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The competitive spirit which had developed by the beginning of the 18th century made it essential to regulate the game. Articles of Agreement had to be drawn up and signed and witnessed when matches were arranged, and this procedure led to the formation in 1744 of a code of laws. A present-day spectator in 1750 would notice variations from modern cricket. Bowling was underarm and the wicket of two stumps only was smaller than it is today measuring only 22 inches high and six inches apart. Such conditions when the ball bumped along the ground kicking off every unevenness in the rough and ready pitch did not call for straight bat play but for sweeping strokes with a curved bat and long handle which resembled its ancestor, the shepherd's crook. The dress of the players followed the fashion of the day for this was before the adoption of special cricketing wear. Players wore full-sleeved shirts, knee breaches of various shades, and buckled shoes. Umpires would cut notches into a stick to record runs. Such in outline was the games which, at what may be called the “Hambledon era”, attracted many leading members of London Society. By 1770 Hambledon was established as the leading Cricket Club in England supported by the most eminent patrons and acknowledged as the chief authority for enforcing the laws of “grand matches”. At Hambledon, the more important changes of the 18th century originated and became law. In 1771 ‘Shock’ White of Reigate appeared with a bat as broad as the wicket, not only was the offending weapon seized from him and arbitrarily cut down to reasonable dimensions but lest any future batsman should have the temerity to repeat the experiment a minute of Hambledon players forthwith limited the width of the bat to four and quarter inches which remains the regulation size to this day. In 1775, in a single wicket match between Hampshire and Kent with fourteen runs to win and one wicket in hand, Lumpy Stevens' best balls passed between the sumps without disturbing the bail three times. Public sympathy with the bowler was such that even the visitors agreed to experiment with a third stump, which, within a few years, was universally accepted. Each year the players gathered at Broadhalfpenny on the first Tuesday in May and at the close of play would repair to the inn where there would be “high feasting”. When all had eaten plentifully and were mellow with al there would be music, with old John Small or his son to play the violin and duet of tenor and counter-tenor by Tom Sueter the wicket-keeper and his long stop, George Leer. It was perhaps inevitable that when the leading patrons of cricket transferred their affections from Hambledon to the new headquarters in London they should have drawn with them the great cricketers of Hampshire. But the Hambledon men, already established as local celebrities, were to become famous as the fathers of the national game. The graduation of cricket from its nursery at Hambledon was the first step in a missionary development which gave birth to the great touring Elevens of the eighteen-forties and culminated in the inauguration of international cricket. Extracted from "Hambledon Cricket and the Bat and Ball Inn" by Diana Rait Kerr, written in 1953.

The curation of Brigand's fixtures for 2023 continues; the provisional list of games is shown below with the start times and match managers to be confirmed in the coming weeks. Some of the old favourites, and some interesting new fixtures too.

Hampshire cricket legend, Christopher Bazalgette, has passed away aged 85. A well-known character in the cricketing world, he played for Hampshire Hogs, Hambledon CC, Broadhalfpenny Brigands, and Bat & Ball CC amongst others, was an advertising executive for The Cricketer magazine, and wrote multiple cricket books. He was a member of Hambledon CC for more than forty years and helped organise many cricket matches, including some of the high-profile anniversary games at Broadhalfpenny Down. He recorded bowling figures of 8-76 against London New Zealand at Broadhalfpenny Down. The Kiwis weren't the only ones to struggle; Brigand Clive Barnett said that he "lost count of the number of times he was outwitted by Bazalgette's non-turning off-spin". He took over 2,500 career wickets, including former Hampshire captain turned commentator Mark Nicholas, with over half of these taken for Hampshire Hogs, for whom he made over 800 appearances. Mike Beardall, Chairman of Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust, remarked that Bazalgette was "perhaps the most prodigious wicket-taker in Hampshire through flight and guile; an absolute legend". Gerry Northwood, Chairman of Broadhalfpenny Brigands, described him as "really entertaining and a highly competitive cricketer who could not only tell you how many wickets he had taken in a season but how many catches had been dropped off his bowling too!" In the Summer of 2000, Bazalgette appeared on Channel 4 television when Borat Sagdiyev, a Kazakh television journalist following Cambridge University students around the UK, stopped at the Bat and Ball to learn about cricket. A friend wrote that in his final days, he was surrounded by pictures of Robin Smith, his beloved Warnford, many pictures of his family, and Sky Sports on the TV. Fittingly, the funeral at St James Church, Southwick is to be a celebration of Christopher's life with bright colours and cricket blazers encouraged.

This year's Brigands Committee for 2022 (pictured left to right) Gerry Northwood (Chairman), Richie Hay (Hon. Secretary), Neil Wood (Hon. Treasurer), Harry Bates (Hon. Ground Member), Guy Ladenburgh (Hon. Fixture Secretary), David Henderson (Ex Officio). In addition, Mike Beardall is Chairman of the Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust, Adam Jay is appointed to review the structure of the Trust and the Brigands, Ray Holyer leads the Scorers Panel and Clive Barnett leads the Umpire Panel, with Bryan Burns the esteemed President.

Reflecting on an excellent year of Brigands cricket, it took a couple of games to register the first win and our first draw happened in July. Excluding the handful of games that were rained off (even in the hottest Summer on record), the final tally was 17 wins, 5 draws, and 6 defeats across the 2022 season.

The Brigands is such a special cricket club of which we can all be very proud. We are inclusive, enjoying friendly, mixed ability, mixed age group cricket. We hold fast to the Corinthian spirit for while we pursue a competitive and close-fought game, it is one in which we seek for all players, Brigand and opposition, the opportunity to shine. A game in which the trajectory is to the wire and a final over nail-biter! Thus, we aim to be the curators of traditional cricket, enjoyed by players and spectators alike, and in so doing, to celebrate the virtues of the finest ball game yet invented. It is important for us to recognise that we provide a place in the cricketing sun that is different from regular local club cricket which is generally focussed on league performances. We offer something different and valuable and, I think, inspiring. We have the privilege to play at one of cricket’s most beautiful and iconic grounds. Indeed, we share stewardship for this historic venue with the Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust. This is a vitally important partnership - one we will continue to develop - which serves not just our members, but the wider cricketing community, including future generations of cricketers. Following our successful “250” season, the Brigands are very much on the map. Both the ECB and the wider cricketing community have a better appreciation of whom we are and what we do - and can do - for the game. We have a “wicket-taking” website and this is helping drive our ability to raise our profile and raise funds. Our club has benefited greatly from the many Brigands who give their time and energy to ensure cricket is alive and well on the Down. I’d like to thank Bryan Burns who has just handed the reins of the umpires’ union to Clive Barnett, and Graham Inglis who has now handed on Club Secretary to Richie Hay. Ray Holyer has offered to take on running the scorers’ roster, which will make the task of the Match Manager a little easier while Guy Ladenburg is the new Honorary Fixtures Secretary. 2023 promises to be another exciting season and I have every faith that we will continue to be a club that makes all who come to the ground feel welcome be they players, wives, partners, kids, parents, friends, past players, or just those passing by. A game of cricket on the Down, with a fine tea between the innings, is so much more than the sum of the 22 players. The great game we play relies for its success upon a host of officials and supporters - the umpires, scorers, match managers, sandwich makers, and cake bakers – as well as the many spectators who line the ground of an afternoon, or evening. It is a privilege to be Chairman of such a fine club. I wish you and yours a happy festive season and all the best for the new year. This article is an abridged version of that published in the Brigands Newsletter

By Bryan Burns We drew the cricket season to a close with just the Annual General Meeting and Annual Dinner left in the 2022 Brigands calendar. The dinner was, as usual, a great success and we were able to say a fond farewell to our outgoing Chairman, Nick Harris. He and his committee have done a fine job, particularly in this special year, and at the AGM, the following day, their successors were voted in to begin their time in office. They have a hard act to follow, but I am sure are up to the task and have the benefit of a Club in fine fettle. I also attended the Hambledon Club at the Bat and Ball in late October. This is open to anyone who wishes to join and holds an annual lunch with a speaker from the cricket world, this year Mark Curtin, the Chief Executive of the Lord’s Taverners. By coincidence, I sat with Robin Brodhurst, the grandson of Harry Altham, of whom I have written of previously. Harry was the key player in returning cricket to Broadhalfpenny Down and persuading the Navy at HMS MERCURY to take over the ground which led to the formation of the Brigands. Also coincidentally, I ran the last two Brigands v Taverners matches in 1972 and 73, and, talking to Mark Curtin after lunch it was evident that he was keen for the Taverners to return to our historic ground, possibly in 2024. However, that year is the 60th anniversary of the first Rioteers match against the Brigands (which we know they wish to celebrate) and I think it may be the centenary of Winchester College taking ownership of the ground. It could be quite a year! But back to Harry Altham, who was not only a master at Winchester, cricket historian, and first-class player himself (Surrey and Hampshire), but Treasurer of MCC, later becoming its President, and also Chairman of the Imperial Cricket Conference (now the International Cricket Council). He was also Chairman of selectors in the 1950s and chose the team to Australia in 1954/55 which comprehensively won the Ashes. However, this was the era of “throw and drag” - bowlers with bent arms being regularly no-balled by umpires and the back foot no-ball law which was impossible for umpires to adjudicate and often resulted in tall fast bowlers releasing the ball from about 19 yards! Harry’s grandson Robin has produced a little book about this era centred on the correspondence between Harry, and Sir Don Bradman in Australia, as they tried to resolve disagreements between the then two major Test countries about how the laws should be adapted, for at one stage the heated debate threatened the cancellation of the Ashes series in England in 1961. As we now know the front foot law was introduced in 1963 but little changed for some years on the subject of throwing. It was only with high-speed camera technology and Muralitharan being no-balled for throwing 7 times in 3 overs by Darrell Hair in the Boxing Day Test of 1995 in Australia that the subject again caused controversy. This time ICC took action, introduced filmed assessments of bowlers, and various degrees of elbow extension until in 2005 15 degrees was agreed for all bowlers. I cannot sign off without saying a very big thank you to Clive Barnett for producing the regular newsletter for several years, for which the final edition has been published; I hope members find the website equally rewarding and informative. Season’s greetings to you all as we look forward to another year of great cricket in 2023. Harry Altham on display in the Lord's pavilion

Kane Williamson announced his retirement from Cricket this week after a stunning career; he averaged 57.43 runs per innings during his reign and led New Zealand in 40 Tests, winning 22 and losing 10, including a World Test Championship triumph in 2021. The day after this momentous win against India, Kane visited Broadhalfpenny Down and the Bat and Ball to see where the very first First Class match was played and to show local cricket supporters the World Test Championship Mace. His sense of fair play and his batting technique (playing the ball late) would see him well should he ever turn out for the Boradhalfpenny Brigands!

Each year, Hampshire Cricket Board runs a poll on Twitter to determine which cricket ground has the best view in Hampshire. From 24 entrants, Broadhalfpenny Down made the final and overcame Portsmouth CC to win the public vote. Messages of support came from visiting opponents and local news presenter Fred Dineage. Photographs courtesy of Ryan Pierse

On behalf of the Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust, and Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club, we are sending out our Christmas Best Wishes to all players, supporters and friends. We thank you for your support during a magical year and hope that next year is just as successful. Naturally, this is an old photo of The Bat and Ball pub and The Monument at Broadhalfpenny Down. New Year's Day 2022 was the warmest on record and the cricket pitch was dry and brown in the late Summer and we haven't seen snow for a while. For anyone wanting last-minute Christmas presents, there is a shop on the Broadhalfpenny Down website. If you are near to Hambledon, come and join us for drinks on Monday 12th December and then, in 2023, the first Monday of the Month at 7pm in The Bat and Ball throughout the winter months. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

It was a warm Friday at the end of June when Hampshire All Stars took on an All England team at Broadhalfpenny Down. Hampshire All Stars won on the last ball, by 3 runs, and the scorecard of the day has all the performances from a day when James Bruce was the player of the match.

It began on New Year's Day with a match played "on a plastic pitch and with a pink ball" in contrast to that first First Class game back in 1772. The season began, proper, in April with a visit from Ryan Pierse from Getty Images who brought his camera and his drone. There were new innovations this year, from Branded Stumps, a sponsored Land Rover, a special "1772" beer, and a Slip-Cam. We celebrated the 250th Anniversary of the first First Class cricket match with a game between Hampshire All Stars and an All England XI, that included Bond Actor Rory Kinnear, Chris Tremlett, Charlotte Edwards, Marck Nicholas, and Dru Patel from Yorkshire amongst others. Jack Russell painted proceedings and Mike Beardall reported live on Test Match Special whilst sitting on The Monument. We welcomed new Brigands including Hari Walton and Mo Ali, and Brigands matches continued on Sundays, with a few lost balls, and enjoyable post-match refreshments at The Bat & Ball. By August, Broadhalfpenny Down was parched; with runs easier to come by and balls slightly easier to find. Harry Bates went viral on Instagram and Tik Tok with his immortal line "occasionally they let me play cricket"; thanks to our friends at Cricket District. In September, Brigands paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In October we thanked Nick Harris for his decade of great service, gave out some awards, and appointed a new Committee including Gerry Northwood as Chairman of Broadhalfpenny Brigands CC. An incredible year with thanks to everyone behind the scenes that work hard to make it such a success. With huge thanks to Ryan Pierse, Malcolm Lamb and Dave Bodymore for sharing their great photographs with us.

To be made an Honorary Brigand is possibly the most unique award in cricket! It is certainly a unique award in the history of the Brigands as Rod Price, the Brigands groundsman of 27 years standing, is the first person to be awarded Honorary Brigand status. The award was made to reward his long and dedicated service to the club as a club groundsman. To mark the occasion, Gerry Northwood, Brigands Chairman, awarded Rod with the blue and green traditional Brigands cap.

The season is over and what a year it has been. From the opening match on New Year’s Day the 250th Anniversary of the first recorded First-Class match has been well and truly celebrated. And what an excellent Midsummer’s Day with the All-England team playing the Hampshire All Stars in a modern repeat of the 1772 fixture and, of course, MCC appearing in August. I was also personally delighted that, having introduced Blind and Visually Impaired cricket to the Down in our Golden Jubilee year, 2009, we were able to host the Blind Cricket Southern Regional T20 final on 4th September. These special days together with our regular fixtures have continued to make Broadhalfpenny Down a magnet for cricketers of every level. It was also a poignant year with the sad abandonment of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee match against the Old Wykehamists in early June because of rain and finishing the season against Brighton and Hove Crescent with flags at half-mast and black armbands in mourning for Her Majesty. On a lighter note we were visited by King Charles, then Prince of Wales, some years ago but only to use the ground as a heliport for the royal helicopter as pictures in the pavilion record. If I have one observation on the enormous effort put in by Brigands members, the committee, the Trust, ground staff and many other supporters, as well as the Bat and Ball, is just how totally interdependent we all are to make our cricket so enjoyable and fulfilling. Long may it continue. Bryan Burns, President

Sam Sargant's magnificent 6 to win the game off the penultimate gall against Stragglers of Asia was voted the 2022 Champagne Moment, sponsored by our friends at Veuve Clicquot. Playing such an audacious shot, against high-quality bowling, at the very end of the game was a match-turning moment. Neil Wood's reflex caught and bowled against Stragglers of Asia, and Dave Turner's Stokeslike slip catch against Australian High Commission were the two runners-up.

Old Father Time, I pray to you That clouds give it a rest, And that I get a game today, And that I play my best. I pray that my side score quick runs And our opponents falter; And if it comes t pass we lose, I pray the games a belter. I pray the Umpire knows his job, And doesn't lift his finger. But if he does I pledge to you: I'll not forlornly linger. Above all, Father Time I pray When all is said and done That we can all look back and say "By 'eck that game was fun!" Amen The Grace given by Clive Barnett at the Brigands Cricket dinner, 8 October 2022 at the Bat and Ball, near Hambledon.

It was an evening of appreciation and awards at the Bat and Ball after a memorable season of cricket. Clive Barnett opened proceedings with descriptions of the beautiful game and the spirit of how it should be played. Nick Harris made his last speech as Chairman of the Club before Bryan Burns, as President, presented awards to Neil Wood (bowling) and Dave Turner (batting). The Young Player of the Year was presented to Ed Hands and the Don Rock trophy for helping with the 250th Anniversary celebrations to David Henderson. There was a special presentation of a Jack Russell print of Broadhalfpenny Down on behalf of the Committee to the outgoing Chairman, Nick Harris, for a decade of outstanding service and leadership. Tankards were awarded to David Mann for scoring runs at the right time and Adam Jay for strengthening the Club's relationships with Fullers brewery, the local farmers, and the Hambledon village. The evening, organised by Graham Inglis, featured a champagne raffle to raise money for the Preservation Trust. Andrea and the team at the Bat and ball were thanked for their support throughout the season, at the location where Richard Nyren, John Small, and Lumpy Stevens would have celebrated the joy of cricket 250 years before.

The last, sunny, game of the Brigands season followed a week of torrential rainfall that caused challenges in pitch preparation for Harry and Rod, a damp wicket, and a magnificent crop of button mushrooms on the outfield. The game was preceded by an impeccably observed minute of silence in front of the pavilion, the singing of God Save the King (which revealed unknown choral qualities from Ed Hands), and the lowering of the flags to half-mast. Brigands Captain, Dave Henderson, bravely decided to bat on a damp and drying wicket, opening the batting with Mo Ali. Setting aside his season-long woes with the bat he led from the front finally falling on 115 in the penultimate over of the innings which was his, and the Brigands, first century of the season. Good support from Ali , 38, and Turner 30 took the Brigands to 213 for 5 declared in 40 overs. A cameo from Steve Blackburn included two examples of the falling hook famously used by Rohan Kanhai, the second was less successful than the first as he missed the ball and lost his middle stump. Brigands had the disadvantage of having to field after a Mrs Bailey tea (a high cake-to-player ratio) but started with a flourish with Richie Hay striking in the second over inducing a simple catch to Ed Hands who had just been moved into position the ball before by skipper Henderson. A straight ball from Hands accounted for the number 3 which bought Brighton's Matt Wood to the wicket and heralded an onslaught of hitting which looked as if it had the chance of taking the game away from the Brigands. Hendersons' luck continued with his introduction of Mo into the attack, bowling spin, which led to the demise of Wood first ball of the over for a powerfully struck 49. Brighton kept up with the run rate with attacking fields set and 9 bowlers rotated, and helped by keeper Bailey having an Ancient Mariner day and Lee Gray being no-balled for bowling right arm over. Brighton skipper, Joe Gatford, took the game deep into the last twenty overs despite a fine spell of bowling from Hari Walton, who even at his young age realises that bowling straight and hitting the top of middle is a better option than relying on cake dreaming Turner to catch the ball. Hendersons' golden day reached its apogee when, with two overs to go and the last pair together, he brought back Ali for one last over which ended the Brighton skipper's resistance for a well-made 53, leaving the Brigands winners by 31 runs. And so we beat on; the season ended, as it had begun, with a lovely sunset in the Hambledon valley and stories to tell in The Bat & Ball. Brigands 213 for 5 declared, beat Brighton and Hove Crescent CC 182 all out, by 31 runs Author Paul Bailey

The Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust and Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club send our deepest condolences to the King and the Royal Family on the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In a repeat of last year’s final Dorset Dolphins, who had not played a T20 match before this summer as Hampshire conceded in their semi-final were pitted against Surrey who had the benefit of playing two tough matches to reach the final. The day was sponsored by our friends at Sytner Land Rover in Portsmouth; it was warm but overcast and Surrey won the toss and chose to bowl. Dorset raced to 50 in just over five overs and were well on top. But cricket matches sometimes turn on one moment of brilliance, flair or luck – perhaps this one did. Surrey's Scott just touched a ferocious drive from Dorset's Tim onto the stumps to run out star-batter Ben who had set off for what seemed a certain boundary. Scott bowled his final over after drinks and put pressure on the batters with good accurate bowling; perhaps why they were keen to take a two but great fielding on the fine leg boundary by Shaqir ran out Stephen. There were cameo innings for Steve and Alan – who used the reverse through third man to good effect, but even with Tim returning for the last four balls of the innings only 53 runs were added in the second half of the innings. After Surrey’s excellently organised tea it was time to see if they could successfully chase; Shaqir and Scott opened and from the start got ahead of the scoring rate – taking 14 off Robert’s first over and getting to 50 inside four overs! Shaqir reached his 50 win eight boundaries at a strike rate of 200 and so at drinks only 32 more were needed with Scott having reached 20 and Richard on 8. Eight runs later the curse of Nelson struck as the Dolphins took their only wicket as Steve bowled Richard. Ryan West smashed 15 of the 24 remaining runs needed although it was Scott who scored the winning two runs steering the ball out to point off the first ball of the fourteenth over. Amazing that two matches in two years and two chases both ending after 13.1 overs; building new history to add the rich tapestry of the past 250 years in Hambledon. Scorecard & full match report is at https://bcew.play-cricket.com/website/results/5476516