A PREMIER SPORTS CLUB
Beckenham Cricket Club has been home to sporting excellence in the South
London and North Kent area since 1830. The Club’s extensive facilities play
host to over 1300 members competing in squash, hockey, tennis and cricket.
In an area of outstanding sports grounds, Beckenham Cricket Club’s
location, outlook and facilities are the envy of many. People are drawn
to the Club for its well regarded and competitive teams, whilst others
prefer to relax and watch activities from the extensive bar and social
facilities.
Until 1997 the Club was best known for its LTA International Tennis
Tournament, held during the second week of the French Open, attracting
many top players seeking invaluable grass-court practice prior to Wimbledon.
The departure of the Tournament has ironically enabled the cricket team
to regain centre stage (and centre court!), benefitting from no longer
having to break its season for a fortnight in June as well as the
diminished wear and tear to the playing surface.
CRICKET AT BECKENHAM
Beckenham CC fields three sides each Saturday and Sunday and plays in :
In the 1997 season the introduction of promotion and relegation into the
Woolwich-sponsored Kent League spurred Beckenham 1st & 2nd Xis to return
to the top of the table. Following several barren years, fifth and sixth
place, respectively, offered promising reward for a concerted club-wide
effort to regenerate a ‘sleeping giant’ of Kent cricket. 1998 promises to
build on that improvement and ensure that the Club is battling for honours
in the Premier Division and cup competitions.
BECKENHAM CC’s STARS
Under the captaincy of Phil Hulston, employing experience gained as a highly
regarded rugby skipper, the Club’s 1st XI currently boasts an impressive
personnel.
Robert Key is a very promising young professional under contract to Kent.
The 1997 season saw Robert play for England Under 19s in four test matches
against Zimbabwe, as well as captaining England Under 17s to victory in the
World Youth Cup in Bermuda. He has just returned from a tour with the
England Under-19 squad playing a test series against South Africa and
winning the Under-19 World Cup.
Donald Orr, an outstanding wicket keeper and batsman, harbours ambitions of
appearing in next year’s cricket World Cup. With several caps for Scotland,
he was delighted to receive a recall towards the end of last season and
will be working hard to retain his place.
Chris Pickers is Beckenham’s longest serving player, despite being only in
his thirties, and is in the top bracket of all time Kent League wicket
takers. His left-arm spin bowling has earned him numerous representative
call-ups, including Club Cricket Conference tours to Australia and the West
Indies.
The Club has managed to attract several overseas players in recent years,
particularly from the southern hemisphere. Some of those players have been
able to play together in the same team due to their particular UK residency
rights, thus avoiding the League’s single overseas player rule.
- Woolwich Kent League Pemier Division (1st & 2nd XIs)
- South Thames League (3rd XI)
- Evening Standard Knockout Cup (Total prize money of
£25000 to clubs within the M25)
- Abbot Ale National Knockout Trophy