REPORTS OF THE FIRST TWO SEASONS OF EVERTON CRICKET CLUB

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1882    

 

EVERTON. A cricket Club has been formed for this place under favourable conditions. Subscriptions have been given by Mr Astell, Rev. Mr Shaw, Mr Pallister and others. A field has been lent  by  Mr  Parker  Danes,  who  has  been appointed  Captain  of  the  club,  Mr  J. Walker and Mr J. Brashier agreeing to share the duties of secretary and treasurer. The Rev. H. Shaw is president, and the newly appointed committee have framed useful rules. A preliminary match, between the married and the single, was played in Woodbury Park, on Thursday week, when the latter were victorious by 10 wickets; the married scored 50 and 12 and the singles 60 in one innings.

                       

                 Beds. Mercury Saturday 24th April 1882

 

 EVERTON. The return and final match of the season was played between Sandy and Everton on Thursday this week in Mr Danes‘ Meadow at Everton. Each side was supported by a professional county player - Sandy  by  Hutchins  and  Everton  by Kidman.  The game  was  somewhat remarkable. Evereton went in first, but, mainly owing to the excellent bowling of Hutchins, were easily disposed of for 26. Sandy thought they had an easy job; but to their surprise,  every  man, with  the  exception  of one run out, was clean bowled, either by Mr Lunnis or Kidman for 12 runs. Of these Mr F.S. Richardson made 8. In the 2nd innings Everton put together 44, thus leaving Sandy 59 to get and only about half an hour left for play. However, when the time was called, Sandy had made 44 with only one wicket down so that the draw was in favour of Sandy. Subsequently the players dined together at Host Gold‘s.

 

                   Beds. Mercury Saturday 14th October 1882         

                       

1883

 

THE FEAST. The feast took place last Thursday week, the principal attraction being a cricket match between Everton Cricket Club and Potton Standard, which resulted in an easy victory for the home team. Mr. C.  Crawley‘s  bowling proved  very  disastrous  to  the Pottonians. At the close of the match the clubs partook of meat tea together. The Potton club is very young, though Mr Storr is doing good work in gathering together a team for practice. The return match is expected to be played shortly at Potton.

 

                   Beds. Mercury Saturday 26th May 1883

 

 

    CRICKET.  An interesting game of cricket was played in Woodbury Park on Wednesday, it being the return match between Everton and Gamlingay. The players were favoured by exceptionally fine weather, and the game was witnessed by a large number of neighbouring gentry, among whom were Mr and Mrs Astell, the Misses Astell, Mr Pearson, Miss E. Pearson, Mr and Mrs Haddow and others. The Everton eleven had the assistance of Mr F.M Haddow, a Middlesex County gentleman and the guest of Mr Astell. Gamlingay won the toss and went in first, and were quickly disposed of for 30.  Everton followed and scored 59.  Mr S. Crawley made 28 and Mr Haddow 14. Gamlingay in their second attempt scored 43. Mr Tibbet made 14 and Mr Whitett 12. Then the home team only wanted 15 to win. The feat, however, was not accomplished until 3 wickets had fallen, among which Mr Haddow was one. He was clean bowled 2nd ball by the Rev. R. Rogers. The bowling for Everton by Messrs. Mead and Crawley was good and the former took 8 wickets in the second innings. Mr Astell had an excellent tea provided, to which the players were invited.

 

                 Beds. Mercury Saturday 15th September 1883

                       

 

    CRICKET. The club brought this season to a close on Thursday week with a match and supper.  The match was of somewhat a novel character; quite half the members of the club are left-handed and the match was arranged left-hand versus right-hand. The rain somewhat marred the play, but each side managed to complete an innings, and the game ended in favour of the right-hand men. In the evening the players and honourable members sat down to a capital spread provided by Mr Clarke of the Thornton Arms, the chair being taken by the president, Rev. T. H.  Shaw.  The usual loyal toasts, the Everton Cricket Club, the secretary, the treasurer, honourable members, the chairman and host were proposed. During the season the club has played 6 matches, won 3, drawn 2, lost 1.  A bat is to be presented to the captain, Mr S. Crawley, for obtaining the highest average of runs and a bat to Mr Geo. Wagstaff, who twice during the season has done the “hat-trick“ in bowling. Some capital songs by Messrs. Brashier, Hackle, Wagstaff, Giles and Thompson brought a pleasant evening to a close.

 

                Beds. Mercury Saturday 17th October 1883

 

In 1913 George Webb presented a cricket bat by Henry Preedy, the estate manager and captain of the cricket team, but he was called up and never used it so it was given to Ted Smith. Ted Smith has photo of Everton Cricket Club in 1923.

 

In one game against the Allen Works in Bedford Henry Preedy, the captain had an innings of 3 hours 5 minutes. Allen Works needed 180 runs in 50 minutes to win the cup. (??? check with Ted Smith)

 

Dickie Dodds, an Essex cricketer, lived in Valley Farm and was the local churchwarden. In 1992 he helped organise the Berridge Bicentenary cricket match between a team from the village and Clare College. 18th century rules were followed that included underarm bowling. Players dressed in 18th century clothing but Everton lost.

 

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