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West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club

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West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club
File:West Chiltington and Thakeham Cricket Club badge.jpg
Nickname(s)Windmills, Chilt
LeagueSussex Cricket League
Personnel
CaptainJames Howgate
CoachMatt Machan
ChairmanStephen Hodgson
Team information
Founded1921
Home groundWest Chiltington Recreation Ground
Secondary home ground(s)Abingworth Meadows, Thakeham
History
Sussex Cricket League Division 5 West wins2017
West Sussex Invitation League Division 1 wins2015
West Sussex Invitation League Division 2 wins2012
West Sussex Invitation League Division 3 wins2011
West Sussex League Division 1 wins2006
Official website:wctcc.org.uk

West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club is a cricket club based in West Chiltington, West Sussex. The club has a number of senior and junior sides. Three senior sides compete in the Sussex Cricket League on Saturdays with the First XI playing in Division 3 West. A Fourth XI play friendly fixtures on Saturdays. There is also a Women's XI, a mid-week T20 side which competes in the Sussex Slam, two Sunday friendly sides, a veteran's XI plus a large junior section for boys and girls starting at age 5 through to 18 years old. The club is a Sussex Focus club with Clubmark accreditation.

History[edit]

West Chiltington and Thakeham are two neighbouring villages in the Horsham District of West Sussex. West Chiltington is a Saxon village with a Norman church and a windmill, the latter features on the cricket club's badge.

West Chiltington Cricket Club was officially formed in 1921, however the first recorded game goes back to the 18th Century when teams from Horsham and High Chiltington played on Hurston Common.[1]

West Chiltington CC and subsequently West Chiltington & Thakeham CC has always played home games at the Recreation Ground in Mill Road, West Chiltington.

It is not clear when Thakeham CC was formed but a team played on the current football field next to the Storrington Road until the 1970s on land owned by what was then Linfield Mushrooms. The dilapidated pavilion was not actually removed until the early 21st Century. A new cricket ground has since been built in 2018 in the field beyond where the old ground was situated, Abingworth Meadows, where the club's Third and Fourth XIs now play their matches.

West Chiltington CC proceeded in a leisurely manner throughout the 20th Century but prior to merger with Thakeham CC in 2001, only had limited playing members with Saturday league and Sunday friendly sides.

West Chiltington CC and Thakeham CC agreed to merge into one club at the West Chiltington CC AGM in October 2000. The new West Chiltington & Thakeham CC played for several seasons in the old West Sussex League; initially in the Second Division and then after finishing runners up, they competed at the top of the First Division as they began to attract more players. The club celebrated being crowned champions of the West Sussex League First Division in 2006.

In 2007 the club created a 2nd XI to provide a greater platform for colts to play competitive cricket. A Club XI played a Sussex CCC XI as part of Sussex batsman Richard Montgomerie’s benefit year. The following year in 2008 the club joined the former Sussex Invitation League.

In 2009 Sussex CCC beneficiary Murray Goodwin opened the club's new three lane nets and covers were purchased in 2010 with full sight-screens added in 2011. The First XI won back-to-back Sussex Invitation League Division Three and then Division Two titles in 2011 and 2012. That year in 2012 a Third XI was created.

At the end of the 2013 season work began to demolish the old West Chiltington Recreation Ground pavilion and a new pavilion was built in its place by former Thakeham CC chairman Phil Goring.

2015 ended with promotion to the (formerly known as) Sussex Premier Cricket League (SPCL) and appointment of Club Coach Tim van Noort for the start of the 2016 season. The First XI consolidated their position[2] in the SPCL in their first season, with Tim van Noort also assisting significantly on the playing front. After a restructuring of the SPCL divisions in 2017 from county wide to regional, the club moved from Division 4 into Division 5 West which they won[3] on the final day of the season. Another restructure and the formation of the Sussex Cricket League saw the club promoted to Division 3 West for the start of the 2018 season.

The club's second ground, Abingworth Meadows, was built as part of a new housing development in Thakeham and was formerly opened in time for the 2019 season. Former Sussex CCC and Scotland cricketer Matt Machan was appointed new Club Coach in March 2020 just prior to the Covid-19 affected season.

Senior Cricket[edit]

Coached by Matt Machan, the First XI play cricket on Saturdays in the Sussex Cricket League Division 3 West. The Second and Third XI teams play in Division 6 West and Division 10 West North respectively of the Sussex Cricket League. The club plays friendly cricket on Sundays and semi-competitive T20 cricket mid-week in the Sussex Slam. A veterans side plays Sunday friendlies.

Junior Section[edit]

Launched in 2005, the club began an ambitious youth development policy which continues to be a success and despite some other adult acquisitions, it is the prime reason for recent success. Launched by former Sussex coach Brian Jeffries and current President Peter Jones, the club boasts a number of ECB accredited coaches for every age group and start coaching at Under 5 for boys and girls. The girls section was launched in 2013. Colts and former colts have played in every adult side for a number of years and are fundamental to the success of the club. The club have had both girls and boys representing the club in Sussex full and area sides and compete in the Bowl or Shield in the Sussex Junior Cricket Festival, at every age level.

Club Coach[edit]

For the first season in the Sussex Premier Cricket League, 2016, the club appointed a Club Coach, the former Hastings Priory player Tim van Noort, to oversee all adult and junior coaching at the club continuing to do so until 2018. In 2020 former Sussex CCC and Scotland professional cricketer Matt Machan was added, taking on the role of Club Coach.

Tim van Noort continues to play an active role in many aspects of the club, with particular focus now on the development of the younger players in the club, whilst Matt Machan focuses on senior cricket and in particular the First XI at weekends.

Grounds[edit]

The club has two grounds, each with recently built pavilions. The main ground is situated on West Chiltington Recreation Ground. It has modern facilities, an artificial pitch, three lane net facilities and a cricket square recognised as one of the best in the county in 2019[4]. The pavilion was built in 2014 by former Thakeham CC chairman Phil Goring and son and is managed by the West Chiltington Sports Association.

The club's second ground in Thakeham was formerly opened in 2019, built as part of the Abingworth Meadows housing development and provides the club with a permanent second base for Third XI, Fourth XI, junior and selected friendly fixtures.

Honours[edit]

Senior Honours[edit]

Sussex Cricket League[edit]

  • Division 5 (West) - Winners - 2017

West Sussex Invitation League[edit]

  • Division One - Winners - 2015
  • Division Two - Winners - 2012
  • Division Three - Winners - 2011
  • Division Seven - Winners - 2011 (2nd XI)

West Sussex League[edit]

  • Division One - Winners 2006

Junior Honours[edit]

Sussex Junior Cricket Festival (SJCF)[edit]
  • U16 Shield - (Joint) Winners - 2015
  • U12 Shield - Winners - 2011, 2015, 2019
Sussex Junior League Champions League[edit]
  • U14 - Winners - 2019

References[edit]

  1. Club, Horsham Sports. "The history of HCC". Horsham Sports Club. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  2. "West Chiltington & Thakeham CC". wct.play-cricket.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  3. "West Chiltington & Thakeham CC". wct.play-cricket.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  4. WCTCC (2019-10-02). "Square voted 4th best in SCL!". WCTCC. Retrieved 2020-10-25.


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