Woodmansterne Sports Club was established in 1921, bringing together the local cricket and football sections, not to mention the Reading Room and Flower Show Committees. In 1996 the seventy fifth anniversary of the Sports Club was celebrated by the cricket section with the production of special shirts and caps. However, according to DW Busfields invaluable 'History of the Surrey Village of Woodmansterne' the cricket club was in fact established well before 1921. The author welcomes enlightenment on the true starting date of the club!

Woodmansterne C.C. in 1930

A study of the early records reveals that matches in those days were much lower scoring affairs (see the annotated fixture list below). The first X1 batting averages for 1930 show that the top aggregate and average were held by J.Bowers with 283 runs at 14.15. However three bowlers; J.Bowers (obviously a fine all-rounder), W.Peasley and M.Prosser took 132 wickets between them at an average of just over 8.

1930 results - the game against Netherne Hospital was cancelled as the lorry arrived late

The old minute books reveal many of the same problems that confront a cricket club today; arrangements for teas, a shortage of scorers and umpires and even 'unsportsmanlike behaviour by two members'. A more unusual problem presented itself in 1935 "The ground has been left in fairly good condition except for the fiasco at the beginning of the season when the Banstead Urban District Council used a mowing machine drawn by a horse without boots. The result was a pitch full of holes 3 or 4 inches deep; thanks to prompt action the damage was smoothed out".

Travel to away matches in the early days required the hire of a suitable vehicle and in 1936 a Mr Leslie Hewlitt was engaged to convey the team to away matches in his coach, for a fee of seventeen shillings and sixpence. The same year saw the club elected to the Club Cricket Conference, an event which 'will require higher standards of efficiency from club members' apparently.

In 1946 on the resumption of regular cricket after the war years, H.M Griggs the Hon Secretary reported poignantly 'A great deal has happened since I addressed you six years ago, thankful to say that the majority of club members both civilian and those serving in the Forces have come through the war safely, also Woodmansterne itself'

Fixture cards from the thirties to the nineties

The club took its present shape shortly after the war when there were three Saturday sides and one Sunday team. 1952 saw the thriving club hosting a benefit match for Surrey and England bowler Alec Bedser. Club dinners were an annual event, and invitations would be sent to celebrity guests, including Jack Hobbs, whose gracious refusal of his invitation is shown below

A study of the equipment inventory for 1953 reveals the fact that the club used to provide equipment for all the players, those who had their own equipment were very much the exception in those days. The list ran as follows; 'Bats 18, Pads 17 pairs, gloves 16 pairs, wicketkeeper pads 5 pairs, inners 6 pairs, wicketkeeper guards 4 pairs, score books 4, stumps 2 sets, bails 2 sets, rope pegs 6'.

In 1957 the new HQ for the Club was opened, after considerable help in its construction by local volunteers and a grant of £300 towards the building costs by the National Playing Fields Association. In the same year Mr Lanham was able to report that the Cricket Club had 54 members, and on a more mundane level that the price of teas was to be raised to one shilling and ninepence. In 1959 Tommy Butcher became the first player to score 1000 runs in a season for the club and two years later Dave Brazier went one better by scoring 1000 runs and taking 100 wickets.

From the 1961 fixture card - notice the old logo

The fiftieth jubilee of the Sports Club was celebrated in 1970, and in 1971 an extension to the Pavilion, the brainchild of Ray Turner was completed. Ray has contributed much to the continued development of the pavilion, and the club as a whole. As a sign of the times, in 1973 the question of a club tie was discussed but the cricket committee felt that 'club ties are not worn to any extent these days'.

Jubilee celebrations in 1970

The club entered the Surrey County league in 1974 and in 1976 won the area final of the Decca cup which gave them a chance to play at the Oval. Although they lost that match there is a memento of the occasion in the Club bar in the form of a photograph of Dave 'Braz' Brazier hitting a glorious six (the photo also forms the background to this page).

A notable occasion during 1982 was the filming, at the club, of the original TV version of 'Outside Edge' with Paul Eddington, Prunella Scales, Maureen Lipman and a young Leslie Ash. The same year saw the First team win the League cup, and in 1992 the Club was elected to the Eve Surrey Championship. 1992 also saw an influx of players and drunkards from the disbanded GAFLAC Cricket Club and for the next few seasons the club was able to field up to 5 elevens on a Saturday.

In the early nineties the club was particularly strong and while the First X1 pressed for promotion to the second division, the Third X1 actually achieved this distinction. In recent years the Firsts and Seconds have been relegated to the Fuller's Surrey County League, and the Thirds to the third division of the Eve Surrey Championship. However, the Second X1 have made a good start in the County League, reaching a very creditable fifth spot at their first attempt and it's hoped that the Club's excellent colts section will produce the players to reverse the Club's fortunes. 2001 will see the Sports Club taking over the maintenance of the grounds from the Council, which will provide an interesting challenge for the members. The Club is a splendid place to play cricket and socialise, and no doubt will continue to be for many years to come.