The Cricketer dives into a selection of the best stories from around the club scene
Traditional, garden party, bohemian, nautical, eco-friendly – just some of the theme ideas you may stumble across while flicking through a wedding catalogue for inspiration. However, for Dominic Ascroft-Walker and his partner Alex Youngs, they opted for a slightly more unusual theme for their nuptials: cricket.
The pair married at Ascroft-Walker’s parents’ barn, enabling the Yelling Village CC captain to watch a match in the neighbouring field during the reception while the groom also wore a cricket-themed waistcoat. Other cricketing touches to the ceremony included shots served on cricket bats, a cake built around a set of stumps, and, of course, walking down the aisle to Soul Limbo.
Dunmow CC in Essex are belatedly celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2021 with a week of cricket festivities from August 20-30.
Formed in 1895, coincidentally the same year Essex made their debut in the County Championship, the club began life on Parsonage Downs before moving to Newton Hill, the 'Rec', and finally St Edmunds Lane, which they have called home since the mid-1960s. Several famous faces have graced the ground, including a young Graham Gooch in 1974 and ex-England captain Robin Fletcher as part of the club’s centenary celebrations in 1995.
Essex at Dunmow CC in 1974
The club’s Cricket Week festivities offers a range of activities for young and old, included a junior cricket camp, a women’s softball tournament and a three-day beer festival. For more information, follow @DunmowCC on Twitter or Facebook.
Tim Tector made Irish youth cricket history in July, smashing 241 runs to help YMCA Dublin post 353 for 2 in a T20 match against Adamstown U19s in Corkagh Park.
The 18-year-old, who is the younger brother of Ireland international Harry Tector, broke the record set by Mark Adair in 2011, when the Ireland bowling-allrounder scored 204 for Sullivan Upper.
Tector will captain Ireland U19s in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Spain this September.
Jon Brockwell set a club record for Wembdon CC
Elsewhere, Jon Brockwell set a new Wembdon CC bowling record when he took figures of 9 for 22 from his nine overs against Minehead in the WEPL Somerset Division. Two of the 30-year-old’s wickets were caught, three were bowled and four lbw while he was twice on a hattrick during the match.
Brockwell, who has been a member of the club since the age of nine, beat the previous best figures of 8 for 34 set by Darren Cross before the turn of the millennium.
And 72-year-old Phil Berry rolled back the years for Eastcombe CC, carrying his bat on his way to 109 not out against Frampton-on-Severn in the Martin Berrill Division Two of the Stroud & District Cricket Association.
Congratulations to 72 year old Phil Barry - carried his bat for superb 109 not out vs @framptonos 3s on the hottest day of the year.
— Eastcombe Cricket Club (@eastcombecc) July 18, 2021
Show me a better innings y'day - I'll wait#historymaker #philinamillion@GCBCricket @ECB_cricket @SDCA16 @StroudTimes @GlosCCL @ThatsSoVillage pic.twitter.com/9Qlfz5daSK
Caythorpe CC, in Nottinghamshire, had cause for celebration during their annual president’s day fixture with club stalwarts Alan Hunt and Bill Bennett each marking 50 years of dedicated service to the club.
Hunt is the club’s current president and a former first XI captain, leading the side to seven consecutive South Nottinghamshire League titles during his tenure in the 1970s and 1980s. Bennett, meanwhile, founded the club bar and has occupied a variety of positions during his half-century at the club, including groundsman, junior coach and president.
The occasion also marked the grand opening of the club’s new sight screens, paid for by Hunt and Bennett, with former Nottinghamshire and Surrey batsman Darren Bicknell on hand for the unveiling. The screens have been named in Bennett and Hunt’s honour.
Chairman Jon Lane (L), Bill Bennett, Alan Hunt and Darren Bicknell at Caythorpe CC
Most clubs opt for a gold plaque, an engraved bench or maybe a set of commemorative caps to mark their centenary season. However, Gloucestershire Gypsies CC have chosen to honour their milestone year in less traditional fashion, with club member Chris Coley, a keen racing enthusiast, deciding to purchase a racehorse for his yard and name it '100 not out' in the club’s honour. The horse, a steeplechaser trained by Fergal O’Brien, has competed in one race to date, finishing in fifth position.
"I thought given it’s our centenary, this would be a bit of fun," explained Coley. "[The members] weren’t surprised, knowing me, and many of them are keen on racing, so if wasn’t difficult to persuade them!"
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