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Andover Cricket Club Profile
For membership details e-mail info@andovercricketclub.co.uk
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History
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Andover Cricket Club was formed in 1863 and has
played continuously since then except for the war years, until the
present day. In more recent times Andover Cricket Club has become one of
the leading clubs in Hampshire. Although declining to join the Southern
League when league cricket first came to the south in the late 1960s,
Andover was one of the founder members of the Hampshire League in 1973
and was given division 1 status. The Club won promotion to ECB Premier
League, Division 1, finishing 4th in 2000.
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Playing record
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In the early league years, the club finished
runners-up four times in the Hampshire League Division 1, before being
elected into the Southern League in 1986. Despite losing this status in
1994, the club has been enjoying a successful period on the pitch
winning promotion back into the Southern League for the 1998 season,
this time as Hampshire League champions. In addition the 1 XI won the
Noel Fisher knockout cup in 1996 and 1997.
Following promotion for the 2 XI in 1996, the 2
and 3 teams joined the 1 XI in promotion in 1997 and the 5 XI were
promoted in 1998 .
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Growth
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For many years we fielded two elevens on a
Saturday, and two on a Sunday, but expansion has come quickly in recent
years. A 3rd XI was started in 1983, a Saturday 4th
XI in 1993 and we now field 5 Saturday teams, as well as 3 Sunday sides.
A ladies team competes in the Hampshire county leagues.
In terms of playing members we are now one of
the biggest clubs in the County and surrounding area, supplying cricket
to a large number of people across a wide age range.
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Colts
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The expansion has come as a natural follow on
from the days in the mid seventies when we took tentative steps in
arranging fixtures for under 16’s, until the mid eighties when Colts
teams were formed at Under 11, under 13 under 15 age groups. We then
began to compete in the Winchester and Salisbury leagues. In the last
eight years our under 15 team have been Hampshire Champions on three
occasions and in 1994 finished in the top twelve in the country. 2001
saw the under 16 team become county champions again.
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Representative
honours
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Several colts players have represented the
County and the West of England at various age levels. While at senior
level players have represented Hampshire 2 XI, the Club Cricket
Conference, the Hampshire Cricket Association, Somerset 2 XI, the
Southern League and Hampshire League representative XI’s, and one of
our younger ladies has been selected for the England squad in her age
group. Andover cricket club can also boast the Ladies captain of the
Hampshire under 19 side.
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Practice
Indoor cricket
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During the summer months there
is a hive of activity at the Club in the evenings.Wednesday is senior
nets night, Tuesday sees the Ladies practice, while on Monday and
Thursday evenings the Colts have supervised coaching sessions by
qualified coaches from within our membership. We boast over 20 qualified
coaches.
During the winter we compete in
the North West Hants indoor leagues where we have been Champions for the
past two seasons. Many coaching sessions take place for all age groups,
and the Club organises courses for members wishing to qualify as scorers
and umpires.
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Social activities
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We also have many social events
at the Club throughout the year to cater for all age groups. An annual
presentation dinner, race nights, quiz evenings, cheese and wine parties
and an annual charity walk in conjunction with MENCAP to name a few.
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Facilities
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The club is responsible for the
upkeep and maintenance of the ground, which is one of the most
attractive in Hampshire, and boasts an artificial wicket, and excellent
practice nets and facilities. We are fortunate in having the use of a
second pitch which is situated to the rear of the pavilion. The two
storey pavilion houses spacious changing room areas and storage
facilities on the ground floor and a club room with licensed bar and
kitchen on the first floor, from where cricket can be watched on both
pitches from different sides of the room.
Plans have now been submitted
to the local council for the development of new pavilion. The total
project will cost in the region of £550,000.
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