History

Early Years

1859

• A small group of members from the Bath YMCA decided that they wished to play the relatively new sport of cricket more seriously, and formed a new club which played for the next few years on top of Claverton Down , on the southern outskirts of the city The group called themselves the Bath Association Cricket Club.

1860s

• The Bath Association CC acquire ownership, from the 4th Duke of Cleveland, of a new ground close to the city centre, known as the Watermeadows. This became "North Parade" and cost the club £200 and saw the 4th Duke of Cleveland become the Club's first President. Part of the ground was annually used for the grazing of animals as well as fairs, fetes and fun days.

1864  

• First newspaper record of a Bath Association game v Sydney College (May 28th) - "it was decided by the first innings in favour of Sydney College" (Bath Express), whilst on 25th June " A match was played...between twelve gentlemen on the Lansdown Club and twelve members of the association Cricket Club terminating in favour of Lansdown by 75 runs" (Bath Express).

1880  

• Record of a game played at North Parade between the Bath Association and Lansdown. Bath were dismissed for 163 at lunch, whilst the visitors could only muster 85 and then, following on were all out for just 49. In the return match later that summer the Lansdown team featured W.G Grace and his brother E.M. Grace, who in the same season opened together for England against Australia in the first match ever played on English soil.

1886  

• First professional groundsman was employed at 8/- per week

1902  

• Bill Hyman scores 359 not out in just 100 minutes against Thornbury at Alveston on 12th July.  His amazing performance (during Bath's 2nd innings) included 32 sixes and 30 fours and the scorecard, which remains on display at North Parade, notes that after Hyman's fireworks,that "no bowling analysis was kept of the second innings."

1904  

• The Old Pavilion (now the John Ruddick Pavilion) was built at a cost of £180. The building was designed by City Architect A.J. Taylor, who became Bath CC Chairman from 1919-1938. Stanley Amor joined Bath CC

1909  

• The 50th Anniversary of Bath CC saw the 1st XI celebrate an unbeaten season  (played 17, won 12, drawn 5) and the club hold a "Jubilee Dinner" at Fishers Restaurant, Northgate Street where tributes were paid to "one of the best clubs [which was] capable of competing with any of the greatest local clubs in England."

1910

• Bath plays MCC for the first time

1912  

• A.E. Whiting was presented with a silver cigarette case in recognition of his having scored in 100 consecutive games for the 1st XI.

1913

• "Association" finally dropped from the name and "Bath Cricket Club" becomes official title.

The Stanley Amor Era

1914- 1950 Club Captain
1955- 1964 Club Chairman
1957- 1964 Club President

1914-18

• Very little cricket played (Stothert and Pitt uses the ground)

1919  

• Normal fixtures resume

1920s

• Bath CC becomes a very strong side and regularly attract a crowd in excess of 1000  paying spectators at their games.

1921  

• Bath beats the touring Littleborough CC, the unbeaten champions of the Central Lancashire League

1926  

• The club colours of mauve, silver and black are adopted ( and were then changed in 1938 and again in 1958! )

1930  

• Possibly the high point of Bath CC to date. S.G.U. Consadine scores 1,131 runs in 21 matches, W.S. Whiting takes 62 wickets and Bertie Buse takes 67 wickets.

• John Ruddick makes his debut for the club

1934  

• North Parade square extended.

1936  

• Bath beat Oxford City CC, who were considered the best team in the south of England.

1940  

• Club decides to carry on playing, despite the problems brought by WW2

1945  

• "Victory" season is a huge success with London Counties game and Bill Caesar's 88 wickets being the highlights.

1952 

• Bath CC play Sunday games for the first time

1959  

• Centenary season sees Gala Dance and celebration dinner at Fortt's Restaurant as well as a Centenary Cricket week.

1960  

• Major floods hit the city centre and North Parade in particular. The old Pavilion is swept away on the flood water.

1961  

• An EGM decides to build a new pavilion on the opposite side of the ground and launches a fund to find the £6500 needed for the project.

• Bath CC tour to Holland

1962  

• Peter Wight builds his cricket school at North Parade

1963  

• New Pavilion completed.

1964  

• Fund-raising game organised by Ron Roberts who brings Richie Benaud and Gary Sobers amongst others to Bath.

• "The Skipper" Stanley Amor dies, aged 77

The John Ruddick Years

1968- 1977  Hon. Secretary
1978- 1981  Club Chairman
1982- 1985  Club President

1968  

• Celebrity game for Ron Roberts Memorial Fund involving the likes of Basil D'Oliveira, Tom Graveney and Harold Gimblett.

• 10th July Great Storm hits Bath and North Parade is under water once more. The whole square is left covered by mud, oil, worms and frogs and there is no chance of any cricket again that summer. Large wall is erected along the river side of the ground.

1971  

• Re-design of the clubhouse, relocation of scorebox to old pavilion and more car parking spaces created.

1972  

• John Richards and Pat Colbourne form the Bath CC Youth Section - initially with just one age-group.

1973   

• Bath CC joins the Western League  

• First Lords Taverners Game featuring Sir John Mills, Nicholas Parsons and Judith Chalmers raises substantial amount of money

1974  

• Under captaincy of Pat Colbourne, Bath 1st and 2nd XI's win their Western League Championships 

1975  

• The Lords Taverners are back with Tom Graveney, Brian Clough and Jesus of Nazareth (aka Robert Powell) in the line up.

1987  

• The Taverners are back again - they must like it here! Barry Norman, Richard Stilgoe and Henry Kelly are amongst the visitors.

• Bath CC is instrumental in the creation of the Bath Schools' Cricket Foundation.

1988  

• New extension to the clubhouse, including first floor changing rooms and new Members' Bar is opened.

"Modern" Bath Cricket Club

1994  

• Bath CC finally win the Western League again after 20 years of disappointment.

1996 and 1997 

• Bath 2nd XI win League title

1998  

• Under the leadership of Mike Roe, the 1st XI are unbeaten and win the Western League and reach the Lords final of the National Club Knockout - only to lose narrowly to Doncaster Town. The cup run will be long remembered - for the excitement of the cricket but also for the huge and passionate support from the Bath fans.... "The Great Escape", "You've lost a wicket Ealing" and "Eh-ba-gum, hot pot and rugby league!"

1999

• Bath 1st and 2nd XIs win the new West of England Premier League titles.

• Bath take a youth team to the Sydney International Youth Festival.

2000

• 1st and 2nd XI are League Champions again!

• Bath CC joins forces with Somerset Wanderers (Ladies) Cricket Team.

2001

• Bath CC are back in a Lords Final - only to narrowly lose again, this time at the hands of Bramhall CC. 2nd XI are League champions again.

2002  

• 2nd XI win the title again, whilst the 3rds win Division 2 of the North Somerset League.

2003  

• Not only do the 2nds win again but so do the 1st XI....and they get to their third Lords Final. A thrilling game sees Sandiacre CC condemn Bath to a third runners-up spot.

• In this hugely successful season, Bath Girls U13s are crowned National Champions.

2004  

• Bath Wanderers make their first official appearance.

• Bath U15s win the National (Boys) Championship at Bournemouth CC.

• North Parade square begins several years of rennovation.

2005  

• 1st XI and 2nd XI are both WEPL Champions.

2006  

• The 3rd XI are NSCL Premier Division Champions alongside the (once again) victorious 1st and 2nd XI.

• Bath CC U19 Girls take part in the Cape Town International Tournament.

• CricketBath - the community arm of Bath CC - is created.

2007  

• North Parade plays host to International Cricket as England Women beat New Zealand in two fantastic days of Twenty20 cricket at the ground. The England Physical Disability v Learning Difficulty game also amazes and inspires a large crowd.

• The 2nd XI win the league (of course) whilst the Bath U13's win the National Championship at Oakham School.

• Bath Wanderers win the National League (South) yet, like the men, they lose the National Final at Taunton.

2008  

• International cricket is back - this time England beat India in an ODI at North Parade.

• 1st XI and 2nd XI (yet again) win their WEPL titles, whilst Wanderers 2nd XI win the South West League.

• Bath's Steph Davies makes debut for England.

2009  

• Bath CC's 150th Anniversary sees a huge number of celebratory events - New Years Eve Party, Dinner/Dance, Victorian Day and all manner of special games.

• By way of further celebration, the 2nd XI win the league.

• Anya Shrubsole makes debut for England and is part of the Womens World Cup Winning squad.

• Pete McGlashan cuts short his time at Bath to play for New Zealand in the T20 World Cup.

2010  

• 1st and 2nd XI win the WEPL

•  Fran Wilson makes debut for England

2011 

• 1st and 2nd XI win the WEPL

2012  

• U15's are National Champions again - winning in fine style at the Finals Day at Kibworth CC.

• The North Parade clubhouse undergoes major rennovation.

• The John Ruddick Pavilion burns down in May.

• Viv Richards and The Bunburys play at North Parade

• Lloyd Davies is WEPL Player of the Season

2013

• 1st XI win the WEPL, whilst 4th XI are champions in the NSCL Div 3 and the Wanderers 2nd XI win Somerset League

• Anya Shrubsole is leading wicket-taker for England Women at the World Cup in India and then makes major contribution to a successful Ashes Summer. The Women's Ashes trophy comes to North Parade.

• Money Wise becomes the first "main sponsor" of Bath CC

• Regeneration of Peter Wight's Indoor School finally takes place after years of consideration, problems and decision-making.

• Inaugural awarding of the "Parade in Print 5 Cricketers of the Year" : Thiaan Aspeling and Robin Lett are named "Cricketers of the Season" whilst Willie Murrie, Jackie Hawker and Stuart Priscott are the first to enter the Bath CC "Hall of Fame".

2014

 

• The 4th XI win back-to-back league titles as Thiaan Aspeling leads his team to the NSCL (Div 2) title but cannot be promoted as the 3rd XI play in the league above.

• After leading the league for much of the season, the 1st XI lose a winner-takes-all final game of the season to Frocester.

• The 2nd XI recover from a nighmare start to the season to finnish runners-up in the WEPL 2nd team Championship.

• The 5 Cricketers of the Year are named as Izzy Westbury, George Hankins and Adam Kelly (Cricketers of the Season) whilst Steve Griffiths and Mark sage enter the Bath CC Hall of Fame.

• The WEPL votes for a radical change of structure in 2016 and Matthew Hankins becomes the new Cricket Director.

 

2015

• Bath Wanderers win the National Club Championship at Kibworth CC

• The 2nd XI win the last ever WEPL 2nd XI championship as the league re=structures for next season

• The 1st team go well in the National club Championship before losing in the semi-final to eventual winners, Blackheath CC.

• The 3rd and 4th XIs have excellent seasons but the NSCL Saturday Conference folds and both teams will play as part of the B&D in 2016.