Cambridgeshire Cricket

Cambridge University 1710

Wisbech 1744

March 1744

Eton v England 1751

Cambridge 1757

Royston 1764

Chatteris 1774

Newmarket 1788

Manea 1791

Thorney 1810

Newton 1812

Leverington 1812

Murrow 1812

Parson Drove 1812

Ickleton 1813

Bentwick 1815

Doddington 1815

Wimblington 1815

Elm 1816

Ely 1818

Bassingborn 1820

Tholomas Drove 1820

Wisbech St Mary's 1820

Bottisham 1821

Fulbourn 1821

Soham 1822

Abington 1822

Walsoken 1826

Longstowe 1826

Bourn 1826

Linton 1827

Chesterton 1828

Whittlesey 1829

Cambridgeshire 1832

Mepal 1833

Sutton 1833

French Drove 1834

Fordham 1834

Balsham 1838

Sawston 1838

Comberton 1839

Haslingfield 1839

Steeple Bumpstead 1839

Barrington 1839

Melbourn 1839

Willingham 1839

Camps 1840

Cheveley 1841

Newport 1841

Quy 1841

Chippenham 1843

Kirtling 1843

Grantchester 1843

Haddenham 1843

Over 1844

Littlington 1844

Foxton 1844

Swavesey 1844

Fowlmere 1844

Shepreth 1844

Harston 1844

Thriplow 1845

Elsworth 1846

Toft 1846

Ashley 1849

Eversden 1849

Wimpole 1849

Arrington 1849

Burrough Green 1849

Burwell 1849

Swaffham 1849

Six Mile Bottom 1849

Harston 1849

Caldecote 1849

Shudy Camps 1850

Aldreth 1850

Babraham 1850

Waterbeach 1850

Horseheath 1851

Swaffham Prior 1851

Cambridge Cricket Venues

From 1757

Jesus Green
From 1792

Parker's Piece
From 1805

Jesus Close

From 1820

Midsummer Common

1821-30

University private

ground Mill Rd

From 1846

Field behind Town Gaol

From 1848

Fenner's

My Research So Far

So far my research has consisted mostly of trawling local newspapers, consulting the wonderful Cambridgeshire Collection and reading any book that I think may contain relevant information. Some of this has been courtesy of the Cambridge University Library, which also houses the fascinating Cambridge University CC archives.

Cambridge Clubs 1800-61

1800-1826 Cambridge Cricket Club (CCC) All matches attributed to Cambridge Town Club during these years were played by the CCC.

1822 - 1837 Cambridge Castle CC A club based at the Castle Inn which began life as a junior club but was soon on an equal standing with Cambridge's other pub clubs, which between them revived the town's cricket. The 1828 matches against March were played by the Castle Club.

1827 - 1829 Cambridge Union CC A club based at the Union Tavern which played, amongst other matches, the annual Town v University match and 4 prestigious matches against Islington Albion.

1827 -1830 Cambridge Hoop CC Another pub club based at the Hoop Inn which played several out of town matches, including one against Swaffham in 1830 (called Cambridge Town Club v Norfolk by Haygarth).

1830 - 1837 Cambridge Town Not a club at all (as far I can tell), but an occasional team of the Town's best which contended the annual Town v University matches and the 1832 match on Parker's Piece against the MCC. In standard this team was a step up from the pub clubs.

1838 - 1843 Cambridge Town CC Usually called Cambridge Town Club (CTC). This was an attempt to formalise and Cambridge Town team and expand on its success.

1844 - 1847 Cambridge Town & County CC (CT&CC). A revised CTC which had County Club pretentions. Rowland Bowen called this the County Club although it never quite managed to become so, despite its huge success against other towns, Norfolk and Suffolk, the MCC and even the Gentlemen of England.

1848 - 1849 Cambridge Town No CTC existed at this time.

1849 Cambridge Town with Cambridge University. One-off match against the All England Eleven.

1851 Cambridge Town & County Club A reformed CT&CC.

1852-1855 Cambridge Town

1856 Cambridge Town & County Club Another reformed CT&CC.

1857- 1860 Cambridge Town

1861 Cambridge Town Club Formed in response to complaints at there being no County Club. Organised at least one match with Kent which has ever since been regarded as a full county match.

Cambridgeshire cricket 1700-1848

Pre 18th Century - a first possible reference to cricket in Cambridgeshire:

1616 - Oliver Cromwell went up to Sidney College Cambridge in 1616 where he is said to have "spent much of his time......at foot-ball,cricket and other robust exercises, for his skill and expertise in which he was famous." (From A New and General Biographical Dictionary; containing An Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons in every Nation; Particularly the British and Irish […] Vol. III. London. Printed for T. Osborne […] M DCC LXI, quoted in Ian Maun "From Commons to Lord's"(Roger Heavens 2009) .

18th century

The first clear reference to cricket being played in Cambridgeshire comes from 1710 when a record of a dispute at Trinity College Cambridge mentions the game as one of the student pastimes. Cricket seems to have continued within the university but has not been found in records in the form of organised matches until 1754. By this time the game had been played between the north Cambridgeshire towns of Wisbech and March in 1744 and the rest of the century appears to have seen more obvious development of cricket in the county as a whole than within the university. By the year 1799 cricket had been played in or by teams from March, Wisbech, Cambridge, Royston, Chatteris, Newmarket and Manea.

See the "18th century" page for details of 18th century cricket in Cambridgeshire.

1800-21

This is a period of conspicuous success for the Cambridge Cricket Club (CCC), which may have been in existance prior to these dates but only sporadically.

In the first twenty years of the 19th century the Cambridge Cricket Club dominated Cambridgeshire cricket as well as much of East Anglia, defeating St Ives, Saffron Walden, Royston, Biggleswade, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Bishop Stortford. It's peak of success was in 1816.

From 1817 the CCC had a less consistant run of results against the likes of Holt of Norfolk, Biggleswade, Newmarket, Cambridge University, Peterborough, and Bury St Edmunds, but the opposition was good. Matches had stakes as high as £100, considerable press coverage and a festival atmosphere.

It was not until 1822 after the University club had obtained a private ground and probably deprived the CCC of considerable financial support that a rapid decline set in.

By 1821 cricket had been played by teams or individuals representing Wisbech, Cambridge, Chatteris, Manea, Newmarket, Thorney, Royston, March, Newton, Leverington, Murrow, Parson Drove, Bentwick, Doddington, Ickleton, Kingston,Wimbington, Sutton, Emneth, Ely, Bassingbourn, Tholomas Drove, Wisbech St Mary's, Bottisham and Fulbourn.

Cambridge players from this period included Bell, W & H Bird, George Fenner, W Martin, Medlicot, H J & M Page, D & J Scott & J H Dark. Newmarket players included W Chiffney, Hilton, Sankey, Tilbrook, J & W Weatherby. Several of these had horseracing connections.

See the "1800-21" page for details of the matches during this period.

1822-37

In the 1820's cricket in the county was fighting to revive itself. In Cambridge this took the form of the pub clubs and the university which between them successfully re-established a tradition of competitive cricket. The progress of the pub clubs led to the Cambridge town teams of 1830-37. Alongside Cambridge teams elsewhere in the county, such as March and Chatteris grew stronger, Chatteris briefly challenging Cambridge as a centre for Cambridgeshire cricket.

Fuller Pilch of Norfolk, Kent and Cambridgeshire

Fuller Pilch is best known for his appearances for Kent and in various "great matches" of the mid 19th century. Perhaps less well known are his connections with Cambridgeshire.

Having apparently severed his connections with the Bury St Edmunds club around 1831 he appears to have had connections with Cambridge University CC, possibly as an engaged professional, in 1832 and 1835.

More surprisingly, also in 1832, Pilch played one match for a Cambridge Town side and two for a Cambridgeshire side, all against the MCC. The latter two matches are debatably the first representative Cambridgeshire sides and his inclusion alongside William Caldecourt, another Cambridge University professional, is probably explained by his association with the University club. Cambridgeshire won these two matches thanks mainly to Pilch's efforts. See below and "The first Cambridgeshire sides" for more details of his Cambridgeshire connections in 1823,-32 and -35.

1823 - Fuller Pilch played on Parker's Piece in Cambridge for Bury St Edmunds against Biggleswade. The latter complained about this hitherto unknown (to them) player being included as a bowler and he was apparently prevented from bowling in that match.

1826 - The CCC played its last match having only played the odd match per season over the previous few years.

1828 - by 1828 the CCC had been replaced by the Union, Castle, Fountain and Hoop clubs which were all based at Cambridge pubs.

1824-36 - The pub clubs followed in the CCC's footsteps by playing old opponents such as Saffron Walden, Biggleswade and Newmarket and trod new ground by taking on such teams as Swaffham of Norfolk, Chatteris, March and Islington Albion.

1832 - A Cambridgeshire side including players from Cambridge and Chatteris, Sir St Vincent Cotton, playboy and MCC member, from Madingley and given players Fuller Pilch and William Caldecourt defeated the MCC twice. A Cambridge Town side, including Pilch and Caldecourt, defeated the same opponents. These victories were in large part thanks to the performances of Fuller Pilsh who scored: 50 and 41 not out in the first Cambridgeshire match, as well as taking 5 wickets and a catch; 28 and 6 wickets in the 2nd match; and 18 and 2 notout with 5 wickets and a catch for the Town side.

Sir St Vincent Cotton

The nearest C19th Cambridgeshire cricket had to noble patronage was Sir St Vincent Cotton of Madingley Hall just north of Cambridge. He was also a player, renowned for being a hard-hitter,although in 68 innings played for a variety of teams including Gentlemen v Players, Clarence Club, MCC and Cambridgeshire he made only 4 innings of over 15 runs, top score 34. The rest were mostly in the low single figures. He also took 5 wickets in an innings just once. His appearances in Scores and Biographies run from 1829-35.

Curiously two of his highest scores were made on Parker's Piece - 19 for MCC v Cambridge Town in 1833 and 34 for MCC v Cambridge University in 1835.

By 1844 he was no longer playing but was president of Cambridge Town and County Club for the first three years of its existence, but if the new club were expecting financial help from his patronage they were probably dissapointed. He was a profligate gambler who spent most of his mother's money. He is said once to have bet £1,000 on a snail race.

In his younger days Cotton had been a croney of

fellow sportsman and gambler George Osbaldeston and had tried his hand at billiards, riding and boxing as well as cricket.

As his debts mounted he turned to driving horse-drawn coaches. In 1836 he bought "The Age", driving it between London and Brighton to supplement his income, sometimes under the name of Sir Vincent

Twist. In sporting circles this appears to have been seen as a noble enterprise although not everyone agreed. In 1834, following an accident to the "Cambridge Star" driven by Cotton, the following comment was made in a letter from "A Traveller" to the Cambridge Chronicle: "I have no such confidence in Sir St Vincent Cotton; and I consider the lives of our fellow-townsmen too serious a concern to be put to hazard for the gratification of the ambition of him or any other amateur whip who may wish to try experiments of his own skill at other people's expence."

1834 - A similar Cambridgeshire side, but without Pilch and Caldecourt, was beaten easily by a Nottinghamshire side.

1835 - Single wicket match on Parker's Piece. Charles Parnther, Wm Caldecourt and Samuel Redgate v Frank Fenner, Saunders and Fuller Pilch. The former team won by 25 runs.

- Dan Hayward senior and West scored 112 and 105 for Chatteris v St Ives.

1822-37 - Cambridgeshire based players from this period included John Boning, John Crouch, Davies, David Bush Edwards, F P Fenner, J & W Hall, and Sussums from Cambridge and Dan Hayward, West Fryer and Glasscock from Chatteris.

1837 - Cambridge Town Club (CTC) formed to formalise the Cambridge town team which had represented the town since 1830.

1838-43

Cambridge again took the lead through the town team that evolved first into the Cambridge Town Club and then the Cambridge Town and County Club in 1844.

1838 - 43 - First of 4 joint Town and University sides which played MCC during a period of close co-operation between the two clubs. The Cambridge Town Club had some success but did not play many matches.

1844-48

1844 - Cambridge Town and County Club (CT&CC) formed in order to improve the administration and performances of the CTC. This was not a county club but certainly had ambitions to be so.

1844 - Charles Pryor scored 103 for CT&CC v CU.

1844-7 - the Cambridge Town and County Club was phenomenally successful for four years playing 26 matches and winning 19, including matches against Norfolk, the Auberies, Gravesend, MCC and Gentlemen of England among their defeated opponents.

1844-47 - players for CT&CC included Charles Arnold, Fred Bell, John Boning, Henry Cornwell, Alfred "Ducky" Diver, F P Fenner, Israel Haggis, Dan Hayward, RT King, OC Pell, Charles Pryor, Robert Ringwood, and Thomas Snow. FP Fenner was the club's major all-rounder, Captain and Secretary.

1846 - Earl of Stanford and Lord Burghley opened a private ground behind Cambridge Town Gaol. One of the matches played on this ground was an early match of I Zingari.

1848 - By 1848 the Cambridge University club was also reasonably strong and some of its members asked Fenner to develop a private ground. F P Fenner extended the private ground, combining two adjacent fields. This became Fenner's Cricket ground the home of the CU Cricket Club.

1848 - The CT&CC refused Fenner's offer to play on his ground and folded without playing another match.

"Infant" Winterton

   some infant!

Rereading Pycroft's Cricket Field I recently came across a reference to Cambridge's Charles Winterton who played for the Cambridge Town and County Club, Cambridge Town Club and Cambridge Britannia Club from the 1840's through to the '60's, although he did not go on to represent his county. Pycroft confirms the impression from Felix's picture above ( Winterton is standing fourth from right with bat in hand) that the Cambridge wicket-keeper was "not much less" than 20stone in weight. More interesting, perhaps is Pycroft's apparent reference to Winterton as "a certain infant genius......of good Cambridge town". At the time of this edition (1851) Winterton was 29, although he had, to be fair, made his debut for the town at the age of 16. Unfortunately for him, he was replaced in the successful Town and County side by Dan Hayward, who was the better batsman - some things never change.

1822-48 - During this period cricket was played for the first time in or by Little Abbington, Walton & Walsoken, Bourn, Long Stowe, Duxford, Linton, Chesterton, Whittlesey, Caxton, Elm, French Drove, Fordham, Ashley, West Wratting, Borough Green, Balsham, Soham, Sawston, Comberton, Haslingfield, Barrington, Melbourne, Willingham, Swaffham, Parson Drove, Haddenham, Chippenham, Kirtling, Granchester, Over, Shepreth, Littlington, Swavesey, Foxton, Fowlmere, Harston, Thriplow, Elsworth, Toft, Cheveley, Guilden Morden and Hinxton.

N B - A fuller account of the period 1822-48 should appear in my next book, details of which will be placed on this website.

1848 onwards

- from 1848 on the University Club had principal if not sole use of Fenner's ground which was at least one factor in its gradual rise to first-class status.

- whilst cricket continued in Cambridge town, university and county it was not until 1857 that what has usually been seen as Cambridgeshire Cricket's peak period began in the form of a highly successful county side.

- in fact there was not one Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club during the period 1857-71 but several different bodies, some formal clubs such as the two Cambridge County Clubs and Cambridge Town Club and some not. County matches across this period were arranged when they could be afforded and a team could be got together. Despite success on the field against the likeof Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Yorkshire this was not a stable time for Cambridgeshire county cricket.

- The make-up of the sides varied a little but especially in the early and mid-sixties it was dominated by Cambridge town players such as Robert Carpenter, Tom Hayward, Alfred Diver, Fred Bell, Billy Buttress and George Tarrant. On several occasions the whole side was made up of Cambridge players.

- the last of these matches was in 1871 and from then on there appears to have been little chance of a Cambridgeshire CCC forming.

- The next county club was formed in 1891 and joined the Minor Counties Championship.

George Arber

Thanks to Nick Arber I have researched a little about the beginnings of the cricketing career of Cambridge born George Arber. Born 1840/41, he appeared very rarely in newspaper reports before 1867, and appeared in a North v South colts match at Lord's at the age of about 28 years. Local newspaper reaction was enthusiastic, anticipating an auspicious career for George in Cambridgeshire cricket. Unfortunately his timing was appalling as by 1869 Cambridgeshire representative cricket was approaching a 20 year period of inactivity. This reinforces my impression that the break in momentum of Cambridgeshire cricket through the 1850's brought an end to the process by which cricketing enthusiasm and skills was passed on from one generation to the next. Fortunately for George Arber he made the sensible decision to take up the position of professional cricket coach at Malvern College and proceeded to do pretty well for himself and his family, whereas cricketers who stayed in Cambridge had very little opportunity to ply their trade.

George Arber