Woodpeckers Cricket Club

12/05/2008
Seconds wins at Aston Ingham
The 2nd's had to field a greatly changed team from last week but that did not prevent a marvellous team perfo (more...)

12/05/2008
What a great start to the 1st XI league season
Woodies Vs Aston Ingham
After losing the toss on a good wicket – The Woodies had t (more...)

07/05/2008
View from the middle!! After the first XI game with Dymock was cancelled, What better way to spend the afternoon than helping the second XI (more...)

05/05/2008
Seconds start season with a win
With the First's game at Dymock cancelled it was down to the Seconds to get Woodpeckers cricket started fo (more...)

Moores calls for England momentum
England coach Peter Moores urges his side to pick up where they left off in New Zealand when the return Test series begins on Thursday.

ECB will fight SA player influx
The England and Wales Cricket Board is keen to halt the invasion of South Africans in county cricket.

Samuels given two-year ban
West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels is banned for two years for breaching regulations on betting.

Live - County scores
Leicestershire host Northamptonshire in Division Two of the Championship.

England selector drops Read hint
National selector Geoff Miller says that Nottinghamshire wicket-keeper Chris Read can still play for England.

Chapter 1 : Prelude to the Woodpeckers Cricket Club

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Chapter 3 : The Influence of Roger Dando

During the 1950's the Club developed from strength to strength and became very well known and respected in the area. These were the days of fine players such as Colin Howells, an excellent batsman and one of the few to have scored centuries for the Club. Another fine batsman was Horace Edwards who played during the later 1950's and early 1960's and was a schoolmaster at Crypt School in Gloucester.

It appears that it was during the 1950's that many of the fine trees now seen to be growing around the ground were planted. These included the Horse Chestnut trees to the north and west sides and also the Silver Birch trees adjacent to the current changing room block to the south corner of the ground. The Company gardener for L.T. and R. Vowles, Frank Hardwicke, is understood to have planted these and he also attended to the ground. Frank's work has therefore contributed greatly to the current scene at Nupend whch the home team and visiting teams agree is one of the most attractive in the area.

Gloucestershire v Mr. L.T. Vowles XI - Sunday August 17th 1952:

This fixture was clearly a very special event in the Club's history. The match was arranged as part of the Benefit Fund programme for George Emmett, the Gloucestershire Captain who scored over 20,000 runs for the County. The event was instigated by Mr. Vowles who was very keen to see close associations between the Woodpeckers Cricket Club and the game at County level.

The ground must have been quite a scene, something akin to a mini-version of the Cheltenham Cricket Festival at the College Ground with marquees and bar on the field.

There was a draw for an autographed cricket bat, tickets priced at 6d. each.

Woodpeckers CC v W.E. Jones XI - 24th May 1954?:

Once again the Club acted as hosts to a celebrity XI captained by that well known County player Willy Jones of Glamorgan CC. Raffle tickets were available for 3d. each or five for one shilling and available from the Club secretary at that time Mrs. Non Hyett.

Mr. L.T. Vowles XI v. Gloucestershire - August 1955 in aid of George E. Lambert's Benefit:

The attached team sheets, copy photographs and George Lambert Benefit souvenir card illustrate the importance of this event and again Mr. Vowles was clearly successful in arranging a very colourful event in support of a Gloucestershire player's benefit. It is a fixture that is recalled with great affection and pride by current senior members Ernie Wilkes and Mike Edge. The combination of six Woodpeckers Players with three Glamorgan and two Gloucestershire Players must have been very inspiring for the Woodpeckers Cricket Club. Their team was captained by "Gubby" Allen who was of course Captain of Gloucestershire. Their opposition comprised a Gloucestershire team with such celebrities as Tom Graveney, Jack Crapp, George Lambert and John Mortimore. Roy Parker of Woodpeckers CC was Gloucestershire's twelfth man. Gloucestershire scored 222 with W. Knightley-Smith scoring 118. Stuart Surridge (Surrey CC) was bowled for 1 by club strike bowler Ernie Wilkes, surely his greatest cricketing moment. The Vowles XI's reply was delayed by rain and restricted to one hour during which they scored no less than 169 for loss of 4 wickets.

Gloucester Knock-Out Cup Final - July 19th 1955:

As the Citizen article of 20th July 1955 reports this thrilling Cup Final ended with Woodpeckers beating Gloucester Police in the last over. In reply to a Police score of 124 in 20 overs, Woodpeckers stumbled at 40 for 4 wickets but were revived by a magnificent stand between Ernie Tuffley and Colin Finch adding 60 runs for the fifth wicket. Ernie Tuffley was stumped for 51 in the end and Colin Finch went on to make 30 including two big drives for 6. Ossie Robinson with 8 not out and Mark Wakefield with 5 not out saw Woodpeckers home to ensure that Captain Roger Dando collected the cup from Mr. Owen Lee-Williams. Ernie Wilkes took 5 wickets for 46 runs and Mike Edge 1 for 23 with Mark Wakefield completing a good all-round effort with 2 wickets for 48.

During the 1950's Woodpeckers won the coveted Huntley Knock-Out Cup on two occasions, firstly in 1954 and then in 1959.

Tewkesbury Hospital's Knock-Out Cup Winners 21st July 1956:

Roger Dando was Captain of the successful Woodpeckers side who played against Tewkesbury in this match which was played over two evenings. The scores were:-

Woodpeckers 88 and 86
Tewkesbury 87 and 65 all out

In Tewkesbury's first innings Mike Edge took three wickets for 40 runs and Henry Dallman three wickets for 42. In the second innings Mike Edge again bowled well taking three for 35 and Henry Dallman a match winning five for 30.