Southern Tour - Warwickshire and Oxfordshire

Posted by Tony Hutton

Saturday 15th May

This was the first day of a two week holiday to visit cricket grounds in the Midlands and South West England. I had earmarked six grounds in the Cotswold Hills cricket league, all close to Stratford on Avon, two of which I had played on many years ago in the 1960s. The weather got us off to the best possible start with warm sunshine all day long.

First stop was at the ground of Alcester and Ragley, in the grounds of Ragley Hall, where they were taking on Overbury, whose ground I have visited on the flanks of Bredon Hill. Another perfect setting with a wooded hillside behind us, a stately home to the left and sheep sleeping in the shade under the trees on the other side.

A tidy pavilion and white picket fence completed the scene. The game started promptly right on time, with the players and umpires all looking very smart as they took the field. Only one wicket fell during our brief stay, but we learned later that Alcester were all out for 125 and lost comfortably by six wickets.

Next stop was in the tiny village of Exhall down narrow lanes and I was lucky to find a parking spot near the church, before entering down a narrow track to another fine vista with the pavilion to the left, woodland to the right and a sloping hillside with sheep grazing behind the bowler's arm. All was as I remembered apart from the modernized pavilion I think. Exhall & Wixford were piling up the runs against near neighbours Bidford-on-Avon.

I Later discovered that they made 233-9 with their skipper. Carmichael, making 128 not out. However it was not enough as the visitors requiring 13 off the last over, won with four off the last ball.

Back to civilization, so to speak, on the main road anyway, to see Bidford's second team playing Alcester & Ragley's second team. Through this large village then over the narrow bridge across the Avon, controlled by traffic lights, and an immediate right turn into The Big Meadow. Here we found, not only the cricket going on but an antique vehicles fair, together with a fairground and hundreds of people enjoying the sunshine and picknicking on the river bank.

The ground was exactly as I remembered, not particularly attractive, but splendidly situated so near the river. What a splendid address too - The Big Meadow, Honeybourne Road, Bidford-on-Avon.

Taking a back lane along the southern side of the river, we next came to Welford-on-Avon, a village I had visited before, but had not seen the cricket ground. It is famous for a splendid eating pub, the Bell, and it's huge maypole. The cricket ground is tucked away in Synder Meadow, with lots of land which also accommodates the local soccer team.

Runs were not coming that quickly here, with wickets falling regularly, but everyone, including opponents Winchcombe from Gloucestershire seemed to be enjoying the sunshine.

Then back onto the main Stratford-Oxford Road, it was on to one of the highlights of the day, with a sudden unmarked right turn into the country estate of Alscot Park, Preston-on-Stour, with what appeared to be race horses grazing in the adjoining field and sheep and possibly deer in the far distance. A line of chestnut trees in full bloom guarded the main road side of the ground. This is the home of the Stratford Bards, who were racking up the runs in fine style against near neighbours Wellesbourne. They eventually finished their 45 overs with 297-2. Nobody scored a century but one of the openers was out for 96.

Further south down the main road we came to Shipston-on-Stour, a small town I had passed through before, but had not stopped. The ground is on the main London Road, just south of the town and part of a multi-sport complex. The tea interval was being taken, so time for a cup of coffee before visitors Henley-in-Arden set off in pursuit of the home total of 225-7. A functional looking two storey pavilion looked down on the ground, with a rural aspect beyond and the small river running alongside the bottom hedge.

Then it was over the Warwickshire county boundary in Oxfordshire and at Chipping Norton just outside the town on the Banbury Road, the players were also just emerging after the tea interval, all looking suitably well fed in a large modern pavilion again with very rural surroundings. This was Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division five no less with Chesterton the visitors chasing 187-8, which they failed to reach by fifty runs.

Our final stop before reaching our overnight accommodation was at Kidlington a large village on the outskirts of Oxford. Within recent years they have moved to a new huge sports complex, Stratfield Brake, just off the main A41 road. The word 'brake' comes from the line of trees on the perimeter which acts as a wind brake to the extensive open fields. A huge two storey pavilion caters for rugby players as well as cricketers and the whole set up is very impressive.

One peculiarity was the portable score-box, on wheels, as a permenant structure was not allowed by the green belt planning regulations. This was Division nine of the Oxfordshire Association as Kidlington 2nd XI chased visitors Faringdon 2nd XI's total of 280-3. Two players including the fieldsman I spoke to had scored centuries. Not bad for second teamers!