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