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A
brief history
Following the
formation of the Southern League (SL) in 1969, a general inquiry in
1970 initiated by Noel Fisher showed a widespread interest among clubs
tired of the surfeit of draws in 'friendly' cricket and looking for a
competitive edge with rewards, in the form of promotion, for success.
The inaugural meeting of clubs was held on 19 February 1972. Noel, as
Secretary of the Southampton & District Club Cricket Association,
represented the largest organization of clubs in Hampshire and played
a leading role in the formation of the Hampshire Cricket League, and
until his untimely death in 1981, in its growth and development.
Fourteen months after the inaugural meeting, the
first Hampshire Cricket League's County 1 Division fixture took place
at Hayling Park on 28 April 1973 between
Hayling
Island CC and Portsmouth & Southsea CC. Noel Fisher, the League
Chairman, bowled the first ball – recorded as an amiable long hop,
delivered left arm round the wicket. Portsmouth & Southsea went on to
win by 16 runs, with 7 balls remaining. Their total of 175 for 9
included 50's for Steve Munday, who returned to the Hampshire Cricket
League in 1997 with Old Hambledonians and Paul Winsor, while Hayling
Island's top scorer was Portsmouth footballer Harry Harris.
The League began in earnest on 12th May
1973, with 64 teams in 5 Divisions (2 Countywide, 3 Regional) and
another 11 in the Supplementary Division awaiting a place in the
competition proper. Only 32 of those 75 clubs are still playing under
the same names, a further 18 have amalgamated with other clubs, six
left to play in other Leagues and names such as Alverstoke, Bordon
Chemicals, Caversham, Deanery, Highclere, Huntley & Palmers, New
River, Old Portmuthians, Pegasus, Southampton, Sterling Cables,
Wellworthy and West End have, as far as we know, declared their
innings closed.
The first League Management Committee included two
members of the present Committee, Stan Brambley and Colin Savage, and
Colin Marshall, now BBC Solent's Rugby Correspondent. The Committee
has also been a breeding ground for eminent scorers, including Vic
Isaacs, Hampshire CCC's scorer since 1975 and Tony Weld, regular
scorer for each summer's Test Match visitors to England (and one of
the umpires in the inaugural League match).
There are more runs scored now – in 1973, 200 was an
exceptional score and no team in County Division 1 managed more than
50 batting bonus points. In 1999 all 18 teams in the top division
gained 66 or more from a similar number of games – through a
combination of improved pitches, better batting and the overs
restriction on bowlers.
In 2000 the League was reduced by one Division
smaller as 19 teams moved to the new Southern Premier League within
the Hampshire pyramid.
A historic change occurred at the end of 2001, when the 3 famous
Leagues - the Hampshire Cricket League, the Hampshire Combination
Cricket League and the New Forest Cricket League came together to form
the new Hampshire Cricket League. The new League aims to
reduce the amount of adminstration needed by clubs, particular those
with teams in at least 2 of the old Leagues.
We continue to look forward but there is still a lot
to do, led by the League s major objective: 'the promotion,
advancement and protection of the interests of cricket'.
Practically this means looking for the best
structure to reward ambitious clubs without harm to others, bringing
more young cricketers into the game, finding more umpires and scorers,
continuing the improvement of pitches and facilities.
We are extremely grateful to all those people for
have served as members of League committees. Their efforts are often
forgotten, but without their tireless support given freely, the League
would not have been so successful as it has clearly been over the last
30 years.
Presidents
R.M.C Gilliat (1976 - 1986)
Stan Foster (1987 - 1992)
Tim Tremlett (1993 - current)
Chairman
Noel Fisher (1973 - 1981)
Stan Foster (1982 - 1987)
Colin Savage
(1988 - 2000)
Brian Harris (2001)
Chris James (2002 - 2006)
Jonathan Blake (2006 - current)
Secretaries
L.W. Long (1973 - 1976)
Colin Savage (1977 - 1982)
Andy Roberson-Fox (1983 - 1994)
Gary Beglin (1994 - 1997)
Penny Taylor (1998 - 2000)
Jonathan Blake (2001)
Anne Craft (2002 - current)
Treasurers
A.P. Perry (1973 - 1977)
F.A.Simpson (1978 - 1981)
J.A.Carlisle (1982 - 1985)
Stewart Frazier (1986 - current)
Fixture Secretaries
C. Marshall (1973)
J.G. Walker (1973 - 1977)
F.A. Simpson (1974 - 1979)
Andy Roberson-Fox (1978 - 1981)
J. Whitcher (1980 - 1985)
Stewart Frazier (1986 - current)
Result Secretaries Chairman
Vic Issacs (1973 - 1974)
Stan Brambley (1975 - 2001)
Nigel Gravells (2002 - 2006)
Andy Stevenson (2007 - current)
Members of the Management Committee
- past and present
Stan Baynham, G.A. Beale, Stan Brambley,
Tony Brown, D.C. Brooks, J.H. Budgen, John Buckle, N. Carbury, Wilson
Carlisle, S.J. Carson, David Chisholm, F.G. Castell, R.L. Dunn, G.J.
Dyer, C.D. Gould, Julie Gibson, Keith Hayes, S.A. Hider, P. Hobdell,
David Holbrook, C.R. Holmes, David Honnor, Ray Holyer, Tim May, John
Metcalfe, Mike Munday, A. Nix, M. Pepper, D. Shaw, A. Snelgrove, Chris
Stanley, John Stokes, Jim Strong, R.J. Travis, Len Thompson, Allan
Trowbridge, George Winkles, B.L. Way, A.E. Weld, K.A. Wilde, John
Winterbottom
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