HISTORY OF SHELDWICH CRICKET CLUB

No complete history of Sheldwich Cricket Club exists anywhere. However, Dudley Soanes, a life member of the club, and its current treasurer, has done some extensive research, and here are his findings …

There are records that indicate that cricket was played in the village of Sheldwich from, no later than 1835. At this time games were played in the park in front of the Lees Court mansion, home of Lord Sondes. In the mid 1800s county cricket hardly existed, and the most important matches tended to be between teams representing “the big houses”, and we may assume that the team of Lord Sondes was quite strong.

It is with some confidence that it can be stated that no cricket was played on the current ground on Lees Court Road until 1922. There is little doubt that the then Earl of Sondes was involved in the early days of Sheldwich Cricket Club’s official history, when the club started playing on its current ground at Sheldwich Lees. A local tailor, Mr Horace Jackson, assisted by his brother, did most of the groundwork. Very few games were played for in these early years at the Lees, and only on Saturdays. All the games that were played were against local sides such as, Badlesmere, Challock, Sharsted and Davington. By 1930 a fairly strong team existed, but unfortunately there are no official records that still exist.

I joined the club in 1946 after the war. The square was much closer to the road, than its current position (hard to believe! - Ed), and 2 was scored if the ball touched the road, and 4 if it dropped over. No pavilion or toilets existed. The kit, such as it was, was stored in a locker in the then village hall, which was a long tin hut under the trees. We laid the kit under a big tree and came into bat, crossing the road.

Bob Punger, who lived in the village, and had played there before the war, was captain and groundsman, and the club owes him so much for his dedication and hard work. His wife, Gwen, did all the teas, and dished out b*ll**kings left, right, and centre!!

In these early post-war years there were still relatively few games being played, and still against very local opposition on Saturdays. Any games farther a field required the hiring of a coach.

After a couple of years the square was moved to the centre of the green. The outfield was cut by local farmer, Tom Crawford’s tractor driver, with his farm mower, sometimes as much as once a week. Sometime in the late 1940s the club was given a scout hut measuring 16 feet by 14 feet to use as a pavilion. It was dragged across the Lees, and a lot of brambles were cut away from where the current pavilion is located.

Both teams changed in this hut, and the mower and kit were stored in it. There were no washing facilities, and if the ladies wished to “powder their noses”, they were forced into the woods, whilst eyes were averted!!

In the early 1950s, Sheldwich CC managed to acquire the pavilion from Badlesmere, which had ceased to exist. This was about the same size as the existing pavilion, and was used by opposition players as their changing room, and as a store for the mower.

In 1966, with the aid of a £500 loan, the club bought part of its current pavilion. This was a 35 feet by 14 feet Passmore building, which was erected on concrete plinths. It made two changing rooms, and a centre area to store the kit. A veranda, with a glazed roof was also added.

In 1980, a further 18 feet by 14 feet extension was added. For the first time this meant that there were home and away changing rooms, a dining area, and a serving area.

It was not until the early 1990s that the pavilion was wired for electricity! It was at this time that a shower block and toilets were also added.

1992 saw the completion of a proper kitchen area. This along with many of the other projects undertaken before and since, have had the labour supplied by willing and able hands from within the club’s own ranks.

It is not possible to say exactly when cricket started being played by Sheldwich CC on a Sunday. However, a 1951 fixture card records a full complement of Saturday and Sunday fixtures. By the late 1950s the amount of cricket being played on a Saturday had been greatly reduced, but there was a full program of Sunday fixtures.

In 1982 Sheldwich CC joined the Whitbread and Swale leagues. In 1983 an “A” XI was formed, but only played on Sundays.

Following the dropping of the Whitbread league in 1989, and the Swale league in 1992, Sheldwich CC joined the Invicta League. The Invicta League requires two sides to be fielded on a Saturday, so it was at this time a second team on a Saturday was also created. We still play in the Invicta league, and maintain a full fixture list on Sundays, . There is also a healthy Colts section who play in a local league on a Monday night throughout the middle of the summer and has over the years provided many of the fine cricketers who have represented Sheldwich.

SPECIAL THANKS to DUDLEY

who we all owe so much, for his continued dedication and time to Sheldwich Cricket Club since 1946!!