MILDENHALL CRICKET CLUB - Milestones

            
                                          

Milestones of Mildenhall Cricket Club.

1876   Club formed and “Played on a meadow by the riverside beyond the mill”

1878   Moved to the heath a half a mile out of the town because the meadow to swampy

             Probably on land that was used by “Upper school ( Mildenhall Academy). Closed 2021

1888    Wiped off liabilities and using Mr Fotesque’s meadow.

1894   Reformed with amalgamation of senior and junior clubs.

1895   “The Cricket Club after a long illness has died insolvent”

1898   Reformed due to work of Secretary/Treasurer. Reverend H.Wooley.

1901   Work of H.Oxlade as Secretary/Treasurer saved club and moved to St Andrews Street.

1902   Cleared of debts.

1905   First of five professionals and Wicket relaid.

1910   First century, Dr F.R.Bardwell 104 v Exning.

1912   First record of A.W.Neve playing.

1914   Cricket suspended during the First World War.

1921   Club reformed after the war. A.W.Neve Secretary.

1925   Played in Newmarket league.

1928   Lowest recorded score, seven all out!

1931   Withdrew from Newmarket league after six seasons without success.

            Death of Sir Henry C.J.Bunbury, President since his father died in 1885 .

1932   Return to pre-war practises of entertaining visitors to teas.

1936   A.W.Neve retires as Secretary after 15 years.

1937   Club refused permission for Sunday use of the ground by Sir Charles Bunbury, the owner.

1938   A.W.Neve elected as President.

1939   Regular cricket suspended during the Second World War although a few matches played.    

1946   St Andrews Street ground de-requisitioned and bought by the Parish Council.

            First season for H.G.Abbs.

1948   “Good season” 18 wins in 29 games. Some 2nd X1 fixtures arranged.

            First 100 wicket take by Harold Taylor. Sunday play still refused. Water laid to ground.

1949   First 1000 runs in a season by H.G.(Bill) Abbs . Highest score 146n.o.

1950   Formation of Sports Club.

1951   First trophy win, Smith Cup also known as Littleport Cup.

1952   First game for Mike Clarke who became architect of the Wamil Walk ground.

            Sports Club disbanded.

1953   The Club tied matches against Newmarket and then Ampton.

1955   Best season to date with ten players averaging over 10! R.A.F Mildenhall use ground.

1956   Poor seasonal weather and club struggles to raise two X1’s.

1958   Second X1 disbanded for a short period.

1960   Steve Cooke elected Sunday Captain as club commences moves to  play at home on Sundays.

1961   First season on Youth (U21) cricket.

1963   First Sunday home matches.

1965   Black and amber caps adopted. First club tour (Caerphilly)

             Mike Kill joins the club as a player progessing to life long groundsman.

1966   Mildenhall lose to Histon  after being bowled out for 21 including 10 ducks.

1967   Most wickets in a season, Mike Finnis grabs 143.

1968   First Orby Wood cup win beating Bury St Edmunds in 20 over competition.

1969   Death of A.W.Neve after 58 years connection with the club. H.G.Abbs elected President.

            First plans to move to Wamil Walk.

1970  Tony Cornell wins first single wicket competition. First Annual Dinner/Dance at West Row Village Hall.

           First of four wins in West Suffolk Youth (U21’s) cup.

         “As in victory so in defeat” adopted as club motto.

1972  Club moves to Wamil Way ground and starts with Single Wicket competition.

1973   First sightscreens donated by Phillip Drakard.

1974   Tony Carter and Grenville Dale emulate Bill Abbs and score 1000 runs in a season.

            Trevor Cooke and Gerry Widger both take 100 wickets in a season.

            Grenny Dale scores first century on Wamil ground.

1975   Mildenhall post highest score todate with 309 for 7 at Barry Island in tour match.

           Grenny Dale breaks club record with 153 in the same match.

           Wamil Wasps have full season of Sunday morning football  fixtures.

1976   Cententary year celebrated with a Gala week in August culminating with first County match.

             Suffolk CCC v Huntingdon CCC match features first use of covers made by Gerry Widger .

1977   First Minor Counties match on ground..Suffolk v Norfolk.

1978   Joined newly formed Forest Heath Cricket league being played at the Dome Sports Centre.

1981   Club plays first league matches in 50 years when it joins the “Dairytime” Suffolk league.

1982   Suffolk Indoor Cricket champions and reach quarter final of national competition.

1983  Kevin Boardman  (joined 1981) takes up the Youth Coaching role  and remains in that role for over 30 years.
           MCC entertain the iconic "Arabs" !

1988   Suffolk Indoor Cricket champions

1989   MCC launch the Winn Sharpe Twenty/20 Cup competition

           Two extra changing rooms added to the pavilion together with gas fired central heating.

1990   Club joins Two Counties league and stays in Suffolk league playing some fixtures as “Double headers”

1991   Club tours Yorkshire.

1992   Andy Squire scores 139 in Suffolk v Lincs match at Wamil Way.

           First 3rd X1 fixtures in Mick McNeil league.

           First Cricket Bat willow trees planted at bottom of second pitch.

1993  Under 15's reach the National Finals and finish 4th

1994   Grand Slam of Cup competitions as five local trophies enter the trophy cabinet.

            Under 15's reach the National Finals and finish 3rd


1996   Electronic scoreboard added on to the pavilion.

1997  First Suffolk Cup win beating Burt St Eds by 4 wickets

1998   Artificial strip laid next to the second square and artificial covering given to net area.
 
           Lee Chipchase scores 236 against  Maldon ( highest at Mildenhall)

1999   MCC joined the East Anglian Premier league and recruit first coach Mark Feltham.

2000   First sponsored shirts provided by “Lamb Technicon”  

2001   Club celebrates its  125 years   exsistence.

            Club hosts Suffolk v Nottinghamshire in Cheltenham & Gloucester 50 over trophy.

            First outdoor tribute concert  “Abba Magic”.

2002   Death of H.G.(Bill) Abbs after 56 years connection with the club. Tony Cornell elected as the 7th President of the MCC.

           Winn Sharpe cup retired.

2003   Second tribute concert features “Beatlemania”

2006   Relegated from East Anglian Premier league.

            Under 15’s finish 3rd in National finals at Bournemouth.

2007   Club tours Brighton area.

2008   Second Suffolk Cup win beating Bury St Edmunds CC in final.

           Runners Up in Two Counties Division One.

           MCC form Ladies team and they win 4 Counties league.

           Jamie Lee hits 6 sixes in an over at Washam Le Willow.

2009   Major redevelopment of Pavilion opened by Graham Thorpe.. Second story and Balcony added plus new Bar area.

           James Holmes claims first X1 record taking 9 for 35 against Sudbury at home.

           Death of Edgar Lee. Fleet Air Arm Hero. MCC member 1950’s/60’s.

2010   Mildenhall beat Burwell to take Midweek League title , scoring a record 218-6 off 120 balls.
           
            MCC form a 4th X1 for Saturday league matches.
           
2011   Tymal Mills plays in U19 England test team against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

           MCC adopt Yellow and Black coloured clothing for Midweek league matches.

2012   1stX1finish runners up in Two Counties league for the 3rd time in 5 years.
        
           Club tours to Eastbourne.
        
            Lily Reynolds makes England Womens U19 Squad

          Club Kit goes on line
2013  Scorebox revamped and first over by over scoring from laptop to website

2014  First inductee's to the MildenHALL OF FAME

           Practice nets and artificial pitch on 2nd square are relaid thanks to massive help by many donations.

           Kobus Scholtz sets a new aggregate runs total of 1829 in 43 matches, averaging 57.16.

           Sunday 1st X1, Saturday 2nd and 3rd X1's make it 3 league wins.

2015  First helmets with club logo

           MCC U 19's win inaugural Suffolk NatWest Twenty/20 County Tournament

2016  Two Counties Division One Champions.

           Mildenhall host Maylebone Cricket Club

           Steve Taylor set a new aggregate runs record with 1868 made in 32 matches averaging 71.85

2017 Promoted back to the EAPL

           The club recruits former West Indian test cricketer Tino Best as a playing member.

           In June Tom Westley turns out for the club just one month before he makes his England test debut.

2018 Mildenhall record highest ever league position when finishing 3rd in the EAPL
 
          The club is awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for their "That's Over" archive project.

2019 Mildenhall Ladies win Two Counties Ladies League

          Mike Kill donates and erects a second electronic scoreboard  for use on the main wicket.

           Helen Atkinson scores the highest individual Ladies score with 143 against Copdock 14.07.19

2020 Season reduced due to Covid-19, no league cricket and clubhouse closed..
          The 5th XI and Ladies 2nd XI play their first matches.


2021   MCC 2nd X1 win Two Counties Division 2 Title
           3rd and 4th X1's promoted and 1st league season for 5th X1
            MCC Ladies reach the final of the National T20 plate
2022 
The club celebrates 50 years at Wamil Way with a 50 Fest week
         
Introduction of a new club logo
         
Best season for the 1st X1 and the Ladies teams as both finish Runners up in their EAPL leagues 
         
Also, Suffolk cup wins for the Under 19s and the 5th X1
         
In memory of Terry Grinling an electronic scoreboard added to second square ground
2023 
Sophie Singer broke a four year record, scoring the highest individual ladies score of 150* 11/06/23
        
A record that had stood for 19 years was broken when Ashutosh Singh hit a 1st X1 individual score of 153* v Swardeston.17/07/23
        
Just 2 weeks later Peter Worthington grabbed that record when he scored 209* v Gt Witchingham
     
 Connor Cobbold makes eye catching debut for the 1st X1 , taking 42 catches and 7 stumpings earning him a best ever EAPL                 performance.
        
Heritage room re named the Tony Cornell Heritage Room in recognition of Tony’s work on the History project.
2024 MCC Ladies win Iceni East Anglian Ladies Premier League.
        MCC U19's (Matadors) complete a hattrick of wins in the  Suffolk U19s Cup competition

 






Anyone with Milestones to add please contact Tony Cornell on ajcornell@btinternet.com

For full details of Suffolk CCC matches played at Mildenhall  click on the link http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/632_minc.html