During the mid to late 1800’s there were many teams playing in Wolverton. Two of those were the Wolverton Britannia C.C. who played at Old Wolverton, and the London & North Western C.C. who decided to amalgamate at a meeting in October 1893. After agreeing the clubs rules at the “Royal Engineers” public house, the Wolverton Cricket Club was formed.

On the 28th April 1894 the clubs first game took place at the “Big Field”, near where the Gables in Wolverton is now. The game was between Mr Richard Williams’ Captains XI and Mr Alfred Bickleys Sub-Captains XI, as a practice match. The following Saturday the first competitive match was played again at the “Big Field” against Stony Stratford Friendly Society; Wolverton winning the match by 30 runs.

In 1899 the club was dealt a major blow when the “Big Fields” use was taken for building purposes. During the 1900 season all games were played away. At this time the clubs president Mr. C.A. Park, who was the superintendent of the Railway Works and a keen cricketer, intervened. He managed to secure a new ground, with a pavilion, in Osborne Street, the site of the current ground.

On the 18th May 1901, Mr C.A. Park officially opened the ground by bowling the first ball in a match between the First XII and the Second XVIII.

The 2001 season marked 100 years of playing cricket at Osborne Street. A “nissen hut with warts” replaced the old pavilion in 1972. This yellow fibreglass monstrosity known as the “Pineapple” was later transported to Somerset to be replaced by the present pavilion in 1980.

Players come and go, but their legends live long. From the great “Brock”, ET (Earnest) Brocklehurst who played for over 40 years and scored a then record 972 runs in a season with a then highest club score of 179. This total was surpassed on two occasions by Australian deaf captain Andrew Watkins who scored double centuries. LN (Norman) Smith who’s hitting power was legendary, in fact its reputed he hit the ball between the houses in Windsor Street. More recently to John Field who led the side to their first Northants County league Championship, and became the first player to score 1000 runs in a season. On the bowling front ex-chairman Norman Lloyd, who could be heard picking the seam from cover point and Chris Booden – the second championship winning captain- whom both have taken over 1000 wickets for the club. With the current youth policy it hoped in another 100 years some of these will become legendary.

At the end of the century Wolverton Town had its first test player in its ranks in the guise of Mohammed Wasim of Pakistan.

The one thing that hasn’t changed in all these years is the ground itself and especially the wicket. In the early years the Eton groundsman rated it as the “3rd best in the county”. Today its one, if not the, best in the area.

Wolverton Town CC

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