A warm April Sunday afternoon for village cricket; Broadhalfpenny Brigands hosted the Vagabonds, a wandering side in loud pink-and-red blazers, playing under their motto In the Spirit of Good Fellowship. After moderate warm-ups and stretches, Brigands batted first. Rupert Preece set the tone with an elegant 47, then Dave Henderson and Gerry Northwood put on 66 for the fourth wicket. The Vagabonds' seamers, Bulpitt and Preston, bowled seventeen overs of quality pace between th

"In the spring, cricketers are fresh and eager; ambition within them breaks into bud; new bats and flannels are as chaste as the April winds", Neville Cardus The cricketers arrived on the opening day of the season. There were the keen ones, with oiled bats, ironed whites, and confidence from six weeks in the winter nets. There were the rusty ones, with cricket bags unopened since the last Sunday of the previous September, who discover a solitary batting glove and a pair of s

Fifty years on from the Broadhalfpenny Brigands’ first forays at Broadhalfpenny Down, the Golden Jubilee summer of 2009 featured 25 games with 9 victories, twelve losses, four draws, and countless batting collapses. The year began with a familiar warning; IBM winning a game from a position of 62 for 8. There were other days for Brigands to forget. 38 all out against London New Zealand, 49 against Old Windsor, and another sub-50 wobble versus the Twelfth Man. There was the us

Note “polo frail” below, Ed. Oddballs has launched a charity partnership with Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club, producing a limited-edition pair of boxer shorts with all profits going towards improving facilities at the club’s historic ground. David Henderson, spokesperson for the Brigands, said the aim was to raise money for pavilion upgrades while celebrating a ground that holds a special place in the game’s heritage. The modern design is packed with cricket references,

At the most recent AGM, we agreed to share guidance around when and how to refer to Broadhalfpenny Down and Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club. Our guidelines, not rules, are below, and let us know directly, or in the comments, if you have any questions. How to talk about the ground, the Brigands, and the cradle of cricket Broadhalfpenny Down is a cricket ground in Hampshire. It has been used for cricket, though not continuously, for more than 250 years. From the top of the

Gerry Northwood, Chair I very much hope that this pre-season update will inspire our members to start thinking of, and prepping for, those sunnier and balmier days that lie ahead on Broadhalfpenny Down. Whether it is a bat that needs a fresh coat of linseed oil, an umpire’s panama hat to be dusted down, or scorer’s pencil to be sharpened, the 2026 season is almost upon us. The Brigands and Broadhalfpenny Down needs you! The amount of work that has been done over the winter on

Broadhalfpenny Brigands’ 2005 season began gloomily. Heavy rain fell against IBM South Hants, the Brigands left staring at 111 all out and darkening skies. Better times followed. In May’s thriller against Nonnunquam, there was a last-over finish: Mike Jarrett became the eighth wicket with five still needed from four balls, and Harry Bates arrived cool, calm, and collected. He blocked his first, pinched a vital single from the next and, in the scramble that followed, ensured t

The road into Hambledon still feels like it narrows towards something special. A bend, a hedge, the Bat and Ball, then Broadhalfpenny Down opens out like a stage, the cradle of cricket under an open Hampshire sky. That sense of occasion is exactly what powered the charity fixtures staged there between the Broadhalfpenny Brigands and the Lord’s Taverners between 1960 and 1972: 13 matches, watched by crowds who travelled from far and wide, the boundary edge lined with spectator

We do not see much sledging on Broadhalfpenny Down. Matches are friendly, the setting is tranquil, and the players are usually too nice. In recent years, Mo Ali has delivered the odd send-off. Liam Shrehorn has given as good as he got, and Andrew Ainslie has been known to take his frustration out on the opposition. It's more subtle these days; Ladenburg Junior was nicknamed "Aussie Tom" by the Australian High Commission, Rafi Abdeen christened on field as "Baby Murali", and