Club Overview

Founded in 1859, the Club is now a leading community cricket club which has been designated a focus club by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to be a hub of the community network for cricket development, particularly for the benefit of children and young people. In 2003, the Club converted from a private members' club to a charity to consolidate and enhance its' community role. The Club has achieved Clubmark Accreditation by demonstrating that best practices are in-place to develop and deliver high quality community cricket in a safe, effective and child-friendly way.

Bath Cricket Club is supervised by a Management Committee consisting of seven elected and voluntary Members (Trustees) and operated with the support of many active volunteers and a small professional staff.

The Club owns its' main North Parade ground located at the centre of the city in the recreational heart of the World Heritage Site. Facilities include a fifteen-pitch square, together with 2 non-turf and 14 grass practice pitches, a LED scoreboard with a score-box in the John Ruddick Pavilion, and a clubhouse with hospitality (food & drink) services; there is also ample car parking. The Brownsword ground is situated on the northern edge of the city next to Beckford Tower; this second ground has a twelve-pitch square, together with non-turf practice pitches, a pavilion and machinery store.

The Club hosts around 90 senior and 80 youth matches each season which also involves around 2000 visiting as well as club players; guest matches are also held including ECB regional competitions and county representative teams.  In 2007, the Club hosted a Twenty20 Cricket Event including two Women's International matches (England v New Zealand) and a disabilities match (England Learning Difficulties v ECB Physical Disabilities) and, in 2008, an England v India Women's ODI; girls' taster sessions were run as a community contribution to complement the elite matches.

The Club has around 700 members, including about 110 senior players and 230 young cricketers. Cricket practice and playing is provided for both men and women, and both boys and girls.

Cricketers of all abilities are encouraged to realise their personal potential and to contribute to team success. All players have access to professional coaching from a team of sixteen ECB-qualified coaches (levels 1, 2 and 3). From 8 years old, children learn to play and enjoy the game with softball Kwik cricket. From Under 11 to seniors, there is a full fixture list of competitive league, cup and friendly matches to suit all levels of ability. There are 12 age-group youth squads (U11, U13 and U15) for boys and girls; at senior level, there are 8 teams - 4 men's on Saturday and 1 on Sunday, 2 female at weekends and a mid-week side (Bath Buccaneers).

High quality youth development ensures that many young cricketers play in senior cricket. A TOP (talent, opportunity, potential) coaching and learning programme helps the more skilled and dedicated young player. Many young cricketers now play at district and county level, with some included in county and ECB national academies, and several at international level. Youth and senior team success in both league and cup competitions is achieved at local, regional and national levels.

A partnership started in 2001 with Somerset Wanderers Ladies Cricket Club; this has led to a merger which places the Club at the leading edge of female community cricket development. Many girls play in predominantly boys teams, and also in senior men's teams,  and there are 2 female senior sides (known as Bath Wanderers); the Club provides the majority of female players for Somerset and several at international level.

At club level, the performance pinnacle consists of the men's 1st XI competing in the West of England Premier League and the Cockspur National Club Championship and Twenty20 Championship, and the women's 1st XI competing in the ECB National League (South) and the ECB National Knock-out Cup.

The Club has extensive links and partnerships with local schools, other clubs and the county boards of Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.  The Club has a community outreach activity, known as Cricketbath', to deliver more and better learning and participation opportunities for all children and young people (both boys and girls) in the local community; this initiative involves around 2000 participants each year.

Off the field, the Club has a high reputation for sound organisation and management and this, combined with individual and team success on the field, has helped to spread the word about cricket within the wider community. Good business practices ensure funds are ploughed back into cricket.