Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club

Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club is an amateur cricket club based in Rushden, Northamptonshire, England. Rushden have 3 senior XI teams in the Northamptonshire Cricket League,[1] and an established Junior Section, who compete in the Higham & District Youth League.[2] Rushden also field a Sunday XI team who play friendly matches in and around the region.[3]

Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club
LeagueNorthamptonshire Cricket League
Team information
Colors  Blue   White
Home groundShort Stocks, Rushden, Northamptonshire
History
ECB Premier Division wins1
Official websiterandhtcc.play-cricket.com

Ground

Rushden and Higham Town's First and Second XI teams play their home matches at the Town Ground in Rushden, rated as 'Good' quality ground by the East Northamptonshire Council (ENC).[4] The Town Ground was used by Northamptonshire County Cricket Club for 22 first-class matches between 1924 and 1963,[5] but has been the home ground for Rushden since 2003.[6] The Third XI team use the Saffron Road Recreation Ground,[3] in Higham Ferrers, Rushden, rated as a 'Standard' quality ground by the East Northamptonshire Council.[4]

History

Evidence shows that cricket has been played in Rushden since the middle of the 19th century, with a record of a match being played as early as 1868.[7] One of the earliest known references to a cricket ground was mentioned in a match report dated 1 August 1874, in the Northampton Mercury stating "Pikehills" to be the location[7] and by the 1880s, reports show Rushden Cricket Club winning their second County Challenge Cup in 1884.[7] By 1889, Rushden Cricket Club amalgamated with both the local Football and Rugby club to become the 'Rushden Cricket and Football Club'; and the club moved to their current ground in the same year.[8] By the 1920s Rushden were competing in the Rushden and District League and after the Second World War, they joined the Northamptonshire County League; becoming league champions in 1959 and 1960.[9] Further success was achieved in the Bedford and District Cricket League with the club becoming league champions in 1966.[10][9] In the 1970s, the club played for the Bedfordshire Millman Trophy and continued competing in the Northants County League up to the turn of the millennium, when the League became a designated ECB Premier League. It was at this time when the club's 120-year-old pavilion was destroyed by fire, along with most of the club's material history in 2000.[11] However, a few years into the millennium saw the club bounce back with the addition of two senior teams (3rd XI side in 2007 and a 4th XI in 2012) and a cluster of division wins leading up to the club becoming Premier League Champions in 2015.[1] After the 2018 season, Rushden Town entered into a merger with its neighbouring club 'Higham Ferrers Town' and became Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club.

Club Performance

The Northamptonshire Cricket League competition results showing the club's positions in the league (by Division) since 2003.

Key
Gold Champions
Red Relegated
Grey League Suspended
Key
P ECB Premier Division
1 Division One
2 Division Two, etc.
Northamptonshire Cricket League
Team 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
1st XI PPPPP PPPP1 1PPP PPPPPP1
2nd XI 33333 33333 22222 33334 5
3rd XI 1312121111 1111101010 10101110 101212
4th XI 14141413 1313

Club Honours
Northamptonshire Cricket League
Division Year(s)
Premier 2015
Division One 2013, 2023
Division Three 2012
Division Eleven 2013
Bedford & District Cricket League
Division Year(s)
Division One 1966
Northant's County League
Division Year(s)
Division One 1959, 1960
Cup Competitions
Result Cup Year
Winner NCL Division 12 KO Cup 2022
Winner Northant's County Challenge Cup 188?, 1884

References
  1. "Northamptonshire Cricket League". ncl.play-cricket.com. Northamptonshire Cricket League. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  2. "Higham & District Youth League". highamanddistrictleague.play-cricket.com. Higham & District Youth League. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  3. "Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club". highamanddistrictleague.play-cricket.com. Rushden and Higham Town Cricket Club. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. East Northamptonshire Council Playing Pitch Strategy Assessment Report October 2016 (Report). East Northamptonshire Council. 2016. p. 68. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  5. "First-Class matches played on Town Ground, Rushden (22)". cricketarchive.com. Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  6. "Town Ground, Rushden". cricketarchive.com. Cricket Archive, London. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  7. "Rushden Cricket Club - snippets". rushdenheritage.co.uk. Rushden Research. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  8. "Cricket & Football Ground". rushdenheritage.co.uk. Rushden Research. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. "Mike Dilley and Three Championship Wins for Rushden Town". rushdenheritage.co.uk. Rushden Research. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  10. "Bedford and District Cricket League Third Division 1967". cricketarchive.com. Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  11. "Blaze wrecks cricket pavilion". Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph. 21 December 2000. Retrieved 14 February 2022.

52°17′34″N 0°35′13″W

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