Cricket from the North goes South

 Posted by Tony Hutton

This blog may be considered somewhat old fashioned by some, possibly because of the rather advanced ages of some of our contributors. However in our long history, covered by our archive which starts in 2008, I think we can rightly claim to be up to date with at least one modern trend - that of diversity. Although the majority of our stories relate to cricket in the north of England we have always travelled further afield with regular tours of southern parts. Therefore I was delighted to see two blogs this week which could almost be said to be poles apart, in a geographical sense, from Whitehaven and Bexhill-on-Sea.

Other events this week involving my activities on both Facebook and Twitter have reminded me of a trip I made back in 2002. I regularly check new postings on the excellent 'Cricket Grounds of Britain' site on Facebook and this week have been intrigued to see pictures of several grounds all over England which I had visited in the past. I particularly enjoy reading all the comments which follow each posting and have got into the habit of adding a picture of my own if appropriate.

                                     Trowbridge, Wiltshire.                

I came across a picture of the rather substantial pavilion at Trowbridge in Wiltshire, which looked familiar and reminded me of a visit in the early years of this century. Looking up my own detailed personal archive, I discovered this was in the middle of June 2002 and I was able to add my picture with flags flying due to the football world cup being played in Japan at that time. This provoked a reaction from the original author and also Chris Chatten of the Yorkshire Cricket Federation who had worked and played rugby in Trowbridge.

                         Corsham, Wiltshire                           

Looking back I was able to tell him that I spent the Saturday morning watching county championship  cricket (Somerset v Hampshire) in Bath, before doing a tour of Wiltshire grounds in the afternoon taking in Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Melksham, Corsham and Purton, where I spent the night at the splendidly named Pear Tree at Purton. The following day I stayed put at the County Ground, Swindon, adjacent to Swindon Town's football ground, to watch a Minor Counties game between Wiltshire and Dorset.

                                                             Swindon, Wiltshire.

This was only the start of what was a very carefully planned three week holiday with our base for the following week, after a day at The Parks in Oxford, being at my late wife's aunty's house in Lymington, Hampshire. This enabled me to see cricket at Winchester College and the Rose Bowl Nursery ground before a Saturday tour of Hampshire and Dorset league grounds. Fortunately the weather remained kind throughout the whole trip and to visit and take photographs of such grounds as Cadnam, Bramshaw, Whiteparish, Redlynch, Breamore, Hyde, Ellingham, Christchurch and Mudeford was a delight.

Breamore, Hampshire.

We then moved on to Sussex with another wonderful programme of matches starting with MCC playing against various public schools such as Ardingley, Hurstpierpoint and Lancing Colleges, all with very picturesque grounds. This was followed by Sussex v Yorkshire at Arundel Castle in a championship game which proved to be full of runs. Then a finish which went to the last ball, when former Yorkshire player Mark Robinson, one of the world's worst number eleven batsmen, playing out the last few overs to give Sussex the draw. I understand this was Robinson's last first class match. Darren Lehmann had earlier made a double century for Yorkshire.

Lancing College, Sussex.

                                                        

                                 Arundel Castle, Sussex.                    

We also managed a day trip into Kent to see MCC play Tonbridge School, which all the Cowdrey family had attended, and Kent seconds at Sutton Vallence. Then we returned to Hampshire for a weekend in the Isle of Wight with plenty of league cricket on the Saturday  and a few friendlies on the Sunday, which included Ventnor v The Honourable Artillery Company (no less). 

                                   Tonbridge School, Kent.                    

                   

                                     St. Helens, Isle of Wight.              

The final two days were spent watching more Minor Counties cricket at Bournemouth and Salisbury before the long journey back to Yorkshire, interrupted by a brief stop at Studley in Warwickshire to see the county's second eleven in action against Northants. Obviously an exhausting schedule, but one well worthwhile with so many pictures taken and memories which last for ever.

                              Dean Park, Bournemouth.