A Shropshire cricket club is celebrating 150 not out with a week of special matches and the publication of a souvenir book.
Whittington Cricket Club was established in 1858 “under the patronage of the clergy and gentry of the parish and numbering 30 or 40 young men and boys of the village”.
Its uniform was white trousers, scarlet shirts and white and scarlet caps and subscription for the first year was sixpence for men and threepence for boys.
It has arranged games every year since, including during the two world wars.
Its ground remained the home of the club until the 1930s, when it moved to land on which part of the ground still stands today.
The club’s best-known player is Andy Lloyd, who progressed through the juniors and first XI to becoming captain of Warwickshire and winning an England test cap before injury prevented him playing more test matches.
To celebrate the anniversary the club has organised a cricket week, which began with a match against the MCC on Sunday and continues until this coming Sunday.
The celebrations also include a match against Yorkshire Cricket Club over-50s on Thursday.
Dave Jones, spokesman, said everyone was invited to go along and watch the games.
The anniversary brochure highlights important dates in the club’s history, from the building of a pavilion in 1958 to its destruction in 1987 in an arson attack.
A new pavilion was opened by Andy Lloyd in 1992 and a bowling green was opened next to the cricket pitch in 1995.
In 1984 Whttington become the only senior club to use an artificial pitch, installed at a cost of £3,600.
The new book also highlights a facinating history in extracts from Whittington Parish Magazines.
On November 1877, an entry reads: “One thing the club stands much in need of is a tent wherein to ‘don’ their flannels, as it is inconvenient, to say the least of it, to change in an open field.”
Later this year the club hopes to host a reunion for past players.
By Sue Austin
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