Ground information | |||||
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Location | Aldershot, Hampshire | ||||
Coordinates | 51°15′37″N0°46′17″W / 51.2603°N 0.7713°W | ||||
Establishment | 1861 | ||||
International information | |||||
Only WT20I | 27 June 2011:![]() ![]() | ||||
Team information | |||||
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As of 5 September 2020 Source: Ground profile |
The Officers Club Services Ground is a cricket ground in Fleet Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, England. The ground was used as a host venue for first-class cricket by Hampshire and various services teams from 1905 to 1964, hosting nine matches. A Women's Twenty20 International was later played there in 2011.
Aldershot had been a small village until 1853, but was transformed following the purchase of 25,000 acres of land by the War Office for military training. [1] Over the following two decades Aldershot was transformed into a garrison town, by 1874 a number of cricket grounds, including the Officers Club Services Ground, had been constructed for use by the various regiments garrisoned there. [1]
The first recorded match to have been played there was in 1861 between the Knickerbockers and I Zingari. Over the coming decade the ground was used by the Aldershot Division in matches primarily against I Zingari and the Marylebone Cricket Club, though not exclusively as some matches were against other parts of the armed forces. [2] A pavilion was built in 1887. [1] Hampshire first played first-class cricket there in the 1905 County Championship against Surrey, [3] with Hampshire losing this match by 7 wickets. [4] Hampshire used the ground twice more as a venue before World War I, playing Surrey in 1906 and Somerset in 1910. This season also saw its first-class use by an armed services team, when a combined Army and Navy team played a combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities team, which marked the final first-class match played there before World War I. [3] First-class cricket did not return immediately after the war, the first match of note came in May 1932 when the Army played the touring Indians in a two-day non-first-class match, which was abandoned without a ball bowled. [2] [5] Later that year in June, first-class cricket returned to the ground when the Army played the touring South Americans, which the Army won by 5 wickets. [6]
The following season, the Army played another first-class match against the touring West Indians, which ended in a draw. Of note was the Army's opening partnership of 286 in their first-innings between Reginald Hudson and Cyril Hamilton. [7] This was the final first-class match held there before World War II, [3] despite visits from the touring Australians in 1934 and 1938, and from the West Indians in 1939, none of which were rated first-class. [2] A new pavilion was constructed to replace the original in 1936 and was opened by General Sir John Francis Gathorne-Hardy. [1] [8]
Minor matches between various armed services teams and the Oxford University Authentics were played during the war. Following the end of the war, Hampshire returned to playing first-class cricket at the ground, [3] playing two matches in 1948 against Cambridge University, which was drawn, [9] and the Combined Services, which Hampshire won by an innings and 60 runs. [10] These matches were the last first-class matches Hampshire would play there. First-class cricket did not return until 1964, when the final first-class held there was played between the Combined Services and Oxford University. [3] Both the Army and the Combined Services continued to play at the ground after this, doing so to this day. [2] More recently, a Women's Twenty20 International was played there in 2011 between India Women and New Zealand Women, [11] which India Women won by 3 wickets. [12]
Edward William Bastard was an English first-class cricketer who played for Oxford University and Somerset. Bastard was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, described in his Wisden obituary as Somerset's best bowler during his time with the club. Bastard was also part of the Oxford team often said to be the university's best ever.
Hampshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Hampshire. Hampshire teams formed by earlier organisations, principally the Hambledon Club, always had first-class status and the same applied to the county club when it was founded in 1863. Because of poor performances for several seasons until 1885, Hampshire then lost its status for nine seasons until it was invited into the County Championship in 1895, since when the team have played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England. Hampshire originally played at the Antelope Ground, Southampton until 1885 when they relocated to the County Ground, Southampton until 2000, before moving to the purpose-built Rose Bowl in West End, which is in the Borough of Eastleigh. The club has twice won the County Championship, in the 1961 and 1973 seasons.
Henry William "Harry" Lee was a professional English cricketer who played first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and Middlesex County Cricket Club between 1911 and 1934. He made one Test appearance for England, in 1931. An all-rounder, Lee was a right-handed batsman and bowled both off break and slow-medium pace bowling with his right arm. He scored 1,000 runs in a season on thirteen occasions. Part of the County Championship winning sides in 1920 and 1921, Lee aggregated 20,158 runs and took 401 wickets in first-class cricket.
When the First World War ended in November 1918, thousands of Australian servicemen were in Europe as members of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and many remained until the spring of 1919. In England, a new first-class cricket season was planned, the first since 1914, and an idea that came to fruition was the formation of an Australian touring side made up of servicemen. Agreement was reached with the Australian Corps HQ in London, commanded by Field Marshal William Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood, and the Australian Imperial Force Touring XI was formed, initially under the captaincy of pre-war Test player Charlie Kelleway. Kelleway departed after only six matches following a dispute about the fixtures list. A players' meeting elected future Test player Herbie Collins as team captain for the remainder of the tour, despite the fact that Collins' military rank was lance corporal and there were seven officers in the party. The bulk of the team remained intact for nearly nine months from May 1919, playing 33 matches in Great Britain, ten in South Africa on their way home and then another three in Australia itself before disbanding in February 1920. Of the 46 matches, 39 are adjudged first-class and the team had only four defeats, all of these in England. The players lived on their army pay and all profits from gate money went to an AIF Sports Control Board.
The Combined Services cricket team represents the British Armed Forces. The team played at first-class level in England for more than forty years in the mid-twentieth century. Their first first-class match was against Gentlemen of England at Lord's in 1920, while their last was against Oxford University at Aldershot in 1964. Combined Services have continued to play cricket thereafter, albeit at minor level.
The Sports Ground, Woodbridge Road is a cricket ground in Guildford, Surrey. The ground was given to the town in trust in 1911 by Sir Harry Waechter, Bart. Guildford Cricket Club play their home matches on the ground. Surrey County Cricket Club usually play at least one County Championship match there each season, as well as some second XI and Surrey Stars fixtures. Until comparatively recently, hockey was played on the ground in winter. The ground was also used for football until at least 1921. It was the home ground of the amateur team Guildford F.C. who existed until 1953 and was also used as the venue for some Surrey Senior Cup finals.
The County Ground in Southampton, England was a cricket and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club from the 1885 English cricket season until the 2000 English cricket season. The ground also served as the home ground for Southampton Football Club from 1896 to 1898.
In the 1773 English cricket season, there was a downturn in the fortunes of the Hambledon Club as their Hampshire team lost every match they are known to have played, and some of their defeats were heavy. Their poor results owed much to star bowler Thomas Brett having been injured. Three other county teams were active: Kent, Middlesex and Surrey. Teams called England took part in five matches, all against Hampshire, and won all five.
The Racecourse Ground is a cricket ground in Hereford. The ground is located inside Hereford Racecourse and is the only remaining former first-class cricket venue in England which lies inside a racecourse. It played host to first-class and List A cricket matches for Worcestershire County Cricket Club between 1919 and 1988, and minor counties matches for Herefordshire County Cricket Club from 1992 to 1996.
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army.
St George's Road Cricket Ground in Harrogate hosted 98 first class matches between 1882 and 2000.
May's Bounty is a cricket ground situated along Bounty Road in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. The ground is compact and is lined on all sides by trees, with its northern side overlooked by residential housing. The Bounty was used intermittently by Hampshire County Cricket Club in the early 20th-century, before Hampshire began to play there annually from 1966 to 2000. The ground is owned by the Basingstoke Sports and Social Club and is used in club cricket by Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club. The ground has a capacity for major matches of 2,500, while its end names are called the Town End to the north and the Castlefield End to the south.
The United Services Recreation Ground is a sports ground situated in Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The ground is also bordered to the north by Park Road, along which the railway line to Portsmouth Harbour and Gunwharf Quays overlooks the ground, and to the east by Anglesea Road. The southern end of the ground is dominated by the Officer's Club building, which overlooks the ground. The ground is owned by The Crown. A multitude of sports have been played at the ground, including cricket, rugby and hockey. The ground was used by Hampshire County Cricket Club from 1882 to 2000, serving as one of three home grounds used during this period, alongside the County Ground, Southampton, and Dean Park, Bournemouth. United Services Portsmouth Cricket Club currently play at the ground. The ground is used in its dual capacity as a rugby venue by United Services Portsmouth Rugby Football Club, who have played there since 1882. The Royal Navy Rugby Union also use the ground for their home matches. The end names are the Railway End to the north and the Officer's Club End to the south.
Victor Henry Douglas Cannings was an English cricketer, cricket coach and colonial police officer. Born in Hampshire in April 1919, Cannings joined the Palestine Police Force in 1938 and spent the Second World War in its service. After the war he secured a contract in county cricket with Warwickshire, playing first-class cricket for the county from 1947 to 1949, at which point he had fallen out of favour at Warwickshire. He was signed by Hampshire in 1950 and played first-class cricket for the county until 1959, forming a potent bowling partnership with Derek Shackleton. He took 834 wickets for Hampshire, the eighth most taken by any Hampshire player. Following his retirement, Cannings took up numerous coaching roles, most prominently at Eton College, where he spent 24 years.
John Thomas Gregory was an English first-class cricketer and British Army soldier.
John St John Frederick was an English first-class cricketer who played as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm roundarm fast bowler.
Christ Church Ground is a cricket ground in Oxford, England. The ground is owned by Christ Church, a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Owing to the University Parks being on public land where an admission charge could not be levied, the privately owned Christ Church Ground was the preferred venue in Oxford for matches where a gated admission was to be levied on spectators, typically in matches between Oxford University and a touring international team. The ground operated as a first-class cricket venue from 1878 to 1961, hosting 37 first-class matches. After 1961, the University Parks became the preferred venue for all first-class matches in Oxford, but it remained in use in minor counties cricket by Oxfordshire until the start of the 21st century. Today the ground is used by the Christ Church Cricket Club.
The 1885 season was an annus horribilis for Somerset County Cricket Club. Captained by Ted Sainsbury, who had taken over from Stephen Newton, captain for the previous three seasons, they played six first-class cricket matches. Somerset's only win of the season came in their first match; all the other were lost. Two of the losses, those away against Gloucestershire and Surrey, number among the county's ten heaviest defeats. Somerset were unable to field a full team for their fourth match, which coupled with their poor results and lack of fixtures resulted in the club being stripped of its first-class status at the end of the season.
The Rose Bowl, known for sponsorship reasons as Ageas Bowl is a cricket ground and hotel complex in West End, Hampshire. It is the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club, who have played there since 2001.
Ronald MacDonell Pryor was a Brazilian cricketer who played a number of international matches for the Brazilian national side. In 1932, he toured England with a combined South American team, making a single first-class appearance on tour.