cricket

A brief introduction and history of the
MARDEN CRICKET & HOCKEY CLUB

The Marden Cricket Club was in existence at the end of the last century (and indeed there is a record - in an old Bearsted scorebook now in the Maidstone Museum - of a match between Marden and Bearsted in 1789). They had a variety of homes until the early 1920s when Jas. Seymour - one of the first professional cricketers in Kent - moved to the Howlands, which adjoins the ground, and established the existing cricket ground.

The Russets Hockey Club was formed after World War I and, after a few years' wandering existence initially as a ladies' team and then as a mixed XI, arranged to play home games on the cricket outfield at Marden, using the cricket pavilion and the upstairs of the adjoining Howlands barn for changing. Hockey teas were taken in the Working Men's Club. In 1946 separate men's and ladies' XIs were formed and both were formidable opponents throughout Kent and Sussex.

In anticipation of the need for improved changing facilities the clubs merged in 1960 to form the Marden Cricket and Hockey Club and built the existing clubhouse which was opened in 1963. We must admire the foresight of members (the club then fielded one cricket XI, one men's hockey XI and one ladies' hockey XI) in providing a clubhouse which, with minor extensions, is still largely adequate for the changing and social needs of a greatly increased membership.

In 1987 the club took the opportunity to purchase an adjoining six acre orchard with the intention of providing a further three grass hockey pitches and a cricket square. In the event only one new hockey pitch was provided but, with the advent of astro pitches - and the requirement to play most league games on artificial surfaces - even this has been given up. While the club has been developing its long term strategy for this area, we have been pleased to allow it to be used for organised and recreational football and it is likely that space will continue to be so available for many years.

In the 1980s, Jeremy Barham, then a 1st XI player and former England and Great Britain international, suggested, introduced and implemented, almost single-handedly for the first six or seven years, a policy of youth training that has now mushroomed into one of the largest club youth hockey training schemes in Kent. A generation of hockey players owe a big thank you to Jeremy Barham and his successors. A big thank you is also due to our several sponsors and advertisers, together with the organisers, coaches, helpers and umpires without whose dedication and support there would be no junior (or senior!) hockey or cricket.

For a small club based in a rural area, the Russets have had some remarkable achievements.
Leagues: In 1997/8 the men's veterans' XI reached the semi-final of the national cup, the U14 Boys won the County League. In 1999/2000 the U14 Girls won the County League for the second year running, the U16 Girls won the County League and the U16 Boys won the County League. Also the 2ndXI Men were promoted for the second year running, reaching the highest league available, and both ladies Xis were promoted again. Probably more noteworthy than those achievements was the fact that almost every weekend throughout the hockey season, the club fielded four men's and two ladies' sides and provided coaching and matches for over one hundred and fifty children between the ages of six and eighteen.

There is always a need for youth coaches and helpers, umpires and occasionally senior players and Nigel Bardsley (01622 844399) will be grateful to hear from anyone who has an interest in and a willingness to fill any of these vital roles.

Nowadays all sports tend to be organised in leagues and competitions and cricket is no exception. The cricket club fields two XIs in the Invicta League sponsored by Strategic Insdurance Ltd. and, although potentially capable of fielding two of the strongest sides in the league, have recently only finished mid-league. It was not always thus. Our cricketers - in the 1970s - reached the semi-final of the national village knock-out competition and over the years have achieved consistent success in various other competitions.

There is also a mid-week cricket XI who play about ten games each season - many against strong touring opposition.

Simon Day, Cricket Secretary (01622 820758) is always pleased to hear from potential new players, umpires and scorers.

Junior cricket (Marden Colts) is also available but as one of the main organisers (Robin Judd) has his own ground in Maidstone Road, Marden - once the venue for the club - this takes place there. He will be pleased to hear from any potential recruits either young players, coaches, helpers or teapersons. His telephone number is 01622 831609.

Although nearly all the various activities of the club (there is a buoyant social side as well) are carried out by club members entirely without payment, the expenses of serving such a large membership are considerable and this money is raised in a number of ways of which the most important are:

Subscriptions (2000)
(Ł65 p.a. per sport; junior membership Ł30 p.a., social members Ł12 p.a.).

Sponsorship, advertising and donations.

Match fees (2000 season)
(Ł7.50 per game; less for younger members and nil for young hockey players in youth teams).

Special fund-raising events (dinners, dances, disco's, promise auctions and the like).

Bar income
(The bar is open every Friday evening, on Saturdays, at Sunday lunchtime and after home games held at other times).

To try to ensure that everybody connected with the club was kept as fully informed as possible of club activities it was decided, a few years ago, that cricket and hockey fixture cards and all newsletters should be widely distributed and that the parent(s) of junior members should, by virtue of the subscription paid for their offspring, become social members automatically.

It is always difficult to keep a membership list fully up-to-date so, if there are any 'members' who do not wish to continue to receive communications from the club (because their offspring have outgrown hockey for example or they have no occasion to visit Marden) will they please let the Hon Secretary, Stewart Woodruff, know. He can be contacted at Scafell, Howlands Road, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent TN12 9EU or on 01622 832047. Similarly he will be pleased to hear from or of anybody who does not receive communications from the club but should do so.

The club is, of course, pleased to keep younger members who have moved away from the area temporarily or are otherwise not able to play regularly, on the mailing list. They pay no subscription but can play (occasionally) when they are available.

In 1994 the club started the ball rolling towards our eventual goal of providing our own astro surface on our own ground and a site just to the east of the existing tennis courts was chosen, planning permission obtained and internal and external funding sought.

In September 1999 the Club raised the finance required, from its own members, to successfully lay the ATP. This was completed in January 2000 and the ATP has been in use ever since.

As it is the intention that this document will be updated from time to time please advise David Eltringham, White Lyon House, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent TNI2 9DR, 01622 831316, of any errors, inaccuracies or suggested improvements so that these may be incorporated in the next update.