First, the outfield mower broke, then the square mower wouldn't start-up, then the floor fell out the heavy roller; bad things come in threes. And yet, somehow, Broadhalfpenny Down looked beautiful in time for the visit of the Old Wykehamists and the documentary maker from the International Cricket Council. Behind the scenes there was a monumental effort from Harry, Nina and Gerry; good things come in threes too. Jay and Flewitt laid the foundations for the Brigands who pushed onto 198 with a fifty for Ladenburg and a forty for Northwood. At tea-time players, officials and supporters enjoyed beautiful homemade sausage rolls and cake whilst caps were presented by Nick Harris, the Brigands Chairman, to Guy Ladenburg for his "consecutive fifties and important wickets" and to Dave Turner for "turning up". Old Wykehamists went for it from the start with Wood despatched for 12 in his first over. Peach managed to keep one end tight whilst runs flowed and wickets fell at the other; there was a high catch caught by Henderson Senior, a smart low catch by Flewitt and a full toss leg-before as Henderson Junior picked up three wickets. The match turned on a smart run out by Peach who was fielding at mid-off and whose pick up and throw clipped the bails and left the Old Wykehamists needing 20 with 2 wickets to spare. The pressure was mounting on both sides; Old Wykehamists were taking risky singles whilst Brigands fielders started moving themselves. With only 5 runs needed a ball was hit skywards to long-on where Turner avoided the catch and yet, whilst horizontal on the ground, picked up the ball and threw to the bowlers end to Ladenburg who ran out the number 11; it sealed a 4 run Brigands victory and redemption for match-winner Dave Turner. Brigands 198 all out beat Old Wykehamists 194 all out by 4 runs Bad things might come in threes, but good things come in

It's often the small things in life that, when taken away, are missed the most. This weekend saw the return of sunshine, refreshments on the pitch, home-made cakes in the marquee and supporters on the boundary. Every Brigand batted; Paul Whittle hit a six, Dave Henderson hit three in three balls and both Barney Wyld and Gerry Northwood scored elegant twenties. The Brigands declaration came at 190-9. Din Patel, Mike Beardall and Jake Peach took care of uphill containment bowling duties whilst Neil Wood was left to attack a round Petersfield team with his accurate "darts". Five in his first spell and two more to mop up the tail finishing with a Brigands career best of 7 for 15 which left the visitors 79 runs short. Chips arrived as the sun began to set and the first jug of the season was poured at the Bat & Ball; the small things. Brigands 190-9 beat Petersfield 111 all out by 79 runs

After inspecting the pitch ("a pudding") and consulting the weather forecast ("solid rain") the match between Brigands and Portsmouth CC on 23 May has been cancelled. Luckily there is a return match with Portsmouth on the seafront in mid-July which is one of only 2 away fixtures this season. The next scheduled Brigands match is on 30 May against Petersfield CC.

Brigands scored 207-8 declared with Guy Ladenburg scoring 80 Not Out on debut. Vagabonds shut up shop at the end and finished on 174-8 when time ran out with Neil Wood talking the first 3 wickets and Jake Peach and Jonas Waktare bagging two each.

The match against London New Zealand has had to be called off due to rain and a very waterlogged Broadhalfpenny Down. Hopefully, the Brigands will be back in action next weekend against Portsmouth CC.

Sons of Bacchus won the toss and elected to bowl first against what, on paper, was a strong Brigands’ batting line-up. In fact, the Brigands made slow progress against consistent and accurate seam bowling, backed-up by some excellent catching and ground fielding, which restricted the run-rate to little more than three-and-a-half an over for much of their innings. In the end, the Brigands were indebted to Mark Flewitt who batted for very nearly the whole innings for his painstaking 81. At the other end, batsmen came and went with none of them staying around long enough to put together a meaningful partnership; in the end, it took some lusty blows from the lower order to get the Brigands to a defendable score. Unfortunately, when it was their turn to field, the Brigands failed to match the accuracy of their opponents’ attack and fielding. As a result, Sons of Bacchus got off to a flyer and were scoring at six-an-over for the first ten of their innings. The introduction of Jake Peach and Mike Beardall had the effect of reining back the scoring rate and a smart stop and throw by Dougie Henderson brought about the first wicket with a run-out. Neil Wood then returned to pick up two wickets, one an excellent catch by Gerry Northwood at mid-off. However, any hopes of a breakthrough were stifled by Guy Ladenburg, playing for his regular side, and Sons of Bacchus overhauled the Brigands’ total with overs to spare – and just before the weather closed in! Brigands 180 all out lost to Sons of Bacchus 181-5 by 5 wickets

After looking good in the first pre-match fielding practice of the season, the Brigands failed to tackle the twin challenges of a low bounce wicket and running 22 yards slumping to 90-6 including two run-outs. An elegant 34 from Ed Hands and a maiden career 50 for Dougie Henderson led a Brigands recovery meant captain Mike Beardall could declare on 209. After the Hursley Park opener asked, politely, if we wouldn't bowl fast as it was his first game ever, the Brigands let loose new Grandad Neil Wood and Graham Inglis. At 60-1, the visitors were going well but a 6 ball spell from Ed Hands ripped out the top order which will give him something to think off whilst he enjoys his haircut next week. Hursley Park then sent out a man with one knee and a 1980s V100 bat to play for the draw but even this was no match for Jake Peach whose triple-wicket last over saw the Brigands home. Adam Jay contributed with outfield beers as Graham Inglis retained the Matt cartoon award and we interviewed the most interesting man of the day, Mike the Hursley park Captain; the man in the supply chain between the tree and the bat makers. Brigands 209-8 beat Hursely Park 130 all out by 79 runs

On another pleasant mid-April day the Newport Gentlemen made their first visit to Broadhalfpenny Down, and won the first toss of 2021. They elected to bat and made slow but steady progress against a decent Brigands attack. Opening up with Neil Wood and Ed Hands, skipper David Henderson had a varied bowling battery to rotate. Ed Walker, Dave Turner, Dougie Henderson, Gerry Northwood and David Henderson himself all turned their arms over, and there was always Jake Peach available in the locker too. Neil trapped J Khan LBW for a duck in his third over, before Imaq and Zia put on 43 for the second wicket, when Zia was bowled by Dougie Henderson. Three wickets then fell quickly to Ed Walker’s pace and Dave Turner’s spin, leaving Newport at 66 for 5, Brigands relaxed their grip a bit then, and the score moved along to 125 when Jamal was run out as Newport’s top scorer (39) was going for a single to Gerry Northwood! Newport Gentlemen finally reached 147, Ed Walker the pick of the bowlers with 4, the last one to a good slip catch by Ed Hands. Dave Turner took two on his debut, and David Henderson one. This was a solid start in the field for the Brigands first outing with, the skipper said, only a couple of blemishes. Brigands then went in to chase, starting with a quick 74 run stand between Paul Whittle and Jake Peach (retired on 51), which inspired a mini-collapse as first Paul, then Graham Inglis (a first-baller) fell. This slight wobble worsened with Adam Jay out for 1, taking Brigands to 86. But the ship was steadied, and eventually the match won with 13 overs to spare, thanks to an excellent 44* by Dougie Henderson accompanied first by Dave Turner who batted carefully for half an hour, and then Ed Walker (7*). Graham Inglis was the first recipient of the weekly award of The Matt Cartoon, following a democratic debate.

At the end-of-season dinner at the Rose Bowl marking the Brigands' golden jubilee in 2009, chairman John Musters announced the batting prize like this: "At 16 years old, the future of the club is in the hands of players like Jake Peach; and what's more he has younger twin brothers - so who knows, in four or five years' time we might have father and all three sons playing together in the same side!" He was right about everything except the timescale. It took another 17 years, and a good deal of patience from the twins. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday, Graham Peach and his three sons walked out together in Brigands colours, watched by a substantial and widely travelled clan of family and friends; two of whom had flown in from New York to be there. The opponents for this well-supported family reunion were the zingy-sounding Refreshers CC, on their first visit to the cradle of cricket. They arrived rather unrefreshingly: no scorer, no umpire and two players short. In the finest Brigands tradition, the hosts covered the gaps. Paul Whittle stepped in alongside Bryan Burns as umpire, Sue Bailey partnered Peter Danks in the Refreshers' scorebook, and Aimee Benfield volunteered as their tenth player. The Portsmouth & Southsea all-rounder, fresh from a winning morning in the Hampshire Cup, had hoped for a quiet afternoon in the sun watching her boyfriend Jake Peach. Everyone except Jake persuaded her otherwise. Bravo Aimee. The Refreshers' top order made little headway against the nagging accuracy of Neil Wood's left-arm seam. He clean bowled three of them and finished with 3 for 23 from eight overs, two of them maidens. With half the home fielding side unusually youthful, the banter was vocal. "Tidy it up, Nelly!" came a quip from a nameless junior Peach whereupon Wood bowled his second victim with the very next ball. "Banter works," sniggered the larrikin at the huddle. Holding things together at the other end, opener Stewart hit the gaps, blocked the good ones and made a patient 35 from 99 balls in two hours. Around him an accelerating middle order; Bryant 22, Longstaff 41, Clapp 22 each looked set for something bigger before being arrested by John Brehaut, Graham Peach and Mike Beardall respectively. The Brigands' fielding was sharp and athletic. Six outfielders scampered, and throwing arms thumped the ball into Paul Bailey's gloves from the rope, with Charlie Peach seemingly everywhere at once. His leap at cover point for Beardall's first wicket was cat-like, and it came directly after Mike's wife Caroline had shouted "Come on, Bearders!" from the boundary. Jake Peach then earned his wicket, clipping the top of off stump to send back Baloch senior, before Beardall ended Stewart's vigil to make it 156-8. The loudest applause of the innings came from the Peach clan as Aimee strode out to join 13-year-old Baloch for the last pair. Knowing she would have to face her boyfriend's spin, she had a sudden bout of the giggles, then nervelessly clipped her first delivery through midwicket to a roar that would have woken Clanfield. "I'm not enjoying this," Jake muttered. "Well, I'm not exactly thrilled about it either, mate," came the instant reply. The pair added handsomely before the innings closed on a run-out, the batters having unwisely taken on Charlie Peach's arm. 170 to chase after tea. Tea was a Preece family production of the highest order; sumptuous, and devoured without ceremony by players, officials and a good many visitors besides. As the five-minute bell rang, a rendition of "Happy Birthday" drifted from the pavilion verandah to the ever-youthful Caroline Beardall, who blew out the candles on a cake iced by another woman of many talents, Sue Bailey. Back on the straw-coloured sward, Brigands chairman Gerry Northwood drove and swept an immaculate 51 from 42 balls with ten classy boundaries. His opening partner Aaron Saunders made 25 on debut and fell shortly afterwards with the stand worth 85. Left-hander Jonty Peach added 14 in a brisk 44 with his scampering twin before skying one into the covers. That left match manager Rupert Preece, 4 not out, to accompany Charlie to his own 42-ball fifty, the target passed with the youngster's tenth boundary. 61 not out, and 12 overs to spare. One-sided in the end, then. Readers of Ashley Mote's The Glory Days of Cricket; the Extraordinary Story of Broadhalfpenny Down will know the photograph on page 387: the triple father-and-son pairings of Bates, Burns and Mote. Fathers and sons are an old Brigands habit at this ground, and the club has never made much secret of enjoying it. A quadruplet, though? Many wondered whether it had been done here before. A punnet of Peaches, perhaps. Refreshers CC 169 lost to Brigands 170-2 Match report by Graham Peach, Photographic credits Isobel Opie, Mark Emerton, Paul Whittle, Rupert Preece and Graham Peach

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 settled in to score, and Harry Bates began a long day of supplying drinks to players and officials: orange squash and water in equal parts. Neil Wood went early for 4. Rupert Preece and Dave Turner added 50 for the second wicket, and then the innings seized up: 18 runs in the nine overs after the twelfth, a fair share of them beaten past the outside edge by the topspin of Eddie Treble kicking off a hard pitch. Toby Trinder was tidy at the other end for 1-30 off nine. There are only two tragedies in life, said Wilde, one is not getting what one wants and the other is getting it. Turner, frustrated, called a quick single, got it, and Preece was run out. Dave Henderson came in and the pair put on 50 in seven overs once both had worked out the bounce. Turner reached his fifty after 28 overs at the crease, a Hadrian's Wall of an innings, built by hand and doing its job in the end. Guy Ladenburg hit a lightning 29, and Rob Manson struck three boundaries in his one over out in the middle. 218-4 declared off 41 overs. Then the main event. Sandwiches, sausage rolls, fruit, and a table of cake with the air of a Bake Off showstopper round relocated to a Hampshire tent; coffee and walnut, chocolate tiffin, scones, Ginger cake, Victoria sponge, and a Persian love cake of pistachio and almond built to make people fall in love. It was Vice Presidents' day, the tent filled with Brigands legends, and the camaraderie abounded. Whitchurch went at it from the first ball: 26 off five overs, 54 off ten. Sam Trinder's first seven scoring shots were 4, 4, 4, 6, 1, 4, 4. He was supported by Hoare and Hack, which sounds more like a dubious Victorian law firm than a batting partnership. Jake Peach bowled the first nine overs downhill, spin and seam mixed, and took two. Dougie Henderson patrolled the long western boundary in the heat, and watched a man in old-fashioned-clothing riding past him on a penny farthing. With Trinder set and Oz Osmond scoring 30 at a run a ball, Whitchurch were in control needing under five an over to win. Then Mike Beardall found turn and bounce, Trinder skied one to mid-wicket, and Ladenburg got underneath it and spilled it. The shriek from bowler and fielder together carried down the Hambledon valley. Two overs later a mis-bowled half-tracker arrived and Trinder played the identical shot; he could resist everything except temptation. This time Ladenburg clung on like a limpet to the hull of a naval frigate. Ninety needed off 16 overs. The Brigands then lost another fielder, gaps opened everywhere, and Paul Whittle covered more grass than a Wimbledon mower does in a fortnight. Gary Shaughnessy, who is Chair of Parkinson's UK, blocked and drove his way to 17 with the luck of the Irish against a field set to all-out attack; three gullies and a silly mid-on. He cover drove one to a tired Dave Henderson, who half-stopped it with his boot, won a foot race with Whittle, and returned it from the boundary like an exocet to the bowler's end for the run out. Shaugnessy reflected that “having not played cricket for nearly a quarter of a century ... I was not sure what to expect It was, however, an afternoon of friendly competition. I was delighted not to be out first ball!” Thirty needed off three. Manson bowled Hathaway, and Brigands needed one wicket. Paul Bailey is far too experienced to give his away, and three runs off Peach closed the game out. Wood 1-28, Beardall 2-29 and Ladenburg 2-46 were the pick of the bowling. Ten men, one wicket short, and nobody on either side much minded. Wilde said that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. This match will be fondly remembered, and talked about for a while. Brigands 218-4 declared drew with Whitchurch 203-9 The Hampshire Cricket story on the match, the Penny Farthing and the remarkable Gary O'Shaugnessy can be found here

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 a quarter of an hour to spare. What made it remarkable was not the runs. It was that the Australians never once looked like they were in a hurry. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday, Australia House won the toss, chose to bowl, and then spent an afternoon imitating the 1948 Australians. De Souza presented with his Baggy Green An Aussie Huddle before play It began badly for the home side. Gerry Northwood, back on dry land after six weeks at sea and still negotiating terms with terra firma, was bowled by De Silva; an 18-year-old on his birthday, presented with his baggy green cap before play. Harry Collier and Jake Peach then built a partnership: 27 off 7 overs, 64 off 14, 107 off 21, the scoreboard climbing at an unhurried six an over, until Collier attempted to sweep a yorker from De Silva Senior which ended in tears. Dave Henderson joined Peach, and the two added 45 in 7 overs. Ollie Lambert, on debut, hit a four, then a six, then edged a slow wide one from Gallagher to slip. It was Gallagher's second wicket in all cricket and the reception it got could be heard in the Bat & Ball. Peach was into his stride and reached his Century with a flick to the legside; he hit 2 sixes and 13 fours, and then decided to retire to let others have a go. Jake Peach hundred in 102 minutes with 2 sixes Jim Morris looked in fine touch until he was run out going for a risky second in the closing overs, and Alex Macadam, Rob Manson and Rafi Abdeen each found the boundary to allow a declaration on 244-6 off just 40 overs. Two summers ago in this fixture the Brigands defended 176 and won by 63. But on a good pitch and a warm afternoon, 244 looked a fair declaration. Throughout, the visitors were chattering away in the field, chasing the ball into the long grass, fetching it back from the hedges, and never once complaining about the heat or the scoreboard going past 200. Gallagher caused chaos with his 3 overs of slow bowling; he bowled 29 balls, of which 18 were legal The Aussies brought along the best spectators Tea had an Antipodean theme and was outstanding: fluffy koalas as decoration, Anzac biscuits, cucumber cake, tuna sandwiches, chocolate brownies and a good deal more besides. Umpire Mark Smith, who doubles as Honorary Groundsman, will have taken his cup with some satisfaction. The wicket had played beautifully, and the Australians were heard remarking how good it was to find a well-kept ground with a square that still has grass on it. The Brigands began the defence well. The ground fielding was excellent, Paul Bailey behind the stumps was throwing himself about like a man committed to a polar plunge, and Lambert held a chip at square leg to round off a debut with rather more in it than most. 27-1 off ten. Manson and Abdeen's first spells of 7 overs each conceded just 22 and 15 runs respectively. Then the bowlers rotated; Lambert went for 11, Beardall 26 and Wood 12 from their combined seven overs. At drinks, with 20 overs left, Australia House were 100-1 and needed 144. On paper, a contest. After drinks, odd things happened. There were five overs from Peach and Macadam, in which the runs leaked away in edges, byes and the almost obligatory boundary off the last ball of the over. There was no scoreboard pressure. Friend hit 4 sixes on his way to 88, and Macguire eventually missed a straight one from Peach but by then it was 227-3 with 18 wanted from three overs. Sam Beagley came in and hit 12 off 5 balls before departing, leaving Wilson to settle the matter with a six from his first ball, deposited into the Monument, with 6 balls to spare. Afterwards Jake Peach bought another couple of jugs, the price you pay for being talented. The Australians bought chips for everyone. The Bat and Ball buzzed with the particular warmth of a game played hard and enjoyed harder, which is the reason it is circled in the fixture list, by both sides, each season. Morris and Bradman never looked like they were chasing 404 either. Brigands 244-6 declared lost to Australia House 245-4 by 6 wickets The camaraderie at the Bat & Ball was much like in 1948. Then, Don Bradman was congratulated by England captain Norman Yardley on his unbeaten 173. Bradman returned the compliment by congratulating Yardley on the birth of his son in Bridlington, qualifying him to play for Yorkshire. With appreciation to PA Images & Alamy for the 1948 Don Bradman photo.

On Sunday 6 September, Broadhalfpenny Down marks 250 years since cricket gained its third stump; and we need volunteers to help the day run properly. The story is worth knowing. In 1775, Chertsey's Edward "Lumpy" Stevens sent three deliveries clean between John Small's two stumps without so much as brushing the bail. Not out, said the law. Lumpy was robbed, said everyone watching. Within months the game's leading figures - men who met and argued across the road at the Bat & Ball - had added a middle stump. It has been there ever since. We expect a bigger crowd than usual. Free entry, a 12:30pm start, a proper piece of cricket history. We need volunteers for four jobs: Car park steward; getting up to 30 cars in the ground safely Merchandise and raffle seller; the day's fundraising depends on this Tea and cake assistants; the most important role at any village cricket ground, and we won't pretend otherwise Ground preparation; covers, sightscreens and pavilion, before and after play. None of it requires expertise. Most of it requires a couple of hours, a willingness to be useful, and reasonable cheerfulness. In addition, we are asking every Brigand to bring either a bottle (for the raffle), a cake, or some sandwiches so that we have enough for players, officials and spectators on the day. Broadhalfpenny Down has never been run by anyone other than the people who care about it. That was true in 1775 and it is true now. This is a day the ground will be remembered for, and it would be a shame to look back on it thinking we could have done it better with two more people on the gate. Please leave a comment below, or contact Gerry Northwood on 07952 866117. Tell him which role suits you and roughly what time you can give. He will do the rest. Broadhalfpenny Brigands v Chertsey CC. Sunday 6 September 2026, 12:30pm–5:30pm. Broadhalfpenny Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire, PO8 0UB. Free entry, all welcome.

Noah Mann lived near Petworth and made shoes for a living. He was born in Sussex in 1756, and every Tuesday through the summer he rode 20 miles to Broadhalfpenny Down to practise, then 20 miles home again. Left-handed, a powerful hitter, he swung the ball and could pick a handkerchief off the turf at full gallop. There was no such thing as Hambledon against Sussex in his day; "Hampshire & Sussex" was simply what the rest of the country called the Hambledon Club. Mann played 55 matches for them and died at 33, having fallen asleep too near his own fire. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday, the Sussex Martlets made the journey again. Quicker than Mann's, and with rather less appetite for it. They batted first on a warm day, with a gentle breeze off the down and farmers harvesting in the fields beyond the boundary. Neil Wood and Guy Ladenburg opened, and the Martlets got going; Mudhar made a sprightly 24, Emily Groves looked as technically sound as anyone on either side for her 22, before going back to a Wood straight one and being bowled - the oldest dismissal on the oldest ground. Graham Peach then took a diving catch, his 95th grab for the Brigands, off Mike Beardhall. Dougie Henderson's first delivery of the afternoon produced the moment of the day. Ladenburg, fielding in front of the Monument, held a spectacular catch in his midriff. Graham Peach, back in Brigands colours after too long away, took the last wicket when he enticed Fergus O'Meara to paddle one round the corner to Dave Henderson at leg slip. Ladenburg finished with 1-20, Mike Beardall 2-31, and the Martlets were 112 all out. Then Sue Bailey's tea, with the Whittle and Henderson bakeries in support, and club legend Peter Danks scoring solo throughout. 113 to win, and the Brigands promptly mislaid their heads: 17-3, then 44-4; Whittle and Beardall both trapped LBW. Emily and Jack Groves bowled 15 overs between them, taking five wickets with spin that gripped and turned. Daniel Rickards, roped in over lunch, played the shot of the day; a short ball pulled flat to the mid-wicket rope, to the audible delight of the picnickers, Ianthe Wedderburn among them. Rupert Preece then brought the elegance the afternoon had been waiting for. He and Dave Henderson added 48 in cuts and lofted cover drives before Preece retired on 50. Peach enjoyed a two-ball cameo and was caught at point. Ladenburg hit the winning runs with Henderson unbeaten on 28, the target reached in 21 overs. Not the strongest Martlets side to come up the hill, and one hopes they regroup for 2027. Noah Mann would have found a way to get here. Sussex Martlets 112 all out lost to Brigands 113-6 Photo credits Dougie & Georgia Henderson, Paul Whittle

Brigands v Chertsey Broadhalfpenny Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire, PO8 0UB Sunday 6 September, 12:30pm to 5:30pm. Free entry. All welcome. @cradleofcricket Enquiries to Gerry Northwood for more details (see Contacts page)

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, without so much as a rattle. The batter, John Small of Hambledon, the finest of the age, was not out by the letter of the law. At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday 6 September, we mark the 250th anniversary of what happened next with a game of cricket, as it should be. The wicket Lumpy was aiming at was a curious thing. Two stumps, a hand's width or so apart, with a single long bail balanced on top. It had done the job well enough while bowling stayed gentle, but the bowlers were getting better, Lumpy chief among them, and the gap between the sticks was starting to look less like a target than an open door. There is no record of what Lumpy said when the ball whistled through Small's stumps. Aggrieved, Lumpy pressed for change. The debate was had over dinner and ale by the patrons who were busy inventing the rules of cricket more or less as they went along. The Hambledon Club conducted its business across the road from this ground, at the Bat and Ball Inn, and within a few months the matter was settled. A third stump was added in the middle, the gap was closed, and the wicket became the trio it has been ever since. The first game known to have been played with three stumps followed the next year, in September 1776. Two hundred and fifty years, near enough to the day. It is a very Broadhalfpenny sort of story. This is the ground where the modern game grew up. So the natural way to mark the moment is to bring the two old adversaries back together. The Broadhalfpenny Brigands host Chertsey CC, Lumpy's club, on Sunday 6 September, from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. Entry is free. Bring a picnic, bring the family, bring the dog, and find a spot on the boundary. There are refreshments in the ground and, of course, across the road at the Bat & Ball. Come for the cricket. Stay for the small satisfaction of knowing that the wicket the players are aiming at looks the way it does because, one summer 250 years ago, a very good bowler could not get a very good batter out, and decided that something had to be done about it. Broadhalfpenny Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire, PO8 0UB Sunday 6 September, 12:30pm to 5:30pm. Free entry. All welcome. www.broadhalfpennydown.com @cradleofcricket

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.

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 decided the match. The Stragglers turned a hundred last season. Their origin belongs to Colonel P B Sanger of the Royal Artillery, stationed at Ambala in the early 1920s and invited by the Maharajah of Patiala to bring a side up to Chail each summer; a ground made by cutting the top off a Himalayan peak at seven thousand feet. They played cricket, they played billiards, and they contested the whisky stakes with enthusiasm. Membership once required two years' residence east of Suez. The rule has relaxed since, but India remains the heartland, with Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka woven through the club ever since. The Brigands travel too; naval postings, bucket-list trips, family holidays, winters spent playing in Australia. In the past year photographs of the Brigands cap have arrived from China, Antarctica, India, Norway, Mauritius and Kenya. Rule 14 holds: however remote the outpost, someone will have found the cricket on the radio. Sit down next to them. Brigands batted. Paul Whittle opened the account with a back-foot cut, Rafi Abdeen hit four boundaries in quick order, and then the afternoon turned. Slow left-armer Tom Whyte found drift with the wind, and the umpire's finger went up four times: Whittle for 10, Rafi Abdeen for 17, Dave Henderson for 13, and Mike Beardall for 6. Four leg-befores and forty-nine runs on the scoreboard. Beardall LBW too, and Brigands are four down and in trouble Enter Jake Peach and Jim Morris. The pair took the score to 100 in the twenty-seventh over and 200 in the thirty-ninth. Morris made 58 from 90 balls, most of them off the front foot: high-elbowed cover drives of the sort coaches photograph, and firm punches through the wide mid-on region where nobody was standing. Whyte, who finished with 4 for 66, eventually bowled him. The stand of 160 is a new Brigands fifth-wicket record, beating the 119 put together by J Musters and M Sharman in 2015. A record 5th wicket partnership of 160, beating the 119 in 2016 Peach finished unbeaten on 105 from 69 balls with three sixes. His father Graham, who was guesting for the Stragglers (both sides were a man short, for different reasons), found himself with the best seat in the house for the most watchable innings of the Brigands' season. Jake Peach on his way to a century, his father Graham fields at Point In a frenetic close, Steve Blackburn arrived with a go-big-or-go-home attitude and went home first ball. Dave Turner and John Brehaut lasted four deliveries between them. Neil Wood hit his first ball for four. Interestingly, it was the first time Brigands have lost eight or more wickets without a single batter being caught. Factoring in the small boundary, fast outfield, ten fielders, and no seam bowling in reserve, Henderson called the batters in at 234 for 8 off 43 overs in accordance with Rule 9: always declare early enough to lose. At tea there was a toast to Mike Halliwell, who died in June aged 83. A Straggler and a bon viveur, he averaged a modest 16 with the bat and managed this fixture for years. He is better remembered for the bottle of port he kept on the boundary, from which every dismissed batsman received a generous glass on his way to the pavilion. Hence Rule 17: never refuse a glass of port from a man on the boundary; he watched you get out and he means well. Tea with cake, speeches, and a port toast Wood and Abdeen opened the bowling, and seven bowlers in all. The Stragglers, who are wily, went about the chase without fuss; 40 for 1 off ten, then 112 for 2 off twenty-three. Charles Reece made 16, Ian Perry 25, and Matt Suckling anchored it with 60. Turner was sharp behind the stumps, and his catch to remove Tim Harris for 35 was the game's hinge. With 71 runs to win, the score on 169-4 and 9 overs to go, the game was in the balance Around six o'clock a wedding party appeared at the edge of the ground, men in jackets and ladies in hats, and enquired politely who was winning. They were observing Rule 1; on arrival, go for a drink where you can observe the locals. The wind gusted all afternoon; a James Dahl high blow towards long on moved so far in the air that the fielder ran round from long off to take it. The constant bowling changes kept umpire Nick Harris busy on the walkie-talkie to the scorers, a job he did with the calm of a man who has seen every kind of afternoon. Wood bowled seven overs for 39. Abdeen bowled ten and conceded 42. Beardall was back to his best, taking 2 wickets for just 10 runs from his five overs. Eleven to win off the last over, Peach bowling his tenth. Ball one went to long off for two, the fielders too deep; in they came. Ball two was hit harder, past Blackburn, for four. Five off four. A bye. Then a leg bye. Three off two, and a faster delivery, a play and a miss, and a clean take by Turner. Three runs to win off the last ball. Andy Cale hit it firmly on the ground to John Brehaut at long off, who took his time, picked the ball up cleanly and threw it in over the stumps as the batters ran two. Four hundred and sixty-eight runs, eighty-six overs, and nothing to choose between them. Both sides shook hands and thanked the umpires. Players, officials and a fair number of spectators then observed Rule 8 and retired to the Bat & Ball. Brigands 234-8 declared drew with Stragglers of Asia 234-7. Scores level. Danger man Whittle given out LBW Enter Jake Peach, with his Dad watching closely at point fielding for the Stragglers Jim Morris made a fine half century, with most of his runs coming from drives through covers and mid-on Brigands v Stragglers, 2026 Appendix: The McCarthy International Rules of Travel 2000, adapted by Brigands 2026 On arrival, go for a drink where you can observe the locals. The more bright the primary colours and ancient Celtic symbols outside the Irish pub, the more phony the interior. Never bang on about how wonderful some unspoiled place is, because next time you go there, you won't be able to get in. Travel light; leave behind prejudices and any unnecessary kit. Always pack a notebook, spare shirt and a corkscrew. Know the local sports team(s) and the most famous person from that place. Never eat in a restaurant with laminated menus containing photos of food. Never pass a bar with your name on, or a pub next to a cricket pitch. Always declare early enough to lose; nobody ever came home with a story about the safe option. Any Italian travelling abroad will be accompanied by an even more glamorous person of the opposite gender. Never get drunk with soldiers, and never with the opposition the night before a match. Never start an argument in Asia. Never ask British Airways cabin crew for another glass of wine until they are good and ready. However remote the outpost, someone will have found the cricket on the radio. Sit down next to them. When perusing a menu, never consider anything containing the words "goujon" or "cheesy". Tourists don't know where they've been, travellers don't know where they're going; sometimes just enjoy the unknown. Never refuse a glass of port from a man on the boundary; he watched you get out and he means well. Respect local customs and always thank the umpire. Brigands following their own international rules of travel in the past 2 years Antarctica, 2. Mauritius 3. Falkland Islands 4. Paris Olympics 5. Kenya 6. Porto 7. Greece 8. Mexico 9. Douro Valley 10. Argentina 11 & 12. Norway 13. Adelaide Ashes 14. Sydney 15. Bradman Museum, Bowral

Sportsmanship is a mysterious business. Hard to define, yet everyone knows it the instant they see it. This weekend, we observed it at the World Cup when Jude Bellingham picked up the ball for a late penalty glanced across at Bukayo Saka on a hat-trick, and simply handed it over. "Go and get it," he said. Saka scored. Cricket had offered its own version a year earlier, when South Africa's Wiaan Mulder, unbeaten on 367 and 33 short of Brian Lara's world Test record, declared rather than chase it down. "Let the legend keep the record," said his coach, and Mulder did. Reach further back and you find Luz Long, the German long-jumper, quietly advising his rival Jesse Owens on his run-up at the 1936 Berlin Games, then embracing him as Owens took the gold Hitler had hoped to deny him. And the rugby players and footballers of Argentina reminded us that sportsmanship is always a choice, never a given. At Broadhalfpenny Down, the Brigands chose it early, rejigging the batting order to give others a turn against The Authors and, in time, declaring in a manner both sides afterwards agreed was thoroughly sporting. Up stepped Paul Whittle with a hard-fought half-century, only his second ever at the cradle of cricket, which he enjoyed all the more after recent battles with cancer and the ballot box. Whittle approaches a knock rather as Sun Tzu approached a campaign in The Art of War, surveying the purpose, the terrain and the method, carefully choosing which ball to defend, which to play a shot. Authors' off-spinner, Tom Eadon, had come on licking his lips at the prospect of bowling to Whittle. Ten overs later he stood on the boundary: "Never have I been hit for so many runs by someone who looked least likely to score any." Paul Whittle on his way to a half-century Around him, Henry Moore was undone by an LBW that struck him on the thigh, an injustice the afternoon would repay. Dave Henderson hit 35 at a run a ball, two of them sixes, before falling to the historian Tom Holland. Holland bowls as Odysseus fought: all guile and appetite, a warrior who will do anything for the cause. Guy Ladenburg looked the part for his 34, and Rob Manson biffed a quick 22. The Authors caught and fielded well; Charlie Campbell used masterful footwork on the long off boundary to stop a boundary that drew warm applause. The Brigands moved from 35 off 10 overs to 91 off 20, 134 off 30, and declared on 188 off 40. Brigands never got above 5 runs an over in their innings; fine fielding from Campbell, Kojima & Eadon Tom Holland, all guile and appetite The Authors' reply was built on Adam Hart's 56 and quickened by Andrew Kojima's 39, until Lee Gray trapped him plumb in front of middle stump. The sublime cricket writer John Hotten was given out lbw to the left-arm-over Neil Wood, whose delivery appeared to pitch somewhere in Clanfield before homing in on the stumps. Brigands and Hampshire cricket supporter, Dr Chris Ayling, recalls learning his cover drive in the garden as a boy, taught to caress rather than clout the ball lest he shatter the greenhouse glass raised on its brick base. The Authors' opening batter, William Fiennes, grew up behind the moat at Broughton Castle and, like Ayling, strokes rather than hits: a hard hit at his castle ended up in the water. He scored 18 elegant runs before missing a ball that turned from Jake Peach. With 20 overs left and The Authors ahead, wickets were wanted. Neil Wood shelled one at cover and a sharp chance went down behind the stumps. Henderson did cling to his on the rope, juggling to keep his feet in front of the picnickers. No byes came in the first nine overs, then 24 in the following 30 as bowlers and fielders wilted. The Authors got home with four wickets in hand. There were 24 fours in the innings and not a single six. Peach was the pick of the bowling with 3 for 26, while Rob Manson conceded just 23 from eight tidy overs, his run-up marked out lovingly by his adorable daughter. Peach and Manson were the pick of the Brigands bowlers Off the field, baby Bea Turner gurgled her way through the Authors' innings, at one point belching and burping simultaneously, "just like her father," said Mum. Peter Danks and Peter Harding kept the book. There was an ironic heatwave cheer when a teenage Harris arrived in a sweatshirt: "haven't seen one of those in a while," someone remarked. Afterwards at the Bat & Ball, stories were shared of how we met our partners. Umpire Nick Harris was heard speaking fondly of "Sonic Lass" before it emerged he was talking about a greyhound he once owned that would race around Copnor dog track from time to time. Young Sophie Wyld helped set up and close the ground, and produced a carrot cake worthy of a royal warrant, ranking alongside last week's Lovett-Turner carrot cake. Her father and Match Manager, Barney Wyld, was injured, but he gave up his whole day so two teams could have a lovely afternoon. That, too, is sportsmanship. Brigands 188-7 declared lost to The Authors 189-6 by 4 wickets The Harris family on the Monument, and Captain Ladenburg consults the local pirate for advice Photo credits: Graham Peach and Dave Henderson

West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers, one of the greatest cricketers of all time and a Patron of Broadhalfpenny Down, has died aged 89. A brilliant, record-breaking batsman, bowler of finger spin, wrist spin and seam, and an outstanding fielder in all positions, he was the premier architect of a resurgence in West Indian cricket. The fifth of six children to Shamont and Thelma Sobers, his father died in action during the Second World War in 1942 when his son was just five years old. Sobers was the owner of an extra finger on each hand at birth, soon removed and no detriment to his burgeoning cricket career. It was his left-arm bowling which initially predominated over the left-hand batting for which he would ultimately become most renowned. On his first-class debut as a spinner at just 16 for Barbados against the Indian tourists, he duly excelled with a seven-wicket match haul. He was picked to face England in the final Test in Jamaica in March 1954, taking four first-innings wickets as a replacement for the poorly Alf Valentine in a heavy defeat. It was in the following year that he began to show the world his capabilities as a batsman when, pressed into service as an emergency opener ahead of the Windies’ renowned middle-order trio Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, he dispatched Australia great Keith Miller for a string of early boundaries. After steadier progression came that remarkable, unbeaten 365 as Sobers’ maiden Test century rewrote the record books. There were no sixes in 21-year-old Sobers’ triple century, the first of 26 hundreds in a 20-year Test career which would bring him an average of 57.78 as well as 235 wickets at 34.03. Before his knighthood was accorded in 1975, or he was named National Hero of Barbados in 1998. During Sobers’ time playing league cricket in north-west England, one tragic incident was most significant. In 1959 he was the driver in a car crash which would claim the life of friend Collie Smith and bring him a period of personal turmoil in which alcohol was intermittently an outlet. He managed, however, to channel the upset as partial motivation to superlative effect back on the field. Don Bradman, brokered Sobers’ successful stint with South Australia and was then among those moved to high praise for his 254 at the MCG as captain of the Rest of the World against the hosts in the Supertest series of 1971. By then, Sobers had already made sure of further folklore – specifically to the people of Wales and Nottinghamshire, in his first of seven county seasons – thanks to his brutal feat of six sixes in an over on the August Bank Holiday of 1968. The profile of his then unprecedented achievement was helped by the chance presence of BBC cameras and tales have abounded since of how far the final six was smashed out of the St Helens ground. Despite a respectable career as a left-arm seamer, Nash never lived the occasion down, inevitably augmenting his stooge status down the years with his own vexed recollections. “The captain asked me if I fancied having a go at bowling some slow-left armers,” he said. “Sobers came along and quickly ended my slow-bowling career. It was a pretty short experiment.” For Sobers, it was simply a case of see ball (very well) and hit ball (very far). “I wasn’t bothered if I was out or not,” he said. Sobers, who married Australian Pru Kirby in 1969 but divorced in 1990, leaves two sons, Matthew and Daniel, and an adopted daughter Genevieve. Sobers in Numbers With Tom White's help at the Press Association, here are some of his career highlights in numbers. 365 not out – Sobers’ maiden Test century, against Pakistan at Sabina Park in 1958, was a record individual score until beaten by fellow West Indian Brian Lara in 1994 and still stands sixth on the all-time list. 6 – an equally memorable feat saw Sobers become the first player to hit six sixes in an over, for Nottinghamshire against the unfortunate Malcolm Nash of Glamorgan in the County Championship at Swansea in August 1968. 16 – Sobers’ age when he made his first-class debut, as a spinner for Barbados against the Indian tourists – he took seven wickets in the match. 2 – first-class matches before his Test debut against England in 1954. 5 – Sobers is one of only five all-rounders in Test history to score more than 5,000 runs and take over 200 wickets – 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78 and 235 wickets at 34.03. Jacques Kallis, Ian Botham, Ben Stokes and Kapil Dev are the other members of the exclusive club. 109 – an outstanding fielder to boot, Sobers added 109 catches. 93 – Test appearances for the West Indies, in additional to a solitary one-day international. 103.14 – Sobers’ remarkable batting average in the Windies’ Test series win over England in 1966. Credit: Press Association

The Broadhalfpenny Down Tea Room is open on Mondays from 10.30am - 3pm. We serve delicious homemade cake as well freshly baked cheese scones. We are conveniently located to lovely walks and cycling trails. Enjoy a pot of tea or coffee overlooking stunning scenery. We cater for those who are gluten intolerant. The reviews are in; we had a wonderful lady in this week who said "Lovely Victoria Sandwich".