Gravesend Cricket Club

Gravesend Cricket Club

Team information
Established	1881
Home venue	Bat and Ball Ground
Official website	gravesendcc.com

Gravesend Cricket Club is a cricket club which currently plays in Division 1 of the Kent Cricket League. The club was formed in 1881 when the Harkaway and Clarence Cricket Clubs were amalgamated to form the Gravesend Cricket Club. ^[1] The club continues to play at the Bat and Ball Ground which has itself been around for over 150 years (since 1848). First Class Cricket was played at "The Bat" (as it is affectionately known) by Kent County Cricket Club and its Second XI. In Autumn 2011, the club was awarded the ECB "Clubmark" status which acknowledges the colts section of the club.^{[ citation needed ]}

Cricket grounds

There are two different grounds that are used every week during the season by the four operating league sides and two grounds that are used occasionally by the Sunday sides. The Fifth XI play all of their games away, apart from one game which is annually played at The Bat & Ball against Detling CC. These grounds are:

• The Bat & Ball Ground - Played on alternatively by the First XI and Second XI
• Wombwell Park - Played on alternatively by the Third and Fourth XI
• Nurstead CC - Played on occasionally by the Third, Fourth and Sunday XIs
• GRFCC Ground - Played on occasionally by the Sunday XIs

Notable ex-players

• Simon Hinks - (1960-): Played for the club during the 1970s and early 1980s before going on to play First Class and List A cricket for Kent and Gloucestershire. ^[2]
• Matthew Walker - (1974-): Played for the club for 13 years during the late 1980s and 1990s before going on the play First Class cricket for both Kent and Essex as well as List A. Also played for England U19 and became the Head Batting Coach at Essex taking over from Graham Gooch in the winter of 2011. ^[3] He now plies his trade at his old stomping ground, Kent County Cricket Club, as Head Coach, after joining as Assistant Coach in the winter prior to the 2014 season.

References

1. Gravesend and Dartford Reporter, Saturday 19 February 1881
2. Simon Hinks First Class and List A Career https://cricketarchive.com/Kent/Players/4/4316/4316.html%5B%5D
3. https://cricketarchive.com/Players/4/4703/4703.html Matt Walker Cricket Career