A History of Mudeford Cricket Club (1860 - 1980)
An Extract from “The Cricket Clubs of Christchurch” by Tom Kelly
Certainly one of the earliest of our clubs and one which has survived times of near extinction, when financial resources from time to time have diminished to alarming levels. The Mudeford Club non-the-less continues today with a hard core of dedicated people determined that this fishing village should have its cricket club. The origins of the cricket in Mudeford would appear to date back to the 1860s, and reference is made in match reports to the Ricardo family of Bure Homage House. The early Mudeford Club might well have played fixtures in the spacious grounds and certainly games of some note were played against Christchurch, Ringwood and Lymington. Information handed down to today’s generation of well known village families confirm that the club also played on a ground opposite the nelson hotel, whose host Mr. Knight, was a playing member of the club. An interesting feature in the Christchurch Times of June 20th 136, a review of turn of the centaury cricket club entitled ‘Mightiest Swipe of Local Cricket’, records that a Mr. Gilbert Maynard, something of a big hitter, apparently cleared the main road on several occasions, sending the ball spiraling into the garden of the aptly named Commander Shrubb, whose house apparently adjoined the hotel. The report also confirms that in the local derby games he cleared the trees on more than one occasion on the Christchurch Recreation Ground. Other names from this era who played a prominent part in Mudeford’s fortune were George Coakes and the brothers Edgell, Walt and Alf, and later Arthur Cox. However, it is the village recreation ground which is acknowledged by followers of the club as its rightful home and apart from short spells the club has mainly played its cricket fixtures at the familiar centre.
Although not one of the original clubs to be involved in League cricket, Mudeford has long been part of the Bournemouth and District Cricket Association. The club certainly reached an all time pinnacle on its entry, in 1903. The final league table of that momentous season shows the club as champion, an achievement which to this day has never been repeated.
Until the advent of the 1914-18 war, the club continued to enjoy first division statue, and achieved runners-up to Boscombe in 1907, a season which saw G. Rogers and W.Edgell representing the rest of the league against the champions. H.Preston was an outstanding opening batsman, and one of the of his top scores was achieved in 1912, when he hit 82 off the Boscombe attack. The local derby of that year saw Mudeford (91) defeat Christchurch (58) in an away fixture.
When league Cricket recommence after the 1914-8 War, the Mudeford club resumed activities and finished a comfortable mid-table position in 1920 when the first division was won by Poole Park after a play off with Wimborne. Personalities of that era were Norman Peden, Frank Rogers, Jim Langer, Tom Polden, Tommy Stride and Charlie Cocks. Both Jim Perkins and Charlie Nutman had left the Priory Club and brought a great deal of backbone to the batting.
By the end of the 1920s the club was competing in the Bournemouth League Division Two, Eastern Section, and more than holding their own whilst local derbies against the Priory club were always awaited with great anticipation. A police constable, namely Poulter returned remarkable figures against Bournemouth East Conservative in June 1929. Taking 9-15 off 14.4 overs, he then scored a match winning 27. The advent of the 1930’s saw a new star on the horizon and Bill Noyce was to become one of the most prominent cricketers in local circles for the next 30 years. Philip Harrison also more than made his mark whilst F.Rogers continued to be the main striking force as an opening bowler. He accounted for eight of Priory Cricket Club’s wickets when they defeated the old foe in September 1930. In 1933 for the first and only time, Mudeford and Christchurch were to finish joint champions of the Division Two East.
By 1935 Herbie Annetts had arrived on the scene. A fiercely competitive cricketer who did not take defeat lightly, Herbie was a good middle order batsman who could also bowl a bit and he like so many others was also to become a pillar of strength in keeping the club on a sound footing. In June 1937 Philip Harrison (as reported) achieved that magic three figure score against the Parks Cricket Club at Kings Park.
Another lively person to enter the side around the time was Ted Broom, who although small of stature had the extraordinary ability in being able to hurry the ball through surprising many opposing batsmen with pace off the wicket. Other names who featured were W.F.Larn who became Captain of the club and Tim Noyce a useful bowler, whilst both Wilf Barrow and Ivor Keeping began to make their presence felt.
After the Second World War many former favorites had departed. The Mudeford club had entered the second division of the Bournemouth League and in 1947 finished as runners up to the champions, Boscombe Liberals. The quite outstanding performance in that year was the innings of Ted Annetts of 112 in their five wicket win over Bolsons Sports. Ted was a batman in the correct upright style who in the years ahead played many important innings for the club as an opening batsman.
Having gained promotion to the Premier Division in Bournemouth, the club experiences a pretty torrid time and were happy to drop back to the lower league finishing second from the bottom to the Colehill club. Although generally having an attack capable of holding their own, the club could never seem to achieve batting in any great depth, a deficiency which was to continue in the decade ahead. So far as the bowling was concerned perhaps the best pair ever to join the club arrived in 1949 with the signing of George Dargue and Ron Holley both medium in pace in delivery but contrasting in style, Ron being a left armer around the wicket but both having a canny knack of being able to create late movement off the pitch. A somewhat controversial character to back them up was Jack Tickner, an extremely keen competitor who was later to try his hand at wicket keeping. The club also ran a Saturday Club Eleven whilst a Sunday side entertained other teams in the district, skippered by the genial Ben Miles.
The return to a higher grade of cricket was instant when the club finished runners up to Colehill in Divison Two in 1949. The following season, supporters of the club were more pleased when securing a comfortable spot in mid-table. There were also broad smiles on the same faces when Christchurch were beaten on their own patch. Dargue and Holley were proving powerful attack whilst Bill Noyce continued to set a fine example to his colleague both on and off the field. In June 1950, hat-tricks were achieved by George Dargue against Brockenhust and Jack Fisher in a second eleven game against Southbourne Sports Club.
A most significant change took place in 1949, a period when both soccer and cricket was played on the Recreation Ground and a conflict occurred when the cricketers found it impossible to prepare a worthwhile pitch adjoining the Mudeford Football Clubs playing area. During the winter months alternative avenues were explored and a move to nearby ‘Pinelands’ took place with the permission of the owner Mr. Rollings. On the understanding of long term tenure, the club built a substantial pavilion with dressing rooms, and many enjoyable and successful seasons ensued at this aptly named ground of Mudeford Lane. By the mid 1950s however pockets of land within the borough were eagerly sought after by developers of residential properties and the Mudeford Club was to suffer in this respect. Planning permission was granted to the owners of ‘Pinelands’ and so the club was obliged to move to the only alternative, Stanpit Recreational Ground, which was largely reclaimed land bordering the Harbour and difficult to a lay a wicket of any real standard. It was geographically an unnatural location and as a result some extraordinary low scores were recorded. It was not unusual for a league fixture to be completed before the accepted tea interval.
Never without enthusiasts in times of adversity and the advantage of tradesmen within their ranks, the club went to the extent of constructing new facilities at the Stanpit Ground. However, within a couple of years and with the unexpected demise of Mudeford Football Club, the recreation ground was once again free and gladly repossessed as a cricket ground with a freshly laid wicket. Happily, since then the Mudeford Club has continued to play cricket in the heart of the village, which hopefully will now be their permanent home to be enjoyed by generations of cricketers to come.
Having joined the elite in local circles, the very next season, results reached a depressing state and once more it was back down to the second division. Undaunted in the following campaign (1952), virtually the same personnel achieved fresh heights when the second Division Championship was at last achieved and surely this time consolidation would be achieved in the Premier Division.
A Jubilee Year had thus arrived in 1953 and the first league fixture at Pinelands produced an extraordinary match against Christchurch and victory by the slender margin of a single run. Despite this boost to their confidence, unaccountably, the club seemed to suffer a jinx in the First Division and ultimately finished last but one to return once more to lesser grade cricket. Club stalwarts who ensured the smooth running of the club included Percy Warren who spent countless hours preparing the pitches for weekend games and Horace Goodman as the club secretary. Jim Langer attended to the finances to be later taken on by Ted Annetts. Throughout the 1950s the club continued to enjoy its cricket without ever experiencing the heights of promotion or despair of relegation. The Harrison family continued to provide playing numbers with both Doug and Alec featuring in the respective Elevens. Younger players to arrive on the scene included John Blackaller and John Duggan, whilst Ivor Keeping kept spectators happy in his efforts to clear the pavilion in his customary swashbuckling fashion. Other players remembered with great affection included Bob Spence, Harry Phelps and Sid Wellstead. In 1957 the club played its part in honoring its most well known son, Leo Harrison, who had been granted a benefit year by the Hampshire County club. A district representative side played a County Eleven in an Evening fixture on the Recreation Ground at Christchurch in July. The match was well attended and greatly helped to swell the funds for this popular Mudeford man.
The club had sunk either further by the mid 1950s to compete in the third division of the Bournemouth and District League and further seasons were to elapse before an upsurge in the clubs fortune. In 1959 the club managed to claw its way out of the third division as runners up to Parkstone, thanks mainly to an outstanding season by Ron Holley who finished third in the overall league performances. Further success followed the very next season when the same pair of clubs finished in identical positions, to progress into the Premier Division. It was a fine all round team performance throughout the season by the Mudeford Club without any one player laying claim to star status.
If previous excursions into the first division proved unhappy ventures into the 1961 season can best be described as an utter disaster. Of the 18 fixtures only one victory was recorded and relegation could not well be described as a happy release. Possibly the club’s very worst ever defeat occurred on July 15th of that season when playing away to Electric and experiencing the humiliation of being dismissed for a mere 5 runs. The results sheet disclosed that 9 batsmen failed to score, the destruction being caused by fast bowler Colin Woodrow who returned figured 7 wickets for 2 runs.
Worse was to follow in 1963 with relegation once again to the third division. The extraordinary pattern of the 1950s was to repeat itself, for in 1963 the club once again hauled itself back up into the second division only to descend once more as bottom club in 1964. It was indeed a mystery as to why virtually the same players should not be able to consolidate between respective divisions of little or no variance in quality. One of the most consistent bowlers in league cricket joined the club in 1965 and Bob Read would prove to be a fine player and clubman in years to come. Another fine stalwart who experienced the ups and downs with the club was Brian Simmons who captained the first eleven for many seasons, and as an opening batsman recorded many useful scores. At last in 1967 promotion came about as runners up to Rambler with both clubs ahead of the field. Once again Bob Read played a principal role taking 58 wickets at a cost of less than five runs per wicket. In the second eleven a youngster of some promise made the headlines in June dismissing Kings Park seconds for 55, taking all 10 wickets. Bob Keeping’s special day is recorded in detail with a reproduction of the score sheet.
The following season a mid table position was achieved and by far the most outstanding batting performance was achieved by Malcolm Dargue when he hit 81 in a stylish performance.
Despite the fluctuation fortunes, the sprit within the club never wavered and promotion was missed by a whisker in 1969 to the first division. One of the big hitters of the ball, Mark Turner had a particularly good season, topping the club averages with a highest score of 77. Mark did not play too many seasons for the club but he will be remembered for the time he cleared the pine trees on the recreation ground with some lusty blows. Although seldom meeting in League completion, the club had an interesting Derby match in July against West Hants. Water Company. After being dismissed for a modest 85, Bob Read destroyed the water men with 8-9 and an all out total of 37. It could well be said that if you become a Mudeford cricketer you would either collect medals or wooden spoons and the pattern continued in 1970 when the club finished as runners up to Verwood to once again compete in the first Division. Ivor Keeping must have been the very proud of his two sons, Hedley and Bob who between them, spearheaded the revival of the clubs fortunes, highlighted by Hedley’s 119 not out against Rambler in May. The second eleven had joined the league structure competing in division four and David Corbett had a rather special innings to remember when he hit 84 not out whilst Barry Coombes snapped up 2 victims behind the stumps for the first eleven.
A fine blend of youth, experience and above all enthusiasm injected an air of quiet optimism for the season ahead. Ron Webb had joined the club to support Bob Keeping, David Corbett and Ken Martin as bowlers backed up by the experience of Harry Young. David Ashby had left Christchurch Club relinquishing the undoubted drawback of having to play in the shadow of his much celebrated father. David was to play some fine innings for the Mudeford club and more than played his part in the success which followed. Another Batsman that on whom the team could depend was Alan Waterman playing the ‘Boycott’ anchor role whilst opposite end of the wicket were prepared to adopt a more risky approach. The brothers Keeping would maintain family traditions; Peter Keeping (no relation) and Johnny Johnson were to maintain the flow of runs backed up by Trevor Harris’s enthusiasm in the slips. These were some of the players who brought a championship to the village of Mudeford after 22 years.
For Bob Keeping it was quite an outstanding season taking 77 wickets and in so doing not only topped the Bournemouth League but won the Ronson Award as the best bowler in the league. It was not all success however, for the club maintained its Jekyll and Hyde image with the second eleven finishing bottom of Division four, It was the former Christchurch, Moordown and Bournemouth Amateurs all rounder, Laurie Ferriggi who produced the most extraordinary exhibition in May against Ensbury Park. Again match details are reproduced as interesting reading.
The long hot summer of 1976 was not appreciated by everyone. Mudeford cricketers included, for the yo-yo history continued with relegation to down to the second division. By now a fifth division had been added to the Bournemouth League and the second eleven had also descended to the basement division. It was not all gloom however, there were noteworthy individual performances from Brian Simmons who achieved a hat-trick against West Howe in division five, and other second eleven achievements included a magnificent eighth wicket partnership of 91 between Len Perkins and Laurie Wilkinson against Kings Park. Peter Keeping opening the innings carried his bat (52 not out) in a total of 82 in the defeat by Monty’s, and Kim London had a good afternoon taking 8-45 against the same opposition.
Tracing the history of our cricket clubs in Christchurch, the most common denominator which unities each story are the people who spend half a lifetime in devoting their services to the club of their choice. For Mudeford such a man is Stan Turner of whom it could be surely be said, can be named ‘MR. M.M.C’. Stan joined the Mudeford club way back in 1948, starting as an enthusiastic youngster with perhaps aspirations as a bowler but eventually to play many useful innings for both the first and second eleven.
It was however as Captain of the second eleven that Stan was to play his most important function and between the years of 1960 and 1977 many a youngster who joined the club developed considerably under his encouragement. Stan experienced most of the ups and downs of a club when holding the post as Club Secretary between 1962 and 1966. Without a shadow of a doubt the club owes him a great deal of gratitude particularly during the years when its very existence seemed in some jeopardy. It was in 1977 that Stan achieved some reward for his efforts with the second eleven, from nowhere leapt into second place in the final fixture of the season to take runners up spot in division five. But for a drawn fixture on the same day, the first eleven in division two might also have achieved success. The success of the second eleven was to some extent a family affair with Derek (buffer) Parrett taking over 50 wickets and his son Greg having a marvelous season with the bat.
The 1978 season saw the club just miss out on promotion to division one and again there were some interesting individual performances with Jimmy Johnson heading the averages and Tim Limbourne having a fine season with the ball, particularly outstanding by taking 8 wickets for 6 runs. Peter Keeping had another outstanding season with the bat, highlighted by a memorable partnership of 113 against Brisbane with Trevor Harris, Peter being 70 not out and Trevor 56 not out. The second eleven however had a poor time of it in division four, suffering relegation, although Bob Sellick had a good knock of 89 in August against Pavilion Sports. The 70s ended with Laurie Wilkinson taking over secretaryship of the club, a position he was to hold for the next six years. Laurie Ferriggi took 8 for 25 against Electric’s second in a division 5 fixture and the respective elevens held their own in League cricket.
With Thanks to the Kelly Family for permission to re-print on the website. No coping or reproduction without permission from the Kelly Family.
