Club History and Philosophy

115 Not Out!

Cricket has been played at Horspath since at least the mid 1890’s when it is known that a match was played against Garsington – possibly in 1894.  The original ground was to the north east of the existing pitch roughly in the area now occupied by the new parish cemetery.

The Village Recreation Ground was acquired by the Parish Council in 1924 and the field was used for cricket almost immediately.  The grandfather of our Club President, Bob Walker, levelled the square and fenced off the field.  A wooden army hut was purchased by the Parish Council in 1926 and brought to Horspath on a horse and cart to become the Village Hall and Cricket Pavilion.  It was replaced by the current Village Hall in the 1960’s.  The hall was extended to add the modern changing rooms with the assistance of Sport England lottery funding in 1996.  All weather nets were added in 2000 and small improvements to the pitch and facilities have taken place every winter since.

Today Horspath is one of the leading cricket clubs in Oxfordshire, and from 2010 will have FOUR Saturday sides playing in the MP Sports Cherwell League, Sunday friendly and competition sides and one of the largest youth sections in Oxfordshire.  Renowned for the support of its social members and the number of spectators at a typical match, the club feels like a place where people on and off the pitch love the game and where “The Spirit of Cricket” is very much alive. 

In the late summer of 2009 we have installed a second pitch to the north east of the Village Hall to allow our 3rd XI (and new for 2010, 4th XI) to play their home matches at Horspath and open the way for an expansion of our Youth cricket.

We are a busy all volunteer amateur cricket club with a level to match every standard from MP Sports Cherwell League Div 1 to nPower Village Cup to friendly Sunday fixtures and we have over 75 youth players. 

Come and join us if you like to have fun - as a player, youth player or social member.