Club History 2 of 10

2. History Highlights


History Highlights

The first records of Ashford Cricket Club are contained in the "Ashford Charities Accounts" for 1856. These list the balance sheet for the Ashford and Littleton Cricket Club and as there is no "balance brought forward from 1855" it is reasonable to assume it was the club's first season.

The following are some interesting facts and achievements of the club during its history.

1856Earliest records of the Club.
1884Earliest records of Ashford matches in Shepperton Score books.
1906Club quits "The Rookery" ground, now Clockhouse Lane Recreation ground.
1907Club start to use "Cook's Field", once Echelford and now Clarendon Road School.
1912Ashford Athletic Association is formed by a group of local sportsmen including A H Marriot. This was the forerunner of the Ashford Sports Club Limited.
1912Pavilion originally used by Dulwich Hamlets FC erected at AAA.
1912AAA ground used by A H Marriot's Ashford Swifts FC.
1914-18Club is kept going by members not on service duty.
1916Club receives notice to quit "Cook's Field"
1917Club arranges to rent AAA ground in Woodthorpe Road.
1925P F Warner brought a side to play Ashford in aid of Windsor Hospital. Warner's side includes three former England captains in himself, F T Mann and A W Carr.
1928Wally Brocksom sets club record of 2011 runs in the season (including 5 centuries).
1935Reg Garland takes 174 wickets in the season including 10 wickets in a match. The only time an Ashford bowler has recorded this feat.
1937Dick Gray took 5 wickets in 5 balls (all clean bowled).
1941Match played between Ashford and the Home Guard to celebrate War Weapons Week in May.
1941"Twink" Thornhill, 107* and Jimmy Geale, 112* set a club record opening partnership of 219 for the 1st XI against Polytechnic on 14 June.
1945ASC Ltd held a Victory Party for all members on 4 November.
1947First Club tour to Devon.
1951Club celebrates the coronation year.
1952John Walter takes 152 wickets in the season.
1955Club celebrates its centenary.
1955Ashford play a C.C.C. President's XI side on 26 June.
1959Ashford play Northamptonshire CCC on 21 August.
1961Ashford play Northamptonshire CCC on 14 May.
1958Bill Hart sets a club record of 57 wicketkeeping victims in a season.
1959Peter Simpkins takes 147 wickets in the season.
1961Bill Hart sets a club record of 68 wicketkeeping victims in a season.
1970Jerry Tombleson and Keith Paice set a club record opening partnership of 256 in the 2nd XI on 3 May.
1972First and second XIs enter the Surrey Championship.
1973Jerome Andree set a club record of 74 wicketkeeping victims in a season.
1974First XI finish fourth in the Surrey Championship.
1976Jerry Tombleson sets club record of 2061 runs in the season (including 4 centuries).
1977Third XI joins the Surrey Championship.
1978Club wins the Oatlands Park 6-a-side tournament.
1979Chris Evans sets club record of 2095 runs in the season (including 5 centuries).
1982First XI finish fourth in the Surrey Championship.
1983Phil Marks completes the double: 1100 runs and 102 wickets.
19831st XI score 306 for 4 in league match against Old Whitgiftians.
1984Wettimuny, Madugale and De Mel, Sri Lankan test players, represent the MCC against Ashford on 18 July.
1986Steve Trenordan takes 9 for 83 in the league match against Mitcham on 14 June.
1987First and second XIs in division 1 of Surrey Championship.
1988Ashford beat Guildford at the Oval in a Surrey Championship fixture. Guildford 178, Ashford 179 for 1.
1989Third XI in division 1 of Surrey Championship.
1989First XI relegated to division 2 of Surrey Championship.
1990Third XI relegated to division 2 of Surrey Championship.
1990A cricket square is laid on the old Woodthorpe Road school playing field in preparation for the Sports Club's sale of the main ground.
1990Ross Sadler scores 189 runs against Richmond Town.
1991Third XI promoted to division 1 of Surrey Championship.
1992First Belgium tour.
1993Club plays cricket in Holland during Belgium tour.
1993Third XI relegated to division 2 of Surrey Championship.
1993David Gower is the guest of honour for the "final" Annual Dinner to be held in the Woodthorpe Road pavilion.
1993"Final Match" held at Woodthorpe Road between Ashford Past v Present, October 1.
1994Club quits Woodthorpe Road in April after ground is sold by Ashford Sports Club Limited for development.
1994Fourth XI enters the Surrey Slazenger League division 5.
1994First and second XIs play home matches at Short Lane ground.
1994Third and Fourth XIs play home matches on Woodthorpe Road North site, the old school playing fields.
1994Gordon Greenidge (ex West Indies) plays for the Presidents XI on 17 July.
1994Steve Adams takes 9 for 54 in a 1st XI friendly match against Walton. The other wicket was a run out.
1994First XI under the captaincy of Kevin Warner become champions of the Eve Surrey Championship division 2 and are promoted to division 1.
1994Second XI relegated to division 2.
1994Bowls Club old visitors pavilion transferred to Short Lane for use by the Cricket Club as a tearoom.
1995Third and Fourth XIs play their home matches at Laleham Park while the Colts continue to use the Woodthorpe Road North site.
1995The tearoom proves a success and prevents problems with the Football Club.
1995Wicket covers are acquired and used at the Short Lane ground.
1995Peter Sleep (ex Australia) plays for the Presidents XI on 23 July.
1995Third XI under the captaincy of Alan Cox become champions of the Eve Surrey Championship division 2 and are promoted to division 1.
1995First XI finishes fourth in their first season back in division 1.
1996Richie Richardson (West Indies) plays for the Presidents XI on 21 July.
1996Second XI promoted to division 1.
1996Fourth XI promoted to division 4.
1997Third XI relegated to division 2.
1998John Maunders gains a 2 year contract with Middlesex.
1998Ian Bishop (West Indies) plays for the Presidents XI on 19 July.
1998Second XI relegated to division 2.
1998Fourth XI relegated to division 5
1998First Club Annual Dinner held in the new Short Lane pavilion on November 6.
1998New Clubhouse at Short Lane formally opened on November 21.
1998John Maunders is selected for England U19 tour to New Zealand.
19992nd XI plays the first match at the new Short Lane ground against Wycombe House on Sunday, April 25.
19991st & 2nd XIs win Thameside Sunday Cricket League at the first attempt.
1999John Maunders is selected for England U19 tour to Sri Lanka.
1999John Bird retires after 25 season of umpring for Ashford.
1999The Club resigns its membership of the Kookaburra-Fordham Cricket League after 6 seasons.
2000The Club's 4th XI joins the Morrant Wey Valley Cricket League.
20004th XI finish 5th of the Morrant Wey Valley Cricket League but are still promoted to division 2 due to League restructuring
2000First XI relegated to division 2 of Surrey Championship.
2001Fourth XI finish bottom of Morrant Wey Valley Cricket League division 2
2001Second XI relegated to division 3 of Surrey Championship
2001First XI relegated to division 3 of Surrey Championship
2001Robert Evans elected Chairman
2002Club secures a sponsorship arrangement with Halliford Construction Ltd.
20041st XI achieves 9th place in Surrey Championship Division 3 to secure a place in Division 4 of the restructured league for 2005
2004Ashford achieves Clubmark Accreditation
2005Ashford Celebrates 150th Anniversary
2005Ashford play a match against Old England
2005Ashford play a match at Lord's against Cross Arrows
2006Laleham Village Ladies merge with Ashford
2006Ashford 3rd XI under the captaincy of Paul Cousens secures promotion to Surrey Championship Division 1
2008First XI under the captaincy of Richard Mansfield become champions of the Shepherd Neame Surrey Championship division 4 and are promoted to division 3.
2008Second XI under the captaincy of Kully Banwait become champions of the Shepherd Neame Surrey Championship division 5 and are promoted to division 4.
2008First XI under the captaincy of Richard Mansfield win Shepherd Neame Surrey Twenty20 Cup and are Runners-Up in the Four Counties Final at Canterbury.