Welcome to Bathford
A warm welcome to the Bathford Cricket Club web site. We play in the village of Bathford, which is situated just to the east of Bath on the Somerset/Wiltshire border, at the junction of A4 and A363. The ground is easily accessible from Bath, Bradford on Avon, Box, Corsham & Melksham.
We have two competitive senior teams playing on Saturdays in the Wiltshire Cricket League, a friendly team playing on some sundays and evenings and growing junior section with an U15 side playing in the Bath and District Youth Cricket League
If you live in the Bath area and are interested in a game of cricket in beautiful surroundings, at a club with a friendly atmosphere, great facilities, (shared with Avonvale Rugby Club), and a cheap bar, come and join us, for further details, contact any of the club officals or come just along, you are always welcome.
More information about local parish activities can be found on parish website:-
www.http://www.bathford.net
You can also keep up-to-date with the progress of the senior sides on the informative Wiltshire League website:-,
www.wccl.org.uk
A Brief History
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The Early Years: 1920's - 1963
The team played at the Crown Field during the 1920's and 30's, as Bathford Cricket Club. There are no tangible records to confirm this, but many local residents can remember their relatives playing in those times.
The club was reformed after the war in 1947 as a successor to the Shockerwick House Cricket Team. This was a team comprising of Estate workers and Bathford villagers. Games were played on the meadow by the By brook, just below the House. The use of the meadow was granted by the Morley family, proprietors of a nationally known hosiery company, who owned Shockerwick House at the time, (its now a retirement home).
The club moved to the Crown Field in Bathford in the early 1950's. The ground was shared with Avonvale Rugby Club and leased from Eric Beazer, a local farmer. The club played at this venue until 1959. A dispute with the farmer over the size of the playing area resulted in the club moving to its present location; the village recreation ground.
A new square was laid and cricket continued until 1963 when the club ceased due to the perennial problems of player shortage and lack of finance.
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The Modern Era - Bathford Cricket Club (1969)
The Bathford Cricket Club was reformed in 1969 as a seperate entity from the previous club and is officially known as Bathford Cricket Club (1969).
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The North Somerset Weekend League
The spread of league cricket meant that it was decided to join the North Somerset Weekend League, a local league centred on teams in the W. of Bristol, Chew Valley, E. Mendips and Bath area.
In 1978 Bathford CC started their League Cricket career in Division 4 of the NSWL, and enjoyed some success being promoted in 1981 to Division 3 and as League Champions to Division 2 in 1983. Promotion to Division 1 in 1985 (as Div. 2 runner up) was followed by playing for a number of years in the top division of the NSWL against teams such as Bath Exiles, Lower Weston Sports, Barrow Gurney, Bishop's Sutton, Headley Park and Saltford.
Eventually, however, a combination of the limitations of playing a 40 over 'Sunday League' game and the difficulties of travelling across Bath to Bristol and Western-Super-Mare, in ever worsening traffic, led us to leave and join the Wiltshire League.
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The Wiltshire League
We joined the Wiltshire League in 1993 in Division 9, and were Division champions that year, infact the Wiltshire League was so impressed it promoted in to Division 5 for 1994. Promotion into Division 4 was achieved at the end of the 1994 season and Bathford have remained in Division 4 until 2000 when the first XI achieved their highest league placing, of 2nd in Division 4, and were promoted to Division 3 for 2001. However, in 2004 we returned to Divison 4.
As the popularity of the club and membership grew, a second team was formed in 1984. The second team also play in the Wiltshire League, at present in Division 8.
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Junior Cricket
In 2002 the club decided to set up a ‘Youth Section’ as the club recognised an injection of younger blood would be required in the coming years. This was quickly organised by volunteers within the club and has been running now for 10 years with the club’s own qualified coaches. The club also appointed a Youth Development Officer and Welfare Officers that hold prominent positions on the clubs main committee.
In 2006 the club was awarded the B&NES Bronze Award Certification for it’s Youth Section structure and organisation, and is currently in the process of applying for the Clubmark accreditation.
Currently the club runs an under 15s side in the Bath and District Youth League and the under 9s squad is a regular member of the Sunday morning circuit of activities around Wiltshire, Bath & Bristol.
Practices are on Thursday evenings with around 40 children taking place between the ages of 3 and 13
The senior teams at the club are now reaping the benefit of the hard work. The 1st team now boasts 5 under 23’s and the 2nd team, now the nursery for the club, around the same number of U15’s, culmination in the 2nd team just missing out on promotion last year.
The club is also keen to be a feeder club for the bigger clubs in the area, with at least 2 of our junior players now playing for senior clubs in Bath.
The club welcomes players of all abilities. The emphasis is on enjoying cricket and development of players to enhance their skills and the satisfaction they get from the game.
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We hope for continuing success for all the teams, and that whilst playing to win, we will play the game in the spirit intended.
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