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Broadhalfpenny Down Marks a Landmark Year in Style Following last year's fundraising, we have been busy during the winter months upgrading the pavilion. We have begun improving the car park area to cope with wet days, thanks to the support of Winchester City Council. We have installed a new hot water system and heating to ensure our visitors are comfortable. Thank you to everyone involved who have put in so much time and effort over the winter. 2026 is a celebratory year with the 250th Anniversary of the introduction of the third stump, and we will be offering more hospitality in the pavilion. Our events calendar includes weddings and parties, and the season kicks off with an Evening with ex-England cricketer Steven Finn at the Bat and Ball pub, opposite the ground on 22nd April. 2026 will be a landmark year to enjoy cricket and this fabulous historic venue.

We are hosting Gender Reveal parties in our lovely pavilion. Come and enjoy time with family and friends at this gorgeous venue revealing the gender of your forthcoming baby. We will provide a buffet of tea, coffee and soft drinks for £20 per person. If you wish to celebrate with a bottle of bubbly please feel free to bring your own and we will be happy to serve your guests. Get in touch with Tracy Murley on 07511626932 or tracymurley1962@gmail.com to discuss your event.​

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

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 usual mid-season scramble for players; the game against Bacchus was 9-a-side, and 5 guests were drafted in to play Wayfarers. There were highs too. Ewan Lovett-Turner took 5 wickets with swing bowling against Vagabonds, Barney Wyld blasted 63* to bury the Gosport GPs, Jake Peach scored his maiden half-century, and then a majestic 80 against the Wayfarers. Andrew Polson’s opening spell five-for announced that, Jubilee or not, straight and full still works here. Vagabonds v Brigands, 2009 Golden Jubilee Week brought colour too, not least the Australian Indigenous XI’s visit. John Cook’s polished 122 against Woolhope helped bring “the Ashes” back to the cradle of cricket. There was a close game between the Blind and Visually Impaired sides of Hampshire and Sussex, a family day and a festival match against the Kenya Kongonis. A fine Brigands performance against the Stragglers of Asia saw the visitors strangled for just 86. Against Shedfield, all-rounder Dexter Small smashed an 83-ball century, including a six and 16 fours. He then took 5 wickets, the last one courtesy of a sharp catch at cover by John Musters, and became the first and only Brigand to achieve a hundred and a five-wicket haul in the same match. Small was playing Southern League Premier Cricket for Havant on Saturdays and enjoyed his day off at Broadhalfpenny Down. Behind the scenes, Rod, Nina, and Harry produced cricket wickets and a manicured outfield. The Bat & Ball Inn, never far away, reminded visitors of the legends that had once played cricket in the Eighteenth Century for 500 guineas a match, and where, in 2009, the Brigands kept the story going. Brigands squad in the Cheriton Sixes tournament, Dexter Small by the monument after his hundred & 5 wickets Brigands entered a team in the 16th Cheriton Sixes tournament, which featured smart Royal Navy cricket kit and a memorable win against Ventnor. All this played out in a warm summer that peaked at 33°C for the match against the Cricket Society day, when radios crackled as Andrew Strauss’ England reclaimed the Ashes at The Oval. The cricket season ended in a rare away match and a 21-run win at Hawkley, built on Dom Humphrey’s unbeaten 120, a Nick Harris fifty, and a fiery bowling spell from Jake Peach. Hawkley were showing off their new pavilion, including a roof with strengthened tiles, and were a bit upset when a Harris six punctured a ball-sized hole through one of them. And to wrap things up, in October, at the Rose Bowl, Brigands and friends gathered for an end-of-season Jubilee Dinner, including legends who had first worn the Blue and Green cap in the 1950s. The roll-call at the Golden Jubilee Dinner Golden Jubilee game, 2009

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, featuring Chertsey and Hambledon Cricket Clubs, the Bat and Ball Inn, a nod to the introduction of the third stump, and the Brigands logo worked into a pattern intended to be worn “by the discerning cricket lover”. The underwear is being marketed as a gift idea and makes an excellent present for husbands, fathers, and sons. Oddballs CEO, Will Cooper, said the fabric was chosen with comfort in mind, using a “polo frail” blend of materials including cotton, designed to feel soft for everyday wear while still looking sharp enough to raise a smile among cricket fans. To be in with a chance of winning a free pair of pants, comment below the word "Pants" along with your preferred size and name.

We have showcased much-loved cricket photographers in recent years, from Ryan Pierse and Dave Vokes, to Dave Bodymore and Marc Aspland. Gareth Copley has been travelling with the England cricket team for more than 180 Test Matches, and his new book, written with Rory Dollard, is mesmerising. With beautiful and award-winning cricket photography, the book gives a front-row seat to England's World Cup glory at Lord's and the Ben Stokes’s Headingley miracle in 2019, human stories behind the tours, and conversations with Joe Root, Sir James Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Eoin Morgan. A Picture of England is a celebration of English cricket’s modern era, would look good on cricket-loving coffee tables, and we hope to host Gareth and Rory at Broadhalfpenny Down for a picture of village cricket soon.

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 hill, the views across the countryside are still close to what players and spectators would have known in the Hambledon era. The inaugural First Class match was played here. That is our difference. The brand must honour the history, celebrate what still survives, and show that cricket is alive here now. The ground, The Monument, and the Bat & Ball are iconic parts of cricket history. Our Brand must work hard to: Commemorate; Protect the ground's unique place in cricket history, especially its glory years from roughly 1750 to 1780 and its role in shaping laws that still influence the game. Celebrate ; Show that the history continues into the present: the ground and the pub still exist, still matter, and still connect people to the game that made them famous. Promote; Present Broadhalfpenny Down as a 21st century venue for cricket, events and inclusive participation - from juniors to veterans, from local visitors to the wider cricket world. Endure; Keep the enduring symbols of the game, the bat, the stumps and the ball, while making the identity work online, on mobile, on social, in video, on merchandise and beside the monument. We are part of a club, the Brigands, but part of something much bigger: showing how cricket should be played at its cradle, Broadhalfpenny Down. Every social media post, fixture card, sponsorship deck or newsletter helps shape what people think Broadhalfpenny Down is. When we use the names well, we protect the history, strengthen the wider venue brand and give the Brigands a clear place within it. That is how we commemorate the past, celebrate what survives and promote cricket on the Down for the future.   Our Master Brand is Broadhalfpenny Down, 1772. Use by default for the ground, venue hire, fundraising, heritage work, partnerships, media and the wider cricket audience. Pair with "the cradle of cricket" when you want to raise status or explain why the place matters. This should normally be the lead brand on external communications. There are two variants of the logo; one with 1772 date on and one without. Our Sub-Brand is Brigands Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club is the full and formal name for official correspondence, committee papers, scorebooks, and club apparel. "Brigands Cricket" can be used to reference the style of cricket; timed matches played in a jovial and inclusive way where everyone participates. Brigands is an important brand, but it should sit within the story of Broadhalfpenny Down rather than replace it. We believe members of the Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club should be part of something bigger; Broadhalfpenny Down and its historic role in cricket. The updated logo was designed to work in digital and social media and have same colours as Broadhalfpenny Down; if you see both logos side by side without seeing any words you know they are connected. The heritage logo, with wicket-and-tankards, still has a place on flags, caps, clothing and heritage items. It is a nod to 60 years of Brigands cricket. The heritage logo works less well online, and doesn’t link to the Broadhalfpenny Down logo or colour palette so loses some of its association.   Fonts and Colours Our website uses the Arial Black font, 36 point bold green text for Headings and Avenir font, 14 point black or green, for text. Text can be reversed, so white text on a green background. RGB Colours for Website; Heading R31 G68 B38 and green text and background R129 G144 B119. Blues are Light Blue - R=141, G=215, B=244 or Dark Blue - R=28, G=2, B=244 Photographs should be cropped to size, not stretched, and high enough resolution not to pixelate on large screens. Website address should be referenced on all communications. Instagram or other social handles including YouTube @cradleofcricket when suitable. In written correspondence, do not say "the home of cricket" or "where the first game of cricket was played" When in doubt … Start with Broadhalfpenny Down, Add "the cradle of cricket" if heritage or status matters, Use Brigands when the subject is the club, the team or the style of cricket. We prefer Hambledon or near Hambledon over Clanfield in outward-facing copy.

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 the ground and the pavilion will no doubt be apparent to all of you as you read the rest of this update. So I will not dwell on it here other than to offer a big thank you to Tracy Murley and Mark Smith and their respective teams for getting stuck in and making such a huge difference. There is of course more to be done and a strong club attendance on Ground Opening day will help with that final push to have everything ready for the season. Blessed as we are with our stewardship of a ground which has played such an important role in the early development of the game, this season will be the “Third Stump Summer”. We shall be celebrating the invention of such an obvious idea that one wonders why it took so long to get round to it! But a great invention all the same, and all bowlers are no doubt grateful for it. “TSS” culminates with a game against Chertsey, the club that was the original protagonist during the first third stump game 250 years ago. Please mark the date in your diaries as we are very much hoping to celebrate the day in style with as many Brigands and other cricket lovers present as possible.

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 the Brigands had enough control for Matt Sturman to finish it with a boundary and one ball to spare. Ewan Lovett-Turner was the season’s star, finishing with 647 runs at an average of 80.9. In a remarkable sequence of seven consecutive fifties, he went one better against the Rioteers: in rain-affected innings, he watched partners come and go and finished 102 not out. Inter-service pride also had its day in the “Battle of the Brigands” against the RAF. Extras top-scored for the airmen, but Mike Beardall’s early strikes and a late Polson burst kept the ‘junior service’ winless against the Brigands. Graham Peach was the stand-out all-rounder, with 308 runs at an average of 26, and 24 wickets at an average of 18. Glen Duggan was solid at the top of the order, scoring 282 runs. The season’s centrepiece, though, was the Herefordshire tour: three days that felt like cricket in postcard frames. Woolhope remained a stubborn tour nemesis as the Brigands fell 12 runs short after Chris Collins’ 44 and John Musters’ 27. Twenty-four hours later, Gerry Northwood produced a calypso 110 not out to romp past Dorstone, with Lovett-Turner the perfect foil in a season-high stand of 141. The tour ended with a gritty win over youthful Bartestree, built on multiple middle-order contributions and sealed by sharp fielding and Piers Collins at the death. Rain still intervened, Billericay and Whitchurch were cancelled, even as the broader summer leaned drier in parts of the south, with drought measures already being discussed after an exceptionally dry winter. And as England reclaimed the Ashes in that 2–1 epic from July to September, the Brigands, too, found their own ways to win: by nerve, by nous, and by one cool head walking in when it mattered most. Brigands Played 25, Won 10, Lost 6, Drawn or Abandoned 9 Northwood takes a wicket on tour, 2005 After an evening at The Bat & Ball, perhaps, 2005 John Musters had a fine season in 2005

On match days in the 18th century, cricket at Hambledon was as much about money as runs. For a typical fixture, about 20,000 people would descend on Broadhalfpenny Down, two miles outside the village, arriving with horses from as far away as Reading, Tonbridge Wells and London. The crowd needed feeding and watering, and an entire pop-up economy obliged: tents and banners selling food and drink, punch and pies, and stalls offering bats alongside bookmakers’ ledgers. Tradesmen set up temporary forges to keep carts moving and shoes on the horses. At the centre of it all was Richard Nyren, captain, organiser, and landlord at the Hutt, later known as The Bat and Ball. Nyren understood that cricket’s reputation rested on performance, but its pulse was wagering. His backers made fortunes when the Hambledon Club’s greats delivered, and Nyren prospered too: from the commissions he took from stallholders and bookmakers, prize money, and the bets he placed himself, almost always on Hambledon. Aristocratic “Quality” came with privilege and proximity, watching from a members’ lodge with covered seating and expensive chairs. Nyren, unimpressed by rank, liked to remind them where the smart money lay. “Never bet against men such as these,” he told two well-heeled patrons, a line that captured his certainty and the club’s hard edge. But even a winning side fades. Nyren recognised this and began planning renewal, and a new ground closer to the village at Windmill Down. One evening, over wine and punch, he gambled on building the next great Hambledon team around an unpolished bowler with rare pace and bounce called David Harris. The Next Chapter began.

The Bat & Ball is closely associated with the history of cricket and part of the charm of Broadhalfpenny Brigands cricket. The pub has spent the start of this year undergoing a refurbishment, and as part of the relaunch, is sponsoring the 2026 Fixture Card. We look forward to pre and post-match refreshments in our favourite pub this Summer.

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 spectators several deep, and a marquee serving a quintessential cricket tea behind the little thatched hut of a changing room. The results didn’t really matter; Brigands won two, the Taverners four, with seven draws. It was the atmosphere and the cast lists that explained why these games became a summer talking point. The Taverners help young people facing the challenges of inequality, and open up opportunities for those who might otherwise be left on the margins. These matches were fundraisers, driven by the belief that sport can change lives. Players ensured there was sparkle. Fifteen Test cricketers represented the Lord’s Taverners at the cradle of cricket, from Ray Lindwall and Doug Insole to Jim Laker and Ken Barrington. Brigands fielded three County players themselves ; Gerry Tordoff of Somerset, Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie of Hampshire, and Michael Ainsworth of Worcestershire. They were joined by club stalwarts and celebrities who enjoyed a pre-match lunch at HMS Mercury, then happily pulled on whites. The 1961 match drew a crowd in its thousands, and it ended in the kind of last-wicket tension that charity cricket produces more often than it should. The Taverners’ last pair needed just a boundary to win when the last wicket fell. 611 runs were scored in the afternoon, a record that still stands today more than 60 years later; a newspaper headline called it a "dazzling day". In 1964, Jim Laker, on his way to greatness, bowled down the hill and a year later, Ken Barrington took five for 15 as the Brigands were dismissed for 107, the best bowling figures recorded by a Tavener in the series. In 1968, Brigands rotated 13 players and Taverners 14. Chasing 286 to win, Brian Shattock came to the crease with Brigands struggling on 10 for 4. He cut loose to crash 158 in just 65 minutes with 27 boundaries, including 8 sixes. The match was drawn with the last pair surviving the 41st and final over. There were close finishes in 1970, when Taverners chased down a 220 target in under 30 overs with just one wicket in hand, and in 1971 when Taverners reached their target of 200 in the 35th over with 3 wickets in hand in fading light. The 1972 game was rain-affected. The Brigands' Captain, Bryan Burns, top-scored in the game and recalled using the large roller to "squeeze the damp out of the pitch before the start". The game was abandoned at tea when the rain came; the Taverner's captain, Alf Gover, wondered whether Brigands could have declared earlier, given the weather forecast. Burn's favourite memories are surviving an over from Worcestershire fast bowler Jack Flavell in 1969, "he passed my bat 6 times", and taking the wicket of Stuart Surridge, the great Surrey Captain and Wisden Cricketer of the Year. Famous players included Sir Tim Rice, Robert Powell, and Robin Smith In 1988, the Lord’s Taverners returned to Broadhalfpenny Down to play in a cricket match filmed for the ITV Telethon, with proceeds going to charity. Sir Tim Rice featured, and Miss Marion Begley, a local cricket-loving nurse, won a competition prize to lunch with the teams before play. TV presenter Nicholas Parsons, Capital Breakfast Show host Chris Tarrant, and actor Robert Powell added a dash of showbiz to an already distinctive setting. Newspapers previewed and reported on the charity matches at Broadhalfpenny Down By David Henderson, with scorecards and research from Lord's Taverners Archivist William Powell and Brigands' Bryan Burns, 2026. Photographs used with permission from Lord's Taverners and Alamy.

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 Paul Whittle was once referred to in the scorebook as "Paint Dry". But none can match the 18th-century eloquence of Richard Nyren who, whilst playing for The Hambledon Club, was heard to shout, after a batsmen had missed three balls in a row, “Bowle hymme a harpsichord, see if he can playeth that”. The top sledgers; Mo Ali, Liam Shrehorn, and Richard Nyren

No, not the badgers that lived behind the Groundsman's hut for a while until they were chased away by Harry's loud radio ... Absolute Badger was founded on the belief that cricket fans deserve better casualwear. They are built by badgers, for badgers: the ones who dream in cover drives. The kit features playful designs and is great quality; as worn by Broadhalfpenny Down visitor and Test legend Kane Williamson. They are giving Brigands 15% off, for a limited time, with the discount CRADLE15 . Just click on the link below and get kitted out for the season ahead. https://absolutebadger.com/

It's subscription time for Brigands and Friends of Broadhalfpenny Down and the good news is that subscription rates have been kept at 2025 levels. Annual playing members' subscriptions are £75, discounted to £15 for youths and full-time students. Match fees are £15 per match or £7 for youths and students, and £7 for T20 matches. Non-playing Members, and Friends, subscriptions are £15 for the year. Please consider setting up a standing-order, paying monthly, or becoming a Life-Member with a charitable donation of £1,000. The club’s account for payments is: Broadhalfpenny Brigands CC Sort Code 77 50 12 Account Number 31225668 Brigands, and cricket lovers, can support Broadhalfpenny Down by buying from the online shop or making a donation (with gift aid available) via the website.

The Broadhalfpenny Brigands committee has been busy this Winter. Since the annual general meeting in October 2025, they have overhauled key parts of the ground operation. Equipment has been serviced. Old netting has been taken down and removed. A new hot water tank has been installed, while upgrades to electrics and the kitchen have made the pavilion more reliable for match days and events. Outside, the outfield has responded to the quieter months. It has grown well and looks green and healthy as the club moves towards the start of the season in April. The Bat & Ball is being refurbished and is due to be finished in good time for the new campaign. A fuller note will go to members before the first fixtures, but for now the message is simple: thank you. The committee have pushed the work on through the off-season, with support from grounds staff Mark, Dennis, Cyril and Gail, plus Tracy in Events and other volunteers who have turned up, pitched in and kept things moving. When the first ball is bowled, the cradle of cricket will be at it's beautiful best. A winter of content; from the AGM in October through to pavilion improvements in November and December, Bat & Ball refurbishments in January, and Winter ground preparations in February.

We wish Brigands legend and former Dom Rock Trophy winner, Pete Tomkins, a speedy recovery from illness. We look forward to seeing him on Broadhalfpenny Down soon.

With the ICC T20 World Cup Final this week, we thought we would share 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. Hambledon’s heyday in the 1750s to 1770s turned this patch of downland into cricket's proving ground, with big matches drawing vast crowds and even bigger wagers as cricket began to take itself seriously. Brian Shattock’s fastest century took just 52 balls against Lord’s Taverners in August 1968. It was even more remarkable as Shattock arrived with his side in trouble at 10 for four and proceeded to crash 158 in 65 minutes, with 27 boundaries and a club-record eight sixes. John Floyd’s fastest fifty in 1986 was absurd. Against Rioteers, he reached 50 in 19 balls, a blur of six sixes, three fours, and two singles, and still allowed himself time to playhimself in; his fifty included eight dot balls, and he batted out a maiden! James Dingemans produced the most dominant innings ever seen on the ground in July 1996 v Saints, reaching 100 with the total on 112 for one, of which eight were extras. At the other end that day, opener Ashley Mote faced 43 consecutive dot balls before his only scoring shot: a three. A serene Brigands’ batting display came in May 2025 against Sons of Bacchus, when Lee Gray, Matt Sabben-Clare, Adam Jay, and Jim Morris chased down a target of 222 without losing a wicket. The match report claimed the Brigands "could have chased down 333, or 444, that day" the openers played that well. No one else has matched Ian Inskip’s best bowling of 9 for 51 in 1966 v Hampshire Mechanics. No one else has surpassed Gerry Northwood’s innings of 161 against the Gentlemen of Windsor in 2003. The home dressing room is notoriously lopsided because so many players insist on squeezing into the coveted “all-rounders’ corner”. Two all-rounders stand above all others; in 1977, Bernard Marshall became the only Brigand to complete the double of 300 runs and 30 wickets in a season (Graham Peach came close, twice). In 2009, Dexter Small became the only player to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same match. Only two Brigands have passed 700 runs in a season: Andrew Burns in 1998 and Dave Henderson in 2025. Ewan Lovett-Turner is the only batter to have scored seven consecutive half-centuries (the last one a hundred) for the Brigands, a feat he achieved in England's Ashes-winning year of 2005. The biggest batting collapse arrived in June 2002 when Lobsters CC, cruising at 170 without loss, lost eight wickets for 10 runs in 42 balls. Some overs are expensive, and some don’t seem to end. R Wood once conceded 26 in a single over v Winchester College in July 1981, the sequence reading 6, 2, 6, 6, 6, wicket. In 2021, Hill and Waller-Davis somehow managed to bowl 17 balls in a single over for Vagabonds. Mike Beardall’s 49 wickets in 2007 remains the record for most dismissals in a season, but T Thomson’s six five-wicket hauls in 1983 stands out as a bowling feat unlikely to be beaten in the record books. In 1961, 611 runs were scored in an afternoon in the match between Brigands and the Lord’s Taverners; a “dazzling day” as the newspaper headlines had it. Brigands' constitution dictates that matches should be played within a six-hit of a drinking establishment, which helps explain why, against Stansted Park, the club wheeled out a drinks cart stocked with gin and tonic and beer for players and officials. During the pandemic, Chairman Nick Harris’s pre-match speeches became as familiar as the public health briefings: a welcome for the opposition, a slice of history, the rules of safe Covid cricket, and exactly when, and when not, to reach for the hand sanitiser. They were informative and oddly inspirational. A Matt cartoon, donated by Nigel Lovett-Turner and with the permission of the legendary cartoonist, was presented to the "player of the match" in the season of Covid restrictions. The place is kept alive by the people who tend it. Harry Bates served as groundsman for 37 years from 1987 to 2024, with Nina by his side for most of them. “My trainee assistant,” Harry would say. Harry went viral twice: in a 125,000-view social media post by Cricket District in 2022 and in the "The Final Cut" video, with 100,000 views on YouTube. New Year’s Day cricket has its own mythology here. In 1929 it was so cold that players and spectators repeatedly fled to the Bat & Ball to warm up on ale, whisky and rum, until the pub was said to have been drunk dry. In 2000, the game began at midnight, but was halted after the first ball because of bad light, and resumed the following morning. In 2022, The Times noted how “history filled the air” as "cricket was played with a pink ball on a plastic pitch". Even the toss comes with built-in heritage: the coin often used at Broadhalfpenny Down is a George III halfpenny dated 1772. Broadhalfpenny Down seems to have its own weather. Rain often appears to circle the ground rather than settle on it, and even on the greyest afternoons, there is frequently a glowing, lithium sunset to the west over the Hambledon valley. In 2022, MCC featured Broadhalfpenny Down and its 250th anniversary on the back of its membership pass, whilst Fullers, the landlords of the adjacent Bat and Ball pub, brewed a special "1772" IPA beer to mark the anniversary. King Charles once used Broadhalfpenny Down to land his helicopter, Borat learnt to play cricket here, and Kane Williamson visited Broadhalfpenny Down the day after New Zealand won the World Test Championship Mace. Have we missed anything you think is worthy of this list? Let us know in the comments. Facts and feats, from King Charles, the Burns family, Kane Williamson, serene batting, Harry Bates, Borat, James Dingemans, the toss with a 1772 halfpenny coin, Dexter Small, New Year's Day cricket, Covid speeches, Bernard Marshall, 1772 beer, and the MCC red book. With thanks to the brilliant photographers who have allowed us to use their work, including Ryan Pierse, Dave Bodymore, Russell Sachs, and Dave Vokes.

The new pavilion was opened on 22 June 1999, after years of planning, fundraising, and construction. The old "hutt" had been outgrown, and facilities no longer met Hampshire League standards, so a new pavilion was commissioned. Initial plans met with objections from some, including former journalist Ashley Mote. Almost two years later, friends, donors, and supporters gathered on a Tuesday midsummer evening for champagne and speeches.

Only 9 weeks to go until the start of the village cricket season at Broadhalfpenny Down. There are some enticing and diverse new fixtures; The Refreshers, Birmingham Unicorns, and Shipwreck all make their first pilgrimage to the birthplace of First Class cricket. We host Wellington Wanderers from New Zealand on their UK tour, and welcome back the Strolling Optimists from Oxfordshire after a long absence from the Down. Other than that, it's familiar foes and friendly faces, including two T20 evening games against Hambledon and Stansted Park. The prize match against The Authors takes place on 19th July, the much-loved Vice Presidents Match is on Wednesday 29th July against Whitchurch, and a 250th Anniversary match against Chertsey will take place on Sunday 6th September, where you can expect a speech that involves Lumpy Stevens and that Third Stump. What a season to look forward to, and a hat-tip to Guy Ladenburg for a well-curated fixture list.