I'Anson Cup

Grayshott Cricket Club - the home of I’Anson Cricket

Grayshott Cricket Club has a long association with the I'Anson Cup. Grayshott, one of the founder members of the I'Anson Cup is the only club to have played in every year of the I'Anson Cup Competition since its formation in the year 1901. There was a break in the competition during the period of the First World War between 1914-1918 and the Second World War between 1940-1945.

This is quite an achievement as not many clubs have celebrated their own centenary and also celebrated their league's centenary.

Grayshott are the only club who has participated throughout the life of the competition.

Grayshott first won the I'Anson Cup in 1903, defeating Linchmere in the deciding match and preventing them from winning the cup outright.

The winning Grayshott captain was Alexander Ingham Whitaker who was Club President for so many years. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a part of the winning cup side and contributed well in the defeat over Linchmere.

Grayshott did not win the cup again until 1920, the first time the cup was played for after the First World War. Our captain then was Ernest Johnson and a picture of the winning team is on display in the club's pavilion.

In 1929 the club won the cup for the third time by just one point from Whitehill, under the captaincy of Fred Puttick. A picture of this team can be found on the web site within our photo gallery.

The club waited forty years before winning the cup again in 1969, with Geoff Tribe as captain. Grayshott achieved the double this year winning both the I'Anson Cup and Stevens Cup.

It was not until 1988 that the cup came back to Grayshott. With many of the winning 1983 Miller Cup players in the team, Neil Elisha became the youngest captain to lift the I'Anson Cup. At the presentation of the cup, was "Snowy" Hicks who featured in the 1929 cup winning team.

After so many years in the 90's when the club came close to winning the coveted trophy, the cup finally came back home to Grayshott in 2002.

In 2011, Grayshott retained the trophy for the first time in the club's history, and have now won the I'Anson Cup on nine occasions, 1903, 1920, 1929, 1969, 1988 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2011. Simon Whitley being the only Grayshott captain to win the cup on more than one occasion.