ter and
Alresford resident playe
d for the Hambledon Clu
b and is
regarded as one of the
most outstanding playe
rs of the 18th
century. Taylor was ano
ther cricketing innkeepe
r. He was the
landlord of The Globe a
t Alresford (see map, lef
t) and was
buried in Old Alresford
in 1806
Richard Aubrey Veck (17
56-1823) Born in New A
lresford, Veck
made 35 known first-cla
ss appearances for the H
ambledon
Club between 1776 and
1784. Veck was a regula
r Hampshire
player for nine seasons u
ntil 1784, but then left th
e game at
age 28, apparently to se
t up a business in Bishop
s Waltham,
where he died in 1823.
Andrew Freemantle (1768-1837) Born
in Bishop’s Sutton,
just outside Alresford, F
reemantle made his mar
k for
Hampshire during the Ha
mbledon era. His debut w
as in 1788
season and by 1810 he
had made 136 known m
ajor match
appearances. His brothe
r John Freemantle was al
so an
Hambledon player and
their familes went on to
play for the
Alresford club for genera
tions. Andrew took on T
he Bat & Ball
Inn in Hambledon in his
thirties.
John Arlott(1914-1991
)
The cricket broadcaste
r
and commentator John
Arlott lived in Alresford
between 1961 and 198
1.
Alresford Town
Partnership and council
erected a plaque to ma
rk
his residence at 52 East
Street (The Old Sun),
celebrating its unveiling
with a commemorative
cricket match in the New
Alresford Ground and a
launch event at The Glo
be.
The Ageas Bowl
Southampton
Bishop’sWaltham
Hambledon
West Meon
Denmead
Horndean
Wickham
New Alresford
Alton
St Catherine’s Hill
Winchester
M3
M3
M27
A272
B2177B3035
B2150
A3M
The Bat & Ball Inn
”
“
Early days1622: One of the first records of ‘cricket’ ever beingplayed is in a legal case in Boxgrove, West Sussex.Two men were accused of playing cricket in thechurch grounds. The churchwardens statedthat it was "contrarie to the seventh article(Sabbath) and for that they use to breakewindowes with the ball". Their defence wasthat the game they were playing ‘was notcricket’, hence the origins of the phrase‘it’s not cricket’.
1647: A Latin poem by Robert Matthewcontains a reference to a cricket matchinvolving Winchester College pupils onSt Catherine’s Hill. Although cricket wascertainly played earlier in the county, this is the first written record of a gamein Hampshire.
1654: During Oliver Cromwell’sProtectorate the playing of cricket wasprohibited on the Sabbath, and in this yearthe penalty fine was doubled to two shillings.
1660: The Restoration of the Monarchy in Englandlifted the sanctions although the church continued to disapproveof the playing of the game on Sundays.
How to plan your visit to the cradle of cricket
The map shown on the right is designed to help you planyour visit to Winchester and the district andis numbered to sequence the developmentsof the sport chronologically. It’s up to you
how you plan the itinerary of your personalhomage to cricket, you’ll notice strong links
between inns and the game - offering you a legitimateopportunity to explore some of Hampshire’s oldest and finesthostelries from The Bat & Ball in Hambledon to The Globe inAlresford. In West Meon a thriving gastro-pub named after
Thomas Lord showcases the best of local food.
And there’s also an opportunity to visit Winchester and strollup St Catherine’s Hill (site of a cricket match between college
boys in 1647) or take a tour of Winchester College itselfwhere so many cricketers, including the controversial Douglas
Jardine, honed their skills. As Hampshire is nowthe county of The Ageas Bowl, this strongtradition is clearly continuing with pride.
If you would like this leaflet in alarger format please contact the
tourist information centre on01962 840 500 or e-mail
1 Winchester College
Visit the college to find outmore about where Althamcoached cricket and DouglasJardine, the famous Ashtonbrothers and Hubert Doggartall learned to play cricket -and see for yourself theimmaculately kept groundsoverlooking the watermeadows where they played.For more information, or tobook a guided tour call01962 621 209 or [email protected].
3 St Catherine’s Hill
A Latin poem refers to amatch played on this unspoiltbeauty spot overlookingWinchester in 1647. The viewof the city has changed overthe centuries, but remainsbreathtaking. For informationon self guided walks thatinclude St Catherine’s Hill goto www.visitwinchester.co.ukor call 01962 840 500.
4 Hambledon
Visit The Bat & Ball Innwhose famous landlordshave included Richard Nyrenwho ran Hambledon CricketClub, and AndrewFreemantle, a player whoNyren himself admired. Crossthe road and you’ll see astatue and the cricket pitchthat was once home to thefamous pavilion. Call 023 9263 2692 to booka table. Postcode: PO8 0UB
6 Alresford
In the eighteenth century thenoted cricketer Thomas Taylorwas landlord of The Globe inAlresford. Why not take inthe view of the lake overlunch and then walk aroundthe well preserved Georgiantown with its circular riverwalk that is remarkablyunchanged today. Alresford’scricketing connectionscontinued to recent times -Sun House, on Sun Lane wasonce home to legendarycommentator John Arlott.
7 West Meon
Thomas Lord, founder ofLord’s Cricket Ground, retiredto West Meon in theWinchester district. You canvisit The Thomas Lord an Arts& Crafts Inn named in hishonour to enjoy local producefrom their kitchen garden.View Lord’s tombstone at thelocal church to complete theexperience. To book a table atThe Thomas Lord call 01730 829 244. Postcode: GU32 1LN.
8 The Ageas Bowl
It seems Hampshire is notgoing to give up itsreputation as a centre ofcricketing excellence. The multi-million poundstadium started hosting Testseries in 2011. Visit www.ageasbowl.com to find out more about theevents taking place here.Postcode: SO30 3XH
8
2
3
1
6
7
4
Visit visitwinchester.co.uk for more information on cricket in thelocal area and places or interest.
“
The Lord legacy(1755-1832)
Thomas Lord, founder of Lord’sCricket Ground in London is buriedin the church yard of St. John'sChurch in West Meon. He retired into the village in 1830. An award-winning Arts & Crafts Innhas been trading there as theThomas Lord public house and restaurant since 1955.
Originally from Thirsk, North Yorkshire and Educated in Diss,Norfolk, Lord moved to London to bowl for the White ConduitClub. He met the 9th Earl of Winchilsea, George Finch and thefuture Duke of Richmond, Charles Lennox, who offered himthe financial backing he needed to build his first cricketground off Dorset Square. When the lease ran out on this,Lord purchased two fields in St John's Wood, and a groundwas completed there in 1809. In 1813 plans were agreed totransect this site with the Regency Canal so the ground wasmoved again to its present site where it opened in 1814.
The Bell Inn,
St Cross, has a full
sized score board
in the pub garden.
Did you know?
visitwinchester.co.uk
2
Walk along the watermeadows to the Bell Inn inSt Cross for a Cricketthemed outing!Postcode SO23 9RE
Thomas Taylor (1753-1806), a famous English criketer was thelandlord of this pub (see Alresford’s Hambledon Players, right).Today it’s a family and dog friendly experience with good foodand stuning views over the lake. Call 01962 733 118 to book.Postcode: SO24 9DB
The Bell Inn5 The Globe on
the Lake
5
It is the place where asimple countrypastime finally left itsorigins behind andshowed signs ofbecoming a nationalsport.
Excerpt from a framed
tribute to Hambledon in
The Bat & Ball Inn
The Hambledon era1750s: Formed as a private club by noblemen and country gentry,Hambledon Parish Club grew in prominence and Hambledon Cricket Clubwas founded in the 1760s. The actual players were hired professionals fromOdiham, Alresford, Farnham, Alton and Sussex - mixed teams of gentlemenand professionals played together as equals, generally played for fivehundred guineas a side (plus travel expenses) - a fortune at the time. Betstaken at the grounds added to the high financial stakes at play.
Hambledon remained the focal point of the game for about thirty yearsbetween the 1770s and the 1790s. Between 1772 and 1796 the club met‘All England’ in 66 matches and won 38 of them.
In its heyday, Hambledon Cricket Club was run by Richard Nyren, landlord ofThe Bat & Ball Inn (see map). By 1771 Nyren moved to The George Hotelwhere the club held its meetings.
Hambledon remained the pre-eminent club until theformation of Marylebone Cricket Club and theopening of Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1787. Althoughnot the first great cricket club in England, theHambledon is one of the earliest of which we havesubstantial knowledge, thanks to the recollections ofJohn Nyren (see picture), Richard’s son, entitled TheCricketers of My Time.
1782: Early matches were played on BroadhalfpennyDown. By 1782 the site of play had moved to Windmill Down, then thesite shifted again between 1808 and 1875 when Ridge Meadow (a levelfield between Broadhalfpenny Down and Windmill Down) came into use. The club still plays here today.
