Hethersett Cricket Club
Hethersett Cricket Club - The Early Years (part one)
CRICKET has been part of village life in Hethersett for over 160 years. It is likely to be the oldest sport continuously played in the village, going back to the middle of the 19th century. Today it continues to thrive in the shape of the Hethersett and Tas Valley club with its headquarters at Flordon.
Hethersett Cricket Club was officially founded in 1855. In the 19th century the opportunities and means of recording matches and club details were strictly limited and many facts and figures have been lost in the mists of time. Any history of Hethersett Cricket Club and of the sport in the village therefore depends on limited written resources and word of mouth handed down through the generations.
Cricket more than any other sport is a reflection of village life and over the years has at times been covered in the monthly village magazine. Indeed at times it seemed to totally dominate that publication. Over the years cricket has reflected the times and been an integral part of village life. Nevertheless records are scratchy at best, adding to the difficulties of any attempts to provide a comprehensive record.
It is virtually impossible to say when cricket was first played in Hethersett, with early records being lost. There is evidence, however, that cricket of a sort was being played in the village as early as 1850 either on a piece of meadow along the Melton Road or close to the back garden of the former Greyhound Public House in Henstead Road.
At this time there was no established club as such but there is evidence that occasional matches were played against scratch elevens from the neighbouring parishes.
The first match to leave its mark was a bizarre affair, rather pointing to the fact that an official Hethersett club was not at the time in being. It is unlikely that any properly set-up club would have countenanced the rather strange nature of this match which pitted Hethersett against Wymondham.
The needle rivalry between the two teams suggests that there may well have been other games before this one. It was said that neither side would settle for a draw. If need arose they would put their two highest scorers in again to play a single wicket competition in order to gain the bragging rights.
It is difficult to decide just why the rivalry existed between Hethersett and Wymondham. One explanation could have been a battle over land. Until the enclosures, a vast track of unenclosed land extended from Wymondham town to the boundary of Hethersett. Known as Wymondham Great Common, it was there the body of a dead man was found one day in the latter part of the 18th century. Because Wymondham allegedly spurned the obligation to bury the corpse, the parish of Hethersett, albeit resentfully, undertook the task and expense of so doing. But later, with the advent of the Enclosures of 1790, Hethersett claimed a large slice of the Great Common on the grounds of having buried the aforementioned corpse. The claim it appears was granted and, as it was said "Wymondham never quite forgave Hethersett for pulling a trick like that!"
Such was the mood of the teams that rain was not allowed to interfere. The match in question was accompanied by a steady downpour but neither side was prepared to abandon the game as a draw, the assumption being that the side which called "enough" would be deemed to have lost the match.
So the game continued, leaving those who witnessed it with memories of drenched figures squelching over swamped meadow in pursuit of a sodden ball. Apart from the obvious "needle" between the two sides, it was liquid refreshment that served to sustain the spirits of the players. We have to assume that the umpire (if any) were either as partisan as the players or had very wisely abandoned them to fate.
Unfortunately, despite all that dogged persistency, the result of the match is unknown. One of the Hethersett club’s greatest characters Fred Dodman told the story of the match which he had heard from one of the players, Amble Appleton:
“I don't know who won. I don't think they did either because from what I remember hearing about it, they were as soaked inside with beer as they were outside with rain." So we may at least safely assume that the only man who won anything that day, was the landlord of the Greyhound Public House.
We mustn’t assume from the above story that Hethersett or indeed Wymondham players of the day necessarily had a bad attitude to the game, or no ability. On the contrary they displayed considerable potential. One man who took special note of the fact was Henry William Back who, during frequent visits to Hethersett, watched cricket being played on that piece of meadow so suitably adjacent to the Greyhound.
A keen cricketer himself, Mr Back was sufficiently impressed as to feel that such potential should be harnessed to form an established and organised team with better equipment and facilities. That feeling he promptly translated into action when, in 1854, he took up permanent residence at Hethersett Hall.
Thus it was that Hethersett Cricket Club was founded in 1855. Meanwhile Mr Back, who was president of the club, instructed his head gardener George Moore, to convert a homely paddock, adjacent to the Hall into "a cricket ground suitable for good class matches." This was in every way a happy mix of circumstances. because George Moore, besides being a first class gardener, was also a real cricket fan. It was said that "he knew all about the game and what was required."
The truth of that was soon made evident. The cricket ground George Moore (later to become "Old George") created with such skill and nurtured with such devotion was to become famous throughout Norfolk and even further afield and the “envy of every other team that played on it."
Old George became an important character in the history of the club. His ability as a cricketer is not known, but he was an authoritative and widely respected umpire who would not allow any of his decisions to be questioned. One remembered story about him concerned a young man who, obviously not knowing "Old George," strongly protested when given out and persisted in doing so. Finally umpire Moore took the young man firmly by the arm and led him to the pavilion and when within speaking distance demanded that someone should "tell this young spark who I am."
"Why, Old George" came back the prompt response. "That's right" the umpire said to the argumentative young batsman: "I am Old George Moore and you're never likely to see the day when I tell a man he's out if he's not. So get you off the field."
On another occasion, during a match against a team from Norwich Barracks, an imperious army officer, caught very low near the wicket, was given out.
"Oh no,” he snorted "That was never out. Why that ball bounced."
"Ah so that did" agreed old George, dryly unimpressed. "That bounced right off your bat into his hands."
It was a misguided cricketer who ever tried to intimidate "Old George." The same applied to his son "Old George II" who during his career as a renowned umpire once told a troublesome young batsman
"You need to be strung up on a bell rope and hung out to dry."
The suggestion took added point from the fact that this George Moore was an accomplished bell ringer besides being an all-round cricketer.
Having played a leading part in founding Hethersett Cricket Club and providing it with an excellent ground, Henry Back was equally concerned that the players should be given every opportunity to develop and progress. He knew many of the players well and invited members of the county club to come and give Hethersett players the benefit of their experience. In that way Hethersett cricketers of the period received coaching from acknowledged experts of the game.
This was to pay dividends in more ways than one. To start with it set a standard of play which, despite many fluctuations of fortune, the club would always seek to maintain. The tradition was formed and though, from time to time it would appear to wane, the spirit to keep the high standards remained. The rules of the club called for a considerable measure of discipline and regular practice. Another outcome was that "very soon the entire parish began to take a lively interest in games played by its cricket club.”
Unfortunately no records seem to have survived of matches played during those earliest years. It is likely that matches were played against army teams, "wandering elevens" and even a team came from Cambridge University who came to play at Hethersett. It is also likely that a number of teams existed in other villages in the neighbourhood. Other villages were quite as cricket conscious as Hethersett, and some of them followed Hethersett’s example by organising themselves into established clubs. Hethersett had the distinct advantage of having a first class cricket ground.
Details of the club’s first 10 years remain rather sparse. The late Dr Deacon who, when recalling what he heard about those early years, said: "Even in those days there were many teams anxious to play at Hethersett. They came from all over the place."
His words were underlined by the testimony of a man from Yorkshire who told Dr Deacon that: "One of the best day’s cricket I ever enjoyed was down in Norfolk, at a place called Hethersett."
Go to part two
CRICKET has been part of village life in Hethersett for over 160 years. It is likely to be the oldest sport continuously played in the village, going back to the middle of the 19th century. Today it continues to thrive in the shape of the Hethersett and Tas Valley club with its headquarters at Flordon.
Hethersett Cricket Club was officially founded in 1855. In the 19th century the opportunities and means of recording matches and club details were strictly limited and many facts and figures have been lost in the mists of time. Any history of Hethersett Cricket Club and of the sport in the village therefore depends on limited written resources and word of mouth handed down through the generations.
Cricket more than any other sport is a reflection of village life and over the years has at times been covered in the monthly village magazine. Indeed at times it seemed to totally dominate that publication. Over the years cricket has reflected the times and been an integral part of village life. Nevertheless records are scratchy at best, adding to the difficulties of any attempts to provide a comprehensive record.
It is virtually impossible to say when cricket was first played in Hethersett, with early records being lost. There is evidence, however, that cricket of a sort was being played in the village as early as 1850 either on a piece of meadow along the Melton Road or close to the back garden of the former Greyhound Public House in Henstead Road.
At this time there was no established club as such but there is evidence that occasional matches were played against scratch elevens from the neighbouring parishes.
The first match to leave its mark was a bizarre affair, rather pointing to the fact that an official Hethersett club was not at the time in being. It is unlikely that any properly set-up club would have countenanced the rather strange nature of this match which pitted Hethersett against Wymondham.
The needle rivalry between the two teams suggests that there may well have been other games before this one. It was said that neither side would settle for a draw. If need arose they would put their two highest scorers in again to play a single wicket competition in order to gain the bragging rights.
It is difficult to decide just why the rivalry existed between Hethersett and Wymondham. One explanation could have been a battle over land. Until the enclosures, a vast track of unenclosed land extended from Wymondham town to the boundary of Hethersett. Known as Wymondham Great Common, it was there the body of a dead man was found one day in the latter part of the 18th century. Because Wymondham allegedly spurned the obligation to bury the corpse, the parish of Hethersett, albeit resentfully, undertook the task and expense of so doing. But later, with the advent of the Enclosures of 1790, Hethersett claimed a large slice of the Great Common on the grounds of having buried the aforementioned corpse. The claim it appears was granted and, as it was said "Wymondham never quite forgave Hethersett for pulling a trick like that!"
Such was the mood of the teams that rain was not allowed to interfere. The match in question was accompanied by a steady downpour but neither side was prepared to abandon the game as a draw, the assumption being that the side which called "enough" would be deemed to have lost the match.
So the game continued, leaving those who witnessed it with memories of drenched figures squelching over swamped meadow in pursuit of a sodden ball. Apart from the obvious "needle" between the two sides, it was liquid refreshment that served to sustain the spirits of the players. We have to assume that the umpire (if any) were either as partisan as the players or had very wisely abandoned them to fate.
Unfortunately, despite all that dogged persistency, the result of the match is unknown. One of the Hethersett club’s greatest characters Fred Dodman told the story of the match which he had heard from one of the players, Amble Appleton:
“I don't know who won. I don't think they did either because from what I remember hearing about it, they were as soaked inside with beer as they were outside with rain." So we may at least safely assume that the only man who won anything that day, was the landlord of the Greyhound Public House.
We mustn’t assume from the above story that Hethersett or indeed Wymondham players of the day necessarily had a bad attitude to the game, or no ability. On the contrary they displayed considerable potential. One man who took special note of the fact was Henry William Back who, during frequent visits to Hethersett, watched cricket being played on that piece of meadow so suitably adjacent to the Greyhound.
A keen cricketer himself, Mr Back was sufficiently impressed as to feel that such potential should be harnessed to form an established and organised team with better equipment and facilities. That feeling he promptly translated into action when, in 1854, he took up permanent residence at Hethersett Hall.
Thus it was that Hethersett Cricket Club was founded in 1855. Meanwhile Mr Back, who was president of the club, instructed his head gardener George Moore, to convert a homely paddock, adjacent to the Hall into "a cricket ground suitable for good class matches." This was in every way a happy mix of circumstances. because George Moore, besides being a first class gardener, was also a real cricket fan. It was said that "he knew all about the game and what was required."
The truth of that was soon made evident. The cricket ground George Moore (later to become "Old George") created with such skill and nurtured with such devotion was to become famous throughout Norfolk and even further afield and the “envy of every other team that played on it."
Old George became an important character in the history of the club. His ability as a cricketer is not known, but he was an authoritative and widely respected umpire who would not allow any of his decisions to be questioned. One remembered story about him concerned a young man who, obviously not knowing "Old George," strongly protested when given out and persisted in doing so. Finally umpire Moore took the young man firmly by the arm and led him to the pavilion and when within speaking distance demanded that someone should "tell this young spark who I am."
"Why, Old George" came back the prompt response. "That's right" the umpire said to the argumentative young batsman: "I am Old George Moore and you're never likely to see the day when I tell a man he's out if he's not. So get you off the field."
On another occasion, during a match against a team from Norwich Barracks, an imperious army officer, caught very low near the wicket, was given out.
"Oh no,” he snorted "That was never out. Why that ball bounced."
"Ah so that did" agreed old George, dryly unimpressed. "That bounced right off your bat into his hands."
It was a misguided cricketer who ever tried to intimidate "Old George." The same applied to his son "Old George II" who during his career as a renowned umpire once told a troublesome young batsman
"You need to be strung up on a bell rope and hung out to dry."
The suggestion took added point from the fact that this George Moore was an accomplished bell ringer besides being an all-round cricketer.
Having played a leading part in founding Hethersett Cricket Club and providing it with an excellent ground, Henry Back was equally concerned that the players should be given every opportunity to develop and progress. He knew many of the players well and invited members of the county club to come and give Hethersett players the benefit of their experience. In that way Hethersett cricketers of the period received coaching from acknowledged experts of the game.
This was to pay dividends in more ways than one. To start with it set a standard of play which, despite many fluctuations of fortune, the club would always seek to maintain. The tradition was formed and though, from time to time it would appear to wane, the spirit to keep the high standards remained. The rules of the club called for a considerable measure of discipline and regular practice. Another outcome was that "very soon the entire parish began to take a lively interest in games played by its cricket club.”
Unfortunately no records seem to have survived of matches played during those earliest years. It is likely that matches were played against army teams, "wandering elevens" and even a team came from Cambridge University who came to play at Hethersett. It is also likely that a number of teams existed in other villages in the neighbourhood. Other villages were quite as cricket conscious as Hethersett, and some of them followed Hethersett’s example by organising themselves into established clubs. Hethersett had the distinct advantage of having a first class cricket ground.
Details of the club’s first 10 years remain rather sparse. The late Dr Deacon who, when recalling what he heard about those early years, said: "Even in those days there were many teams anxious to play at Hethersett. They came from all over the place."
His words were underlined by the testimony of a man from Yorkshire who told Dr Deacon that: "One of the best day’s cricket I ever enjoyed was down in Norfolk, at a place called Hethersett."
Go to part two