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Thirty-nine Summers
Brigands 1988-2026 Thirty-nine summers, 946 fixtures, 891 of them finished and the rest abandoned due to rain. We have combined the archives of Lovett-Turner, Peach and Henderson with results from 1988 to the end 2026. The record - 316 won, 292 drawn, 279 lost, four tied. - The all-time win rate is 35.5% of matches played. - Best season on the books: 2022. Seventeen wins from twenty-eight. - Worst: 1990. Two wins from twenty-five. - Most defeats in a summer: 1989, fourteen fr
Dave Henderson
Oct 1


Shock White
Trevor Chappell rolled the ball along the ground at the MCG on 1 February 1981 and won the match. It was entirely within the Laws. Maradona punched the ball past Shilton in Mexico City in 1986 and the goal stood, because the referee missed it. Cameron Bancroft went into his pocket for some sandpaper at Newlands in 2018 and tried to improve the swing of the cricket ball. Every so often somebody arrives with an idea outside the spirit of the game. At Broadhalfpenny Down this we
Broadhalfpenny Down
Sep 23


Full Circle comes to the Bat & Ball
An Evening at the Cradle: History, Cricket and Good Company Some evenings feel like they were made for a particular place. Thursday 10 September might just be one of them. Peter Oborne and Richard Heller, co-authors of Full Circle: A History of Cricket, widely regarded as one of the most ambitious cricket books in years, have accepted an invitation to join us for dinner in the Bat & Ball. They will speak about the book and about the game itself. Oborne needs little introducti
Dave Henderson
Jun 9


Brigands v Wellington Wanderers Journal
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
Dave Henderson
Jun 2


Brigands v Wellington Wanderers, 31 May 2026
A Very Long Way for a Dot Ball In the summer of 1777, the Hambledon Club played a match on this very hill for a stake of a thousand guineas, roughly £150,000 in today's money. The ground's history is saturated in stories of wager; bookmakers operated at the boundary rope, gentlemen lost fortunes on the result of a single delivery, and the players were not always above suspicion. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday, Wellington Wanderers arrived in their green, blue and yellow bla
Dave Henderson
Jun 1


Facts and feats at the cradle of cricket
20 reasons why Broadhalfpenny Down remains one of cricket’s most charming stages, where history hangs in the air, and the scorebook reveals a few surprises.
Dave Henderson
Feb 28


A look back, 2008
A Spring game against The Saints in 2008, Matt Sturman and Glen Duggan walking towards the pavilion, and Mike Beardall and Graham Peach batting with slip fielders waiting. Nina is scoring, with Harry by her side, of course. Picture credit Alamy
Broadhalfpenny Down
Jan 19


A Bat as Wide as the Wicket
On 23 September 1771, amidst the flint and flannel of Georgian Surrey, a bat was raised, not in triumph, but in challenge. It was wider...
Dave Henderson
Sep 23, 2025


Dog Walks in Hampshire
On this day in 1756, Rover the dog was lost during a cricket match at Broadhalfpenny Down, and a reward was offered for his recovery—the...
Dave Henderson
Aug 18, 2025
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