CRICKET HISTORY
HISTORY OF CHIPPING SODBURY CRICKET CLUB
Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club is fortunate to have a long history stretching back to 1860. Those were the first days when the gentlemen of Chipping Sodbury gathered on The Ridings to hear the crack of leather on willow.
Below are pieces of writing harking back to those bygone days at Sodbury's cricket ground. So sit back as we take you on a trip to 1860 and the formation of a cricket club called Chipping Sodbury.
HISTORY OF CHIPPING SODBURY CC
The Beginnings
The Early Days
The Grace Family
Sodbury Cricket in the 1890s
Cricket in the Early 1900s
The First 10 Years of the Century (1900-1909)
The Pre First World War Years (1910-1914)
Ex-CSCC Member Shot Dead by South African Police (1914)
A Resumption of Cricket (1920-1924)
Lean Times (1925-1929)
A Flourishing Period (1930-1934)
World War II Beckons (1935-1939)
Post War Revival (1947-1949)
The New Pavilion of 1949
Things move fast at The Ridings (1950-1954)
Influx of Cricketers at Sodbury (1955-1959)
Cricket Coaching Classes (1957)
1998 Cricket Tour of West Sussex - Day 1 by Mark Reynolds
ABRIDGED HISTORY OF CHIPPING SODBURY CRICKET CLUB
This version is shorter and only slightly less comprehensive.
Cricket Life Begins at Chipping Sodbury (1860-1899)
Into the 20th Century (1900-1939)
The Post War Years (1947-1960)
The club's complete history from 1961 onwards will be added in the future.
CRICKET HISTORY
The History of the Game
The links above contain all you need to know about the first 100 years of Chipping Sodbury Cricket Club, but the actual game of cricket has a fascinating history as well.
The early stages of cricket's history are a bit of a difficult thing to get to the bottom of. The precise origins of the game remain in doubt, but there are early references from Guildford, Surrey, UK in 1598. This mention comes from the Royal Grammar School in Guildford which refers to pupils playing a game of 'creckett' in about 1550.
It's not until afterwards, in the late part of the 17th century that the first published references to cricket can be found. In one such reference it's noted how fines were handed out for those missing church in order to play cricket.
In the early parts of cricket history there are a couple of main theories as to the derivation of the word 'cricket'. One is from the old French criquet (a kind of club, or goal post).
Another puts forward the idea that the game was played among shepherds who hit a stone with their crooks and, at the same time, defended the wicket gate into the sheep pen.
Also ideas that it came from the Flemish word krick(e), (stick) or from the old English cricc, (crutch, staff) have been proposed.
In cricket's early history it was a sport which was especially regarded as an English sport. As the British empire grew at a rapid rate the game found new homes further a field. English soldiers, sailors, and ex-pats introduced cricket to Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, and India.
The former colonies still take great pleasure in beating England at their own game.
