Wiltshire County Cricket Club
Encyclopedia
Wiltshire County Cricket Club is one of the county
clubs which make up the Minor Counties
in the English
domestic cricket
structure, representing the historic county of Wiltshire
and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy
.
The Minor Counties play three-day matches at a level below that of the first-class
game. At present, Wiltshire competes in the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship.
Grounds formerly used include:
John Major
points out that "cricket did not spread evenly across whole counties" but had a tendency towards "local adoption". He mentions a match at Stockton, Wiltshire
in 1799 which was reported as "an event so novel in the county of Wiltshire". But cricket was being played by then at several other venues in the county: e.g., Calne
, Devizes
, Marlborough, Salisbury
and Westbury
.
, also of Marylebone Cricket Club
(MCC), who had played a Test match
for England in South Africa in 1895–96.
Miller was succeeded as captain by Robert Awdry, who had played first-class cricket for Oxford University
through 1902–04. Awdry led the side until 1934 and the next captain from 1935 to 1939 was William Lovell-Hewitt, who made 3 first-class appearances for the Minor Counties through 1938–39.
The team experienced some lean seasons after the Second World War but improved during the 1950s under the captaincy of James Hurn
. The best players at this time were opening batsman John Thompson, formerly of Warwickshire
, who played regularly for Wiltshire from 1955 to 1958; and seamer Anthony Marshall
, who played occasionally for Kent
and was a Wiltshire stalwart from 1955 to 1970.
David Richards
, who played for Wiltshire from 1949 to 1965 was captain in the last three years of his career and the team were championship runners-up in both 1963 and 1964. Long-serving batsman Ian Lomax
, who played for Wiltshire from 1950 to 1970, captained the side in the mid-sixties and played first-class for Somerset and MCC. He was succeeded in 1968 by Brian White
, who served the county even longer, for 28 seasons from 1964 to 1991. White relinquished the captaincy after the 1980 season.
All-rounder Richard Gulliver
succeeded White and was captain until he retired in 1983. In Gulliver's last season, Wiltshire lost the Minor Counties Championship in the final match when they were beaten by Dorset
and that enabled Oxfordshire
to "pip them at the post".
Wiltshire has never won the MCCA Knockout Trophy
since its inception in 1983. The team was the beaten finalist in 1993, losing to Staffordshire
by 69 runs; and in 2005, losing to Norfolk
by 6 wickets. Wiltshire has reached the semi-finals on 4 other occasions.
Wiltshire has played numerous matches against first-class opponents, including touring teams, but none of these matches have themselves been classified as first-class. The team has played in several List A matches since 1964, all of them in the various incarnations of the ECB's limited overs knockout tournament. Wiltshire's best performance in these matches was a victory over Scotland by 7 wickets in 2000, but Wiltshire has never beaten a first-class team.
:
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
clubs which make up the Minor Counties
Minor counties of English cricket
The Minor Counties are the cricketing counties of England and Wales that are not afforded first-class status. The game is administered by the Minor Counties Cricket Association which comes under the England and Wales Cricket Board...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
domestic cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
structure, representing the historic county of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy
MCCA Knockout Trophy
The Minor Counties Cricket Association Knockout Cup was started in 1983 as a knockout one-day competition for the Minor Counties in English cricket...
.
The Minor Counties play three-day matches at a level below that of the first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
game. At present, Wiltshire competes in the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship.
Venues
The club is peripatetic as it currently plays its matches around the county at:- Salisbury and South Wiltshire Sports Club, SalisburySalisbury and South Wiltshire Sports ClubSalisbury and South Wiltshire Sports Club is a cricket ground in Salisbury, Wiltshire. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1854, when South Wiltshire played an All England Eleven. The ground hosted its first Minor Counties Championship match when Wiltshire played Hertfordshire in 1905...
– first used in 1905 (formerly Bemerton Sports Ground, Salisbury) - Station Road, Corsham – first used in 1998
- Trowbridge Cricket Club GroundTrowbridge Cricket Club GroundTrowbridge Cricket Club Ground is a cricket ground in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The ground is the main home ground of Wiltshire County Cricket Club....
– first used in 1895
Grounds formerly used include:
- British Rail Ground, Swindon – 1901 to 1992 (formerly Great Western Railway Ground, Swindon)
- County Ground, SwindonCounty Ground, SwindonThe County Ground is a stadium located near the town centre of Swindon, England. It is home to Swindon Town Football Club and has been for over a century.The current capacity is 15,728, all-seated...
– 1897 to 1998 - Hardenhuish Park, Chippenham – 1902 to 1989
- London Road, Devizes – 1965 to 1992
- Marlborough College Ground, Marlborough – 1920 to 1993
- Melksham Town Cricket Club Ground, Melksham – 1912 to 1922
- Savernake Forest Ground, Marlborough – 1994 to 2000
- The Worthys, Malmesbury – 1972 to 1976
- Warminster Cricket Club Ground, Warminster – 2000 only
- Wellhead Lane, Westbury – 1912 to 2003
Honours
- Minor Counties Championship (2) – 1902, 1909; shared (0) –
- MCCA Knockout Trophy (0) –
Earliest cricket
Cricket probably reached Wiltshire by the end of the 17th century. The earliest known reference to cricket in the county is dated 1769.John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
points out that "cricket did not spread evenly across whole counties" but had a tendency towards "local adoption". He mentions a match at Stockton, Wiltshire
Stockton, Wiltshire
Stockton is a small village in the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire, England .-Location and extent:The village is close to Codford, south of the A36 road, between the town of Warminster and the city of Salisbury....
in 1799 which was reported as "an event so novel in the county of Wiltshire". But cricket was being played by then at several other venues in the county: e.g., Calne
Calne
Calne is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty....
, Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, Marlborough, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
and Westbury
Westbury, Wiltshire
Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.-Name:The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same...
.
Origin of club
A county organisation was formed on 24 February 1881. The present Wiltshire CCC was founded in January 1893, and joined the Minor Counties Championship for the 1897 season, competing every season since then.Club history
Wiltshire has won the Minor Counties Championship twice, in 1902 and 1909. The Edwardian years were the club's "most successful period" and a 1903 report described the team as "the equal of any first-class county". Wiltshire's original captain, until 1920, was Audley MillerAudley Miller
Audley Montague Miller was an amateur cricketer who played one Test match for England, and stood as a Test umpire in two matches....
, also of Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(MCC), who had played a Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for England in South Africa in 1895–96.
Miller was succeeded as captain by Robert Awdry, who had played first-class cricket for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
through 1902–04. Awdry led the side until 1934 and the next captain from 1935 to 1939 was William Lovell-Hewitt, who made 3 first-class appearances for the Minor Counties through 1938–39.
The team experienced some lean seasons after the Second World War but improved during the 1950s under the captaincy of James Hurn
James Hurn
James Hurn was an English cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman who played for Wiltshire. He was born in Melksham.Hurn, who played for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties Championship between 1952 and 1961, made his sole List A appearance for the team in the 1964 Gillette Cup, against Hampshire...
. The best players at this time were opening batsman John Thompson, formerly of Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
, who played regularly for Wiltshire from 1955 to 1958; and seamer Anthony Marshall
Anthony Marshall (cricketer)
Anthony Granville Marshall was an English cricketer. Marshall was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium-fast.Marshall made his first-class debut for Kent against Glamorgan in 1950...
, who played occasionally for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and was a Wiltshire stalwart from 1955 to 1970.
David Richards
David Richards (cricketer)
David Michael Richards is a former English cricketer. Richards was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium. He was born at Bath, Somerset and educated at Cheltenham College....
, who played for Wiltshire from 1949 to 1965 was captain in the last three years of his career and the team were championship runners-up in both 1963 and 1964. Long-serving batsman Ian Lomax
Ian Lomax
Ian Raymond Lomax played cricket for more than 20 years for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties and latterly in List A cricket, and also played in first-class matches for a variety of amateur sides, including the Free Foresters and MCC...
, who played for Wiltshire from 1950 to 1970, captained the side in the mid-sixties and played first-class for Somerset and MCC. He was succeeded in 1968 by Brian White
Brian White (cricketer)
Brian Humphrey White is a former English cricketer. White was a left-handed batsman. He was born at Salisbury, Wiltshire....
, who served the county even longer, for 28 seasons from 1964 to 1991. White relinquished the captaincy after the 1980 season.
All-rounder Richard Gulliver
Richard Gulliver
Richard James Gulliver is a former English cricketer. Gulliver was a left-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born at Bowerchalke, Wiltshire....
succeeded White and was captain until he retired in 1983. In Gulliver's last season, Wiltshire lost the Minor Counties Championship in the final match when they were beaten by Dorset
Dorset County Cricket Club
Dorset County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Dorset and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
and that enabled Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire County Cricket Club
Oxfordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Oxfordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
to "pip them at the post".
Wiltshire has never won the MCCA Knockout Trophy
MCCA Knockout Trophy
The Minor Counties Cricket Association Knockout Cup was started in 1983 as a knockout one-day competition for the Minor Counties in English cricket...
since its inception in 1983. The team was the beaten finalist in 1993, losing to Staffordshire
Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Staffordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
by 69 runs; and in 2005, losing to Norfolk
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
by 6 wickets. Wiltshire has reached the semi-finals on 4 other occasions.
Wiltshire has played numerous matches against first-class opponents, including touring teams, but none of these matches have themselves been classified as first-class. The team has played in several List A matches since 1964, all of them in the various incarnations of the ECB's limited overs knockout tournament. Wiltshire's best performance in these matches was a victory over Scotland by 7 wickets in 2000, but Wiltshire has never beaten a first-class team.
First-class players
The following Wiltshire cricketers also played with distinction in first-class cricketFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
:
- Audley MillerAudley MillerAudley Montague Miller was an amateur cricketer who played one Test match for England, and stood as a Test umpire in two matches....
– MCCMarylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
and England (1895 to 1903) - Bev Lyon – GloucestershireGloucestershire County Cricket ClubGloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
(1921 to 1948) - Jim SmithJim Smith (cricketer)Cedric Ivan James Smith was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1935 to 1937....
– MiddlesexMiddlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
and England (1934 to 1939) - John Thompson – WarwickshireWarwickshire County Cricket ClubWarwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
(1938 to 1954) - Anthony MarshallAnthony Marshall (cricketer)Anthony Granville Marshall was an English cricketer. Marshall was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium-fast.Marshall made his first-class debut for Kent against Glamorgan in 1950...
– KentKent County Cricket ClubKent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
(1950 to 1954) - Ian LomaxIan LomaxIan Raymond Lomax played cricket for more than 20 years for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties and latterly in List A cricket, and also played in first-class matches for a variety of amateur sides, including the Free Foresters and MCC...
– SomersetSomerset County Cricket ClubSomerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
and MCCMarylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(1962 to 1965) - Andrew CaddickAndrew CaddickAndrew Richard Caddick is a retired cricketer who played for England as a fast-medium bowler. At 6 ft 5in, Caddick was a successful bowler for England for a decade, taking 13 five-wicket hauls in Test matches...
– SomersetSomerset County Cricket ClubSomerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
and England (1991 to 2009) - Jon LewisJon LewisJonathan "Jon" Lewis is an English cricketer. He was brought up in Swindon where he went to Churchfields School and Swindon College. He played for Swindon CC and, in Minor Counties cricket, for Wiltshire County Cricket Club in 1993. He joined Northamptonshire in 1994 and played for its Second XI...
– GloucestershireGloucestershire County Cricket ClubGloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
and England (from 1995) - James TomlinsonJames TomlinsonJames Andrew Tomlinson is an English cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-pace bowler.Having made his way through the Cardiff UCCE side, he got a chance to perform for the Hampshire second XI, and spent a season with Wiltshire in 2001.His best bowling for Hampshire was a...
– HampshireHampshire County Cricket ClubHampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
(from 2002) - Liam DawsonLiam DawsonLiam Andrew Dawson is an English cricketer who currently plays for Hampshire and is a member of the England under-19s. He is a right-handed batsman and bowls slow left-arm orthodox....
– HampshireHampshire County Cricket ClubHampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
(from 2007)