About Whitchurch Cricket Club

Find Us: Directions to the cricket ground

Eastfield Lane, Whitchurch on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG8 7EJ.

Find your way to Whitchurch on Thames. It's in South Oxfordshire, right over the river from Pangbourne, about 8 miles West of Reading and about 5 miles North from junction 12 of the M4.

If you're coming by car from the Pangbourne (South) side of the Thames, you'll have to pay a 20p (current at May 2007) toll each way to cross Whitchurch Bridge. Pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes cross for free.

Pangbourne station is 'served' by First Great Western trains between Reading and Oxford. It's a 10-15 minute walk from the station to the ground.

From Whitchurch High Street, find The Greyhound pub, which is on the corner of Eastfield Lane and the High Street and turn into Eastfield Lane.

About 400m down Eastfield Lane on the left, just after the last house on the left, you'll see a metal gate, which is the access into the ground.

Parking is in front of the club-house, which is the first of the two buildings on the left.

Map of Whitchurch and the Cricket Club here

To find our more about the village of Whitchurch on Thames, click here.

Contact us

For fixture enquiries please contact the Hon. Fixtures Secretary, Alan Kilford (details below).

For playing and membership enquiries please contact any Captain, Vice-Captain or Hon. Secretary listed below or email us at

For queries relating to this website, please contact the webmaster

Officers of the Club

History

The club was founded in 1877 and we have occupied our beautiful ground on Eastfield Lane since 1923, following acquisition of the land by the Whitelock family in 1921.

To read our President Miles Whitelock's history of the Club please click here.

The history appears by kind permission of Mr Whitelock.

Affiliations

We are affiliated to the Oxfordshire Cricket Board.

Vice-Presidents

The club is proud to recognise our distinguished Vice-Presidents.

News

Planning Application

Cricket Club supports planning application based on agreement reached with the Parish Council.

Read our agreement that protects cricket in Whitchurch and improves village facilities.

Valiant Rearguard Action

Whitchurch draw vs Stonor

Captain's Report: Drowning men found close to Thames
Whitchurch clung on like a drowning man to a straw as they scraped a draw on Saturday. Stonor posted 253, with one of the openers scoring 120+, despite being dropped on 20 (Don't worry Lewis, Brian Lara scored 500 after he was dropped once). However a strong rearguard action from Craig Hampton and Dominic Motha saw us home.

Catches Win Matches

Whitchurch win away against United Oxford Hospitals CC

Captain's Report: 3 good catches from Mark, Lewis and Jon for Whitchurch wasn't matched by United Oxford Hospitals who proceeded to drop the Whitchurch skipper at regular intervals, allowing him to score 58. 3 wickets each for Mark and Nick, and an excellent spell of bowling by Andrew bowled UOH out for 162. Runs for Jack, Nick, Lewis and 'the lucky one' ensured that Whitchurch eventually ran out the victors by 4 wickets.

Boat Race Glory

Captain's Report: Williams L, Mutepfa, Charlton, Crist, Haggerty, Kilford A, and Steward Win Back Boat Race Title.
If only they could play cricket with the same aplomb that they can drink!! A 30-over game straddling the football saw Whitchurch run up 162 for 9 with Jack G back from his exams and back in the runs, and Hicksey brilliantly protecting his average. In reply Jack Frost recovered well from 85 for 5 to eventually win by 2 wickets with 3 overs in hand. And another catch for the boy wonder: that's 2 for the season and counting.

Sunday Best?

A victorious Whitchurch side.
(links to Henley Standard website).

Captain's Report: Everybody remembers their first !!
Whitchurch were led to victory at Checkendon on Sunday by Matt Kilford taking his first catch for the Club at the tender age of 11. Notable contributions from Andy, Lyn and Alan (proud father) with the ball ensured that Checkendon were bowled out for 139 at tea. After tea Robbie, Andrew and Nick made sure that the score kept ticking over despite the loss of a few wickets; Whitchurch eventually winning by 4 wickets with 8 overs in hand.

Headcase Skipper

Nepotists win

Captain's Report: A&E waiting times improving in Reading. Whitchurch bowled and fielded brilliantly before tea to restrict Nepotists to 160 for 8. How well we did, or didn't, bat after tea in being bowled out for 84 is a complete blank: having my head stitched back together by Zia (the very nice nurse) in A&E at the time. If Whitchurch could have batted for the same length of time I was in A&E – 3hrs 2mins – we would have won easily.

Pea Shelling

Whitchurch lose to Star 2009

Captain's Report: New Pea-Shelling Plant Opens in Whitchurch.
The Whitchurch team put their recent intensive training in pea-shelling to good use on Saturday by dropping 7 catches, which allowed Star to amass 231 runs in their innings.
Whitchurch made a good fist of a response with Closey and Duncan in particular putting in fine batting performances. However the run rate proved to much for the lower order and we were all out for 180.

10 Significant Figures

Whitchurch beat Goring

Captain's Report: Caught and bowled surprise – one very sharp and one relatively easy caught and bowled chance by Andy and Alan respectively – they never do that off my bowling!! - restricted Goring to 169 for 6. After tea, and without the usual alarms, Whitchurch chased the score down for the loss of only four wickets and with 8 overs to spare. More runs for Andrew, who says his average is now 134.3426759 – not that he's counting.

Bright Future

Whitchurch beat Hetaroi

Captain's Report: Congratulations to Lewis Crawleygay on scoring a 50 in his first game of cricket ever! Put Whitchurch on track for a good win against Hetaroi, who scored 180 in their innings, and Whitchurch even managed a customary mini collapse to make things a bit more interesting. Congrats also to Duncan on 5 for 31 off 11 overs. A fine spell of dibbley-dobbley bowling.