Visitors Page

This page is designed for visitors to this site who are not members of the cricket club and who are interested in finding out more about Biddestone Cricket Club.

If you are a member of another club, you are very welcome.

Biddestone - New Members

New members are always very welcome at the club. Please contact the club via this website (john@biddcc.co.uk). You will be asked to complete a membership application form. During the season, please come to the ground and speak to our members or come on our practice night, which is Wednesday from 6,00 p.m. until dusk.

Biddestone Weather Report

Click here to find out the weather for Biddestone. Close the weather page to return here.

Biddestone - Ground Directions

Directions to our ground
If you want to use www.multimap.co.uk to find our ground, the postcode is SN14 7BZ

Alternatively click here for a map To return to this page. close the window when you've finished by clicking on the cross in the top right hand corner.

Biddestone - A brief history

Biddestone Cricket Club was formed in 1948 by Mr Horn a Lay Preacher, who had retired to Biddestone. The youth of Biddestone having been excluded from playing for the village football team decided to start a local cricket club, with the help of Graham Hunt who was the main leading light and indeed the first captain of the club. One early match was memorable all for the wrong reasons - the youth playing against their fathers were all out for 1 run (a leg bye) and lost. The age limit was gradually increased and players were trawled from outside of the area.

Biddestone joined the original West Wilts Village League (now defunct) and in 1986 transferred to the new Wiltshire Cricket League which included the old West Wilts League and the Wessex Leagues.

The 1986 season comprised the Wessex League (Division One & Two) and the Wiltshire League (Divisions One to Seven). Biddestone were entered into Division Six and finished in third position. Due to the growth of the league Biddestone were promoted to Division Four at the start of the 1987 season and again finished in third position. The club`s fortunes ebbed and flowed over the next 16 years and eventually they started a second XI in 1991and a third XI in 2002. Youth teams were created.

Finally all the good work over the previous seasons paid off and with the added strength of a number of good new players Biddestone obtained promotion to the West of England Premier League (Glos & Wilts Division Two) in 2004. Finishing the season in the third position (where else) but obviously enjoyed playing against new opposition. With the third XI winning promotion to Division 7 this allowed the club to enter a fourth XI in Division 8 for 2005. The new pavilion/village hall built in 2003 created the right environment for the club and provided facilities not previously available.

The following history was provided by Mr David Marshall

"With my brother, Mike, I was a founder member of the Club in 1948, and later became Secretary for a while. We lived at the White Horse, which my father kept for 20 years. I was 14, and played regularly - even managing games during National Service - until moving away for work in 1956 At first it was Biddestone Junior Cricket Club. The upper age limit was 18 - until the older members reached that age!! The stalwart  and first captain you mention was Graham Hunt. He was the driving force behind the building of the first wooden pavilion.

The 'infamous' game in which the team scored just one run was in 1949, against the village over-40s, mainly, but not only, fathers. I was the 'not out' batsman, having arrived late and found my place in the order had to be rather lower than usual! There is a photo of both teams in our family album. The Club had not moved to the present ground by then, having had permission to
play on a field behind Hart's Lane on Saturdays - the cows had it for the rest of the time! The state of the square made low scores understandable. A great deal of luck was involved for survival - and to stay free of injury - but at least the unpredicable bounce sharpened one's reflexes! Even when John Elliot let us use the present ground (rather smaller than today) we could only fence off the square - cow pat removal was a Saturday morning job.

It is good to hear of the Club's wonderful progress in recent years. All concerned are to be congratulated. It is particularly pleasing to see so much done for the youngsters. Mr Horn certainly started something all those years ago, and he would have appreciated very much the emphasis on youth."

If there is other information that you would like to have included on this page, then please let me know by emailing me using the address on the Home Page.