Charlbury Cricket Club

About Charlbury Cricket Club

Charlbury Cricket Club has a long and distinguished history. It was founded in 1874, and famous England cricketers who may have played here in the Club’s early days include Gilbert Jessop and the great W. G. Grace. More recently, Test players such as Tom Graveney, Ted Dexter, Deryck Murray, Farokh Engineer, Chris Broad and Sadiq Mohammad have all appeared at Charlbury when the Club has hosted charity matches or other special games.

Today, Charlbury Cricket Club is a thriving enterprise, with approximately 200 playing members (youth and adults). The Club has three league sides competing in Cherwell Divisions 4, 6 and 8 and tries to arrange as many Sunday fixtures as possible. They play indoor cricket in a winter league at Banbury and participate in several midweek limited-overs competitions during the summer, which finishes with a ‘curry supper’, now a favourite with players and visitors.

The Club’s flourishing youth section offers cricket for youngsters of all ages. Children as young as five can start in the ‘All Stars’ and progress up to the under-17 level. The women’s section is now firmly established as an integral part of the Club and has enjoyed great success since it was launched in 2007. The women’s team compete in the Home Counties Women’s Cricket League, and games are played on Sundays.

The Club has a ‘Social Membership’ offer for those of a more sedentary disposition who still enjoy their cricket. For a very modest annual subscription, Social Members have the chance to watch cricket at the ground, use the pavilion and bar and take part in occasional social functions. Charlbury represents a lovely place to play cricket: the scenery is fantastic, and both pitches are generally very good for batting on.

The opening of the new pavilion was a highly significant development in the 2010 season. The old building was severely damaged by floods in 2007 and, in any case, it was too small to cope with the volume of cricket played on the ground. The new pavilion has been purpose-built to conform to the needs of a twenty-first-century club and provides a spacious and welcoming environment for players and spectators alike.

Away from the cricket pitch, there’s always plenty going on. One of the highlights is the Annual Pre Season Tour in April. Recent Tour destinations have included Bournemouth, Cardiff & Nottingham. Many social events take place throughout the year, recent events include a trip to Newbury races, a skittles night, a golf day, a race night, a summer ball and a concert given by the ex-Zimbabwean Test cricketer Henry Olonga. More exciting events are lined up for each season.

Charlbury Cricket Club aims to offer something for everyone, whether young or old, male or female, player or spectator. They pride themselves on being a friendly and welcoming club and are always on the lookout for new players, of all abilities. If you don’t wish to play cricket but would still like to get involved with the Club then they can certainly find room for you on a committee or in some other capacity!

If you would like further information about joining Charlbury Cricket Club, please get in touch via the Contact Us page on their website.

Playing Facilities

Charlbury Cricket Club boasts two league standard pitches with an 11 wicket square (Main pitch) and an 8 wicket square retrospectively. The main pitch includes an artificial wicket for match and practice days. Additionally, there are 2 new artificial practice nets and 1 portable net which can be placed over the square.

Within the Clubhouse (built in 2010), there are enough changing facilities for two games to be played at once. With 5 changing rooms and showers, there’s sufficient room for 4 playing teams (and officials). The facilities also include access for those with disabilities.

The facilities of Charlbury Cricket Club are regularly used by Oxfordshire Cricket Performance Pathway for training days and fixtures. It has also hosted the cup finals of the Oxfordshire Cricket Association league, now merged with the Cherwell Cricket League.

The facilities are free to be used by all registered Charlbury Cricket Club members but can be hired for any private cricket game or training.
Whether you’re looking to join one of the many teams or want to hold your own sports event, they can help you out.

The Pavilion

The modern pavilion comprises a large decked area overlooking the main field, a fully licensed bar and fully equipped catering facilities. The pavilion can comfortably accommodate up to 40 to 60 people for any occasion.

The bar’s open from 5.00pm until 10.00pm on Fridays as well as from 2.00pm until 9.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s also open for all other scheduled Cricket fixtures.

The pavilion is available for hire throughout the year. If you are looking for a venue for your Birthday Party, Wedding Reception, Beer Festival, Summer ball, or any other function, Charlbury Cricket Club has the venue for you.

The venue consists of:
Bar Area, Lounge Area, and a Large Outside Decked Area
Fully Licensed Bar
Large 54″ Plasma TV with Freeview
WiFi Internet Access
Full Kitchen Catering Facilities
Car Parking Facilities
Disabled Access

If you are interested in hiring the venue for a function, they are more than happy for you to come down and look at the room before deciding whether it’s suitable for your occasion. There’s a hire charge, and a deposit of 50% of the actual cost is required to secure the booking.

The ground has already been hired for a 200 seat marquee for a Summer Ball, several marquee weddings and the annual Charlbury Beer Festival, catering for over 1000 people.