Twickenham Cricket Club

Twickenham Cricket Club

Twickenham Cricket Club is an amateur cricket club consisting of a number of teams of varying abilities, playing across various formats of cricket. The club’s pavilion is located on Twickenham Green, Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond. The main home ground is on Twickenham Green and is roughly triangular in shape, bordered by Staines Road (the A305) to the North, Hampton Road to the South East and First Cross Road to the West.

Early history

The earliest record of cricket being played in Twickenham dates back to 1735 by Lady Suffolk, in a letter to her husband, suggesting she had learned of the game at Marble Hill House and might practice that afternoon. Under the name of Twickenham Cricket Club, the club prides itself on being amongst the oldest sporting teams and oldest cricket teams in the world. The first recorded match played by Twickenham Cricket Club was on 29 July 1833 against Thames Ditton. The two clubs met again for a centenary match a hundred years later, the match stands unique as the only joint centenary match played by the original teams.

Records of the 1833 match can be found on display within the pavilion along with records of matches over the following 20 years, which provide a rare insight into the early form and traditions of the game. Some matches being played "For the Honour of the Game" whilst other games were played for "A New Ball". Other quirks of the early games include batsmen being "Thrown" rather than "Run Out" and "Hit Foot" rather than "LBW" or "Leg Before Wicket". What is currently termed as a victory "By and Innings" was then referred to as "Single Handed".

The old score cards show comparatively low scores, with 73 being the highest individual batsman’s score for the twenty-year period (by comparison, in the 2014 season alone, 11 Twickenham batsmen scored centuries).

1st XI

Since 2007, Twickenham’s premier side has competed in the Middlesex County Cricket League (MCCL), winning promotion from Division 3 in their inaugural season under the captaincy of Jon Varney. Promotion from Division 2 to the MCCL Premier Division followed in 2009 thanks in part to a successful season by Ts ex Colt James Munting who took 5 wickets on 6 occasions, a standing club record. New captain, The powerful top order batsman Carlos Nunes was also influential with the bat. In a dramatic final game of the 2009 season the Twickenham tail were guided from a seemingly impossible position by the experienced John Paul Cronje, to achieve the necessary draw against promotion rivals, Southgate CC, to pip them to promotion. The dramatic achievement was immortalised by the opposition’s light hearted, comical depiction of how Adolf Hitler may have interpreted the result, on YouTube.

Twickenham found Premier league cricket challenging, lasting just 2 seasons before they were relegated in 2011. The acquisition of Indian Left Arm spinner Parminder Singh in 2012 proved decisive as well as bringing on internal talent as he returned Twickenham CC best bowling figures of 18-8 early on in a season which saw him finish with a bowling average of just 10 runs per wicket taken. Promotion was secured with just 1 defeat all season and 12 victories (2 draws and 3 abandonments due to inclement weather). Singh continued leading the Twickenham attack and the records continued to be broken. In the 2013 season Twickenham finished mid table in the Premiership, thanks in no small part to Singh’s record breaking June when he took 18 wickets, the most by any Twickenham bowler in one month. In 2014 Singh took a club record 52 wickets in a season which saw Twickenham finish runners up only to Teddington in the club's highest ever league position.

Other competitive teams

In 2008 Twickenham increased their number of Saturday sides from the long-standing 4 teams to 5 with their 2nd XI and 3rd XI both playing in the appropriate MCCL Leagues. The 4th XI and 5th XI playing in the local 1987 league. Success of the higher rated teams in the club saw demand for places exceed supply in 2014 and in order to accommodate paid up members, a 6th XI was formed playing friendly matches. In the 2014 season, captains were Matthew Bendelow (2nd XI), Stuart Amos (3rd XI), Chetan Ubale (4th XI) and Hinay Dassani (5th XI). 6th Team captaincy varies from game to game and is the only club captain not elected.

Sunday cricket

Twickenham have traditionally had 2 Sunday men’s sides, one playing competitive cricket in the Thameside League, the other playing friendly games. Middlesex launched their Development League in 2012 in which youth is mixed with up to 2 senior players within a side. In order to encourage participation from the younger generation, Development Cricket is played in coloured kit (Pyjama Cricket) and with a pink ball – similar to televised one day cricket. Twickenham CC won the inaugural season of the competition.

Ladies cricket

Twickenham also runs a successful ladies team which competes in various forms of the game within Middlesex (League, Super 8 and T20). Twickenham ladies generally play games on Sunday’s and home games are played on The Green.

Colts cricket

In addition to adult cricket, Twickenham run a number of Colts teams for younger players. Training and introduction to the game of cricket is available from the age of 5 through the specially designed Kwik Cricket form of the game. From the age of 9 to 17, players are able to progress to competitive cricket against other local colts side in age groups of under 10, under 11, under 12, under 13, under 15 and under 17. The colts section is run by Colts Secretary; Tony Ward and training is available from ECB Qualified coaches.

Other sides

Twickenham Vets (Veterans) were established in 2012 and is made up of players over the age of 40. Friendly games are played regularly throughout the season, against teams of varying standards, including but not exclusively against other vets teams. Fixtures are played on Sundays and captained by James Richards.

Through the season, Twickenham compete in a number of midweek fixtures with home games played on The Green. Fixtures include competitive 20/20 games and other friendly fixtures. Twickenham’s cricket week is traditionally run the first full week of August and includes a number of friendly games – including an annual game against Thames Ditton – to commemorate the original game in 1833.

Twickenham annually runs an internal 6 a side tournament and regularly compete in the local Kew Sixes Tournament. Six-a-side tournaments are held over 1 day and tend to take a ‘World Cup’ format of group games followed by a knock out semi-final and final. Twickenham have also competed in indoor tournaments under the nickname "The Treefrogs" (due to the bright green clothing worn resembling that of the famous red-eyed tree frog immortalised by David Attenborough’s bestseller, Life on Earth).

Twickenham Green

Twickenham Green (or The Green) is the primary the home venue for Twickenham CC First XI and Second XI (with home games being played on alternate Saturdays). The Green is also the home venue for a number of fixtures on Sunday’s including the Lady’s XI as well as various midweek fixtures hosted by Twickenham CC. The Green has also hired by local businesses to play fixtures not involving Twickenham CC.

Twickenham Green is a surviving fragment of Hounslow Heath and aside from hosting cricket matches, The Green is believed to have been the location of a Pest House in the 19th Century for those unfortunate enough to be quarantined through infectious diseases. In 1894 The Green was the location of a water pump and it has also been the home of a Salvation Army Band. Prior to becoming the home of Twickenham Cricket Club in the Mid 1850’s, The Green was occupied by allotments and land allocated to the poor, there remains a listed Cattle Trough in the North East corner of The Green. The current owners of the land are London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and managed by the Parks and Open Spaces Service. The land is registered as Common Land.,

The Green is overlooked by The Holy Trinity Church of England Church to the South East and bordered by a number of shops to the North. The Southern corner is bordered by Archdeacon Cambridge's Church of England Primary School and the North East corner hosts a restaurant. There are in total 6 churches visible from The Green and when locals have spotted them all, time can be passed attempting to count as many visible London busses at any one time, due to the popular bus routes along Staines Road and Hampton Road combined with occasional heavy traffic.

Cricket is played at any time on the Western half of The Green with the remainder use for informal pursuits and picnicking by the public, particularly in good weather. On occasions The Green Hosts events including Circuses and Fairs. The Green has been bordered by Lime and Horse Chestnut Trees since 1872 which provide a home to birds, bats, invertebrates and fungi and is divided by a simple path running from Hampton Road to Staines Road.

In winter, the Green is the home venue for Thamesians Rugby Football Club and is also home to a cat called Zinzan who is rumoured to keep The Green free of vermin.

The pavilion

The pavilion is a white, rectangular shaped building housing changing facilities, washing facilities, storage facilities, a kitchen and a bar. The first floor is significantly smaller than the ground floor and is used for home team changing. The bulk of the ground floor is consumed by a bar and associated communal area where cricket teas are served and eaten. The building is serviced with terrestrial and satellite television as well as Wifi.

The pavilion is located in the southern corner of The Green on the apex of First Cross Road and Hampton Road. Parking for the Pavilion is available on these roads at a cost. The Pavilion is fronted by a raised veranda, is surrounded by paving and has a large clock facing the pitch in a traditional cricketing pavilion form.

The pavilion in its current state was opened by The Earl of Wessex on 19 April 2005 after the previous structure, referred to as "Jack The Stripper", was damaged by fire.

The total area of the pavilion covers fractionally over 100 square metres, including the storage space for ground maintenance equipment.

Notable players

Twickenham CC’s honours boards are displayed within the Pavilion and note members holding important positions including non-playing positions such as Secretaries and Chairmen and playing positions such as Team Captains and Club Captains.