Fifty Years of Youth Cricket

at Grayshott

Grayshott Cricket Club has always had a strong youth section. Our records show that Youth Cricket formally started in Grayshott around 1959 when the club entered a team into a competition run by the I'Anson and Miller Cup Competitions probably at Under 18 level.

 

In these early years insufficient numbers meant that the club was unable to raise a side every year and in some seasons friendly matches were played as well as games in the Two Counties Youth League and the League run by the I'Anson and Miller Cup Competitions.

 

In the 1970s, however, popularity began to grow and numbers swelled and by 1979 the club was entering three teams into the Two Counties Youth League at Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 age groups.

 

In the 1980s this became a regular feature as did the names of the individuals coaching the teams, namely Gerald Baker, Eddie Gulliver and "Mr Grayshott" himself Peter Clapham who has been involved with Grayshott Youth Cricket across five decades.

 

In the late 1980s and 1990s Ken Williams, Jim Sanders, Tim Fry, and Peter Hannam became involved with the running of our youth section. The number of junior members started to reduce as did parental support but Peter Clapham ensured youth cricket continued to be played at Grayshott.

 

In 2004, Graham Sampson took over the reins from Peter and in 2005 introduced Under 9 cricket with the help of Gareth and Kim Cox. This proved to be a turning point as the numbers of members started to increase again.

 

The Club achieved Clubmark accreditation in December 2005 only the seventh club in Hampshire to do so, followed by in 2006 being awarded Focus Club status. As the number of children coming to increase so did the need for the number of coaches and the club is lucky to have in it midst some excellent coaches now.

 

2006 also saw the introduction of Girls cricket along with Women's cricket at Grayshott. Membership continued to grow and in 2009 the club boasted junior membership of over 140 children across seven age groups/teams.

In 2009 the club re-introduced Under 17 cricket and girls cricket at Under 11 level.