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Andover Cricket Club - Formed 1863
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Potted history
Andover Cricket Club were formed in 1863 and has played continuously since then except for the war years, until the present day. In more recent time Andover Cricket Club has become one of the leading clubs in Hampshire. Although declining to join the Southern League when league cricket first came to the south in the late 1960's, Andover was one of the founder members of the Hampshire League in 1973 and was given Division 1 status.In the early league years, the club finished runners-up four times in the Hampshire League Division 1, before being elected to the Southern League in 1986. Despite losing this status in 1994, the club has been enjoying a successful period on the pitch winning promotion back into the Southern League for the 1998 season, this time as Hampshire League champions. In addition the first XI won the Noel Fisher knockout cup in 1996 and 1997.
For many years, the club have fielded two elevens on a Saturday, and two on a Sunday, but expansion has come quickly in recent years. A third XI was started in 1983, a Saturday fourth team in 1993 and they now field five Saturday teams, as well as three Sunday sides.
In terms of playing members, we are now one of the biggest clubs in the County and surrounding area, supplying cricket to a large number of people across a wide age scale, and we even run a ladies team.
The expansion has come as a natural follow on from the days in the mid seventies when we took tentative steps in arranging fixtures for Under 16's, until the mid-eighties when Colts teams were formed at Under 11, Under 13 and Under 15 age groups. Andover then began to compete in the Winchester and Salisbury leagues. In the last eight years, the clubs under 15 team have been Hampshire Champions on three occasions and in 1994 finished in the top twelve in the country.
Several colts players have represented the County and the West of England at various age levels. While at senior level, players have represented Hampshire 2nd XI, the Club Cricket Conference, the Hampshire Cricket Association, Somerset 2nd XI, the Southern League and Hampshire League representative XI's, and one of our younger ladies has been selected for the England squad in her age group.
During the summer months, there is a hive of activity at the Club in the evenings. Monday is senior nets night, Tuesday sees the Ladies practice, while on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the Colts have supervised coaching sessions by qualified coaches from within our membership.