‘On Marsh and Meadow’
Within this book :-
This short book is an attempt to present some glimpses of cricket
played
in Berkshire in the 18th and 19th centuries against the background of
the
game’s national development. It
tells
of 18th century matches on Thatcham Marsh, games on Oldfield,
Maidenhead and
the young Hanoverian, the Duke of Cumberland, at youthful play under
the
watchful eyes of his tutor at Midgham
House. Members
of the House of Hanover were enthusiastic patrons and players of the
game as
were a number of aristocrats of those years who did much to establish
cricket
in the 18th century.
There are accounts of single wicket contests, ‘challenge’
matches,
‘novelty’ games, the traditional inter-village fixtures and the
enthusiasm of
the Newbury ‘Early Risers’.
Some of the very best 19th century cricketers visited Berkshire
and
played matches against local teams. Such
included the All England XI, the United England XI, the South of
England XI and
the touring Aboriginals who were opposed by Hungerford, Reading and
Newbury
with the occasional surprising result.
Public School cricket is viewed through the records of Bradfield College, there is a longer look at Berkshire’s
early matches
in the Minor County Championship and the very necessary assistance that
became
available as a means of producing a reasonable playing surface.
Central to all the above is the great love of cricket manifested
during
the centuries by rich and poor alike with the on-going determination to
play
the game and ‘handle the willow’
click here to see some examples