On the final morning at Headingley in July 1948, England declared on 365-8 and set Australia 404 to win in 345 minutes. Nobody had ever chased 400 to win a Test match. The pitch was worn, taking spin and bounce, and England had run the heavy roller over it for good measure. The Yorkshire papers had Australia out by lunch. Instead Arthur Morris made 182, Don Bradman 173 not out, the pair added 301 in a little over three and a half hours, and Australia won by seven wickets with

In the summer of 1775, at the height of his powers, the finest bowler in England was cheated by geometry. Edward "Lumpy" Stevens, a Surrey gardener turned cricketing legend, so accurate he was said to be able to land the ball on a chosen leaf, sent down three deliveries that passed clean through the wicket. Not over it. Not around it. Through it. Between the two stumps that made up a wicket in those days, under the single bail laid across the top, and out the other side, with

On the first day of August 2026, a lovely wedding took place between Alfie and Mae Begley at Broadhalfpenny Down, near Hambledon. The ground is typically available for two weddings each Summer. Any enquiries to Tracy Murley on 07511626932 or tracymurley1962@gmail.com.

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: for Brigands to field ten men once might be considered a misfortune. To do it two matches running looks like carelessness. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Wednesday, thanks to a printer issue of all things, ten Brigands took the field against eleven from Whitchurch, the visitors marking 250 years and welcoming back Hampshire and MCC wicketkeeping favourite Paul Bailey. Whitchurch won the toss and invited the home side to bat. Sue Bailey and Peter Danks se

The Stragglers of Asia are perhaps the best-travelled side on the Brigands' fixture list, so we turn to the author Pete McCarthy for guidance. In his 2000 book about a journey round Ireland, McCarthy set down a numbered list of Rules of Travel; never given in full, the numbers jumping about, which was the joke. He died in 2004, aged fifty-two, with a third book unfinished. The Brigands have taken his list and revised it. A good number were observed on Sunday, and one of them

On Sunday evening, Robbie Savage opened his radio phone-in with a question for the nation: which square on the Monopoly board best describes each of the four World Cup semi-finalists? The first caller offered England as Coventry Street. At Broadhalfpenny Down this weekend, the Brigands were Pall Mall and the Old Seagullians were Park Lane. The Old Seagullians are alumni of St Andrews University. In the Eighteenth Century, when the Hambledon Club was shaping the laws of cricke

Esteemed historian and author, Stephen Saunders, sent in an amateur radio "postcard featuring The Monument to the Glory of Cricket at Broadhalfpenny Down. Amateur radio postcards carried more than times, dates, and crackling voices. They carried place. This 1988 "QSL card", sent after a contact on 3.723 MHz, turns a routine confirmation into a small act of local pride. The sender, E. J. Gamble, asks for a reply, lists Hambledon as the station location, and frames the exchange

Cricket doesn't get closer than this, and Simon Arnold was there with his camera for both innings 31 May 2026, Brigands 210-7 beat Wellington Wanderers 209 all out by 1 run Broadhalfpenny Down, with flags flying, is ready to host a touring team from New Zealand Northwood starts to accelerate. Blackburn survived an early edge but went on to hit a magnificent 25. Brigands going for attacking shots are out! Abdeen, Turner and Peach all bowled, Wood caught at Long Off. The elega

Broadhalfpenny Down, 4.30pm on 11th June 2026 Hear ye, Hear ye, calling all Brigands, Hambledon Cricketers and villagers, especially our ladies and our youngsters. If you would like to learn how cricket was played on Broadhalfpenny Down in the 18th Century, please join us for an early evening of fun on Thursday, 11th June, as we replicate cricket played to the original laws of 1772, with two stumps and underarm pitch bowling. If you would like to join in, please contact Mike