The first recorded cricket match by a team from Newdigate was against Beare Green and was played at Beare Green on Easter Monday in 1886, just one year after England played the first series of test matches in Australia.

Cricket had been played in Surrey for many years and there is a document relating to a dispute in 1598 concerning a plot of land in Guildford where cricket is mentioned.

Newdigate, however, had become a backwater for some two hundred years following the closure of the ironworks at Ewood to the north of the parish. Farming was difficult and the tracks would have been impassable in winter and deeply rutted in summer. It was only when the railway came to Holmwood in the mid nineteenth century that the village awoke from its slumber as new, wealthy people set up estates in the Surrey countryside.

William Farnell-Watson, the owner of the Isleworth Brewery, purchased the Henfold estate and maintained his own cricket ground, playing matches against Surrey Club and Ground and other guest teams, for which he employed a professional bowler, Frank Golding.

Newdigate & Parkgate Cricket Club in the 1920s

The Victorians were great community builders and around the country in the last three decades of the nineteenth century, cricket clubs, football clubs, temperance societies, bands, horticultural societies etc were established so it comes as no surprise that similar organisations also appeared in Newdigate.

In the Surrey Association of Cricket Clubs Handbook for 1948 it states that although records of a Newdigate Club are in existence as far back as 1886, the club was formed in 1903, but we have no record of this.

Sidney John Burberry, aged 90, in 1955

A flavour of cricket at the time can be found from the parish magazine of August 1905 written by a visiting team from Wandsworth.

‘Through the kindness of Captain Palmer we went to Newdigate on Saturday, July 1st, to play a picked team at cricket. Mr Botham, our trainer, told us on Friday to meet at Clapham Junction at 7.55am and we were to turn up wet or dry.. We turned up to time but it was raining hard when we started our journey to Holmwood. After travelling for about half an hour the rain ceased and we all looked brighter, for after all there was the prospect of a fine day. When we arrived at Holmwood we turned our steps towards Leith Hill. The walk was beautiful. The hedges were crowded with wild roses and honeysuckle which gave forth a sweet smell. The hills before us were clothed in purple heather which added to the beauty of the scene. On arriving at Leith hill we went up the tower, and we were told that we were 1000 feet above the level of the sea. After having a little refreshment we retraced our steps to Holmwood Station, where we found a brake waiting to convey us to Newdigate. Little time was wasted in getting ready and our boys were soon on the field. We dismissed the village XI for 26 before we had to retire to lunch. There were such niceties as veal and ham, beef and ham with salad, and mutton with mint sauce for us to suffice our hunger, and for the ‘finishing touch’ there were gooseberry and cherry tarts, stewed cherries, blanc mange, and jelly. To quench our thirst we had lemonade and ginger beer, which disappeared down the throats of thirsty cricketers. The food was spread over a large space, but we managed to put it into a much smaller one. We were compelled to leave the table, for had we eaten more the consequence would have been disastrous. As it was, upon resuming, we could only reply with 13 runs, our lowest score this season. The second innings of Newdigate realized 47 for 5, declared, to which we made 4 for 1 before time was up. Tea was the next thing we had to fight; it was comprised of bread and butter, lettuce and cake. Some speeches were made and three hearty cheers were given to Captain Palmer for his great kindness in inviting us to so charming a corner ‘beside Surrey’s pleasant hills,’ and supplying all our wants in so generous a fashion. We caught the train from Holmwood at 7 o’clock and arrived home about 9 o’clock. This is the end of a very pleasant outing and we are greatly indebted to Mr Hackwood for the way in which he entertained us on behalf of Captain Palmer.’

We know that regular matches were played right up to the Second World War on a pitch opposite the Surrey Oaks at Parkgate when the club was known as the Newdigate & Parkgate Cricket Club.

Wilfred Bird, the son of the Rector, who kept wicket for Middlesex and the MCC prior to the First World War regularly brought sides to play at Parkgate and the match was always followed by a sumptuous meal courtesy of the landlord at the Surrey Oaks. Wilfred Bird  was amongst the thirty two Newdigate casualties of that war.

Just before he died, Charles Smith, a very good cricketer who also played for Horsham Cricket Club recalled early times:

‘The green opposite the Surrey Oaks was designated by the owner (the Broadwoods of Lyne who were the famous piano manufacturing family) and the brewery to be used especially for sports at the discretion of the landlord. In 1928 the landlord was Owen Blackstone and his son Jack arranged the cricket that was played at that time. There was no official cricket club but teams were chosen from clientele who regularly visited the pub and any other players required were invited from the village. Fred Corroyer, the owner of Newdigate brickworks, was probably the most prominent Newdigate participant, he also knew players from a club called the Surrey Sevens from a farm between Betchworth and Buckland so there was never a shortage of players. Additional games were played by visiting teams on Wednesdays and occasionally at weekends. Younger members of the village were always welcomed on practice nights which were held regularly.’

The club’s activities were discontinued during the wars and it was re-formed as an entirely new organisation in 1947 and took as their colours black and white. The President was Captain Conrad. D. Schermuly, D.C.M., the Chairman was Mr. J.C.Downs, the Captain was Mr. R.Rusbridge, and the Hon. Secretary was Mr. C.C. Wilson of ‘Woods Hill’. The club continued playing at Parkgate until at least 1950.

A fixture card from 1950

After the Second World War the village purchased the Brocus Field as a memorial to the fallen of both wars, and when the ground was ready, the cricket club moved to its present home, renaming itself Newdigate Cricket Club.

Friendly matches were played at the weekends and in 1975 the club played against the England Women’s team as part of the 800th anniversary celebrations of Newdigate church.

In the 1980s a midweek evening side was formed and as weekend cricket declined the financial status of the club was maintained thanks to the input from this group
Its Wednesday night barbecues have become a magnet for villagers seeking a friendly and convivial evening.

Following the initiative of Don and Annette Jones a junior section was founded in 1993. This grew rapidly and the following year two new nets were opened by Derek Underwood (Kent CCC and England).

Derek Underwood (Kent CCC & England) opens the nets in 1994

Junior lunches have been a popular event with prizes being presented by such luminaries as Darren Bicknell (Surrey & Notts CCC), Mike Edwards (Surrey CCC), Pat Pocock (Surrey CCC & England), John Hurst (‘Umpire to the Stars’) and Dr John Dew MBE (President of Horsham CC).  Graham Gooch (Essex CCC & England) and Angus Fraser (Middlesex CCC & England) have also assisted with coaching at various times.

Another welcome regular visitor on a number of occasions has been an under 13 team from VRA Amsterdam.

Today the juniors play in the East Surrey Colts League at under 8, 9, 11, 13 and 16 levels  and on a Monday night they are taught by eight ECB qualified coaches.  

In 1995 Newdigate took part in an amazing game at Coldharbour. In their scheduled fifty overs the home side ammassed the mammoth score of 436 runs. By close of play Newdigate had scored over 270, which under normal circumstances would have signified a substantial victory, but in the event they lost this match by 160 runs!! Tim Heald, in his book entitled 'Village Cricket', recalls the melancholy event.

With new players coming through, a second XI was formed to play on Sundays in 1996 but young, emerging players wanted to play more competitive cricket so the club entered the Surrey Downs League in 1999 recording their first and only win that year against Kingswood & Reigate CC on the 21st August. A memorable day!

Up until this time the club was running two Sunday XIs, the Midweek XI and one Saturday XI but in 2001 enough players were coming through to enter a second team in the league. In that year the First XI became runners-up so the club had really ‘come of age’.

Cricket tours have been an enjoyable feature of the season. Traditionally the club had toured Devon but more recently Yorkshire, Somerset and Minorca have been favoured destinations and in 2007 the club entered the World Ice Cricket championships in Estonia!

For several years the club has played on August Bank Holiday at Hambledon but the two biggest events of the club’s history came in 1997 and 1999, when Surrey County Cricket Club brought sides to Newdigate as part of the benefit years of Martin and Darren Bicknell. The ground looked immaculate and visitors in marquees around the ground watched international players such as Alec Stewart, the Bicknell brothers, Alex Tudor, Joey Benjamin, Rikki Clarke etc. perform on the Brocus.

In 2005 the other clubs within the Surrey Downs League awarded Newdigate with the Lords Sportsmanship Trophy.

2006 was also a significant year when the club was featured on Cricket AM on Sky television. They also reached the finals of the first 20/20 championship when they lost in the semi final at Uxbridge Cricket Club. There was a kind of symmetry about the occasion because in the Uxbridge club house there was a memorial to those who died during World War One and one of the names on the board was Wilfred Bird. He had been a teacher nearby and must have played for the club.

2007 was a busy year. The nets were refurbished and Derek Underwood came back to Newdigate to formally open them and present the junior prizes. In July the club was named by Wisden Cricketer Magazine as the Gray-Nicholls Club of the Month. Not only was the club featured in the magazine but it was also awarded a bag of junior equipment. 2007 saw another landmark for the club when it achieved the Active Surrey Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards and the ECB Clubmark Accreditation. By following basic guidelines, laid down by the ECB, the club strives to create a safe environment in the village for social and competitive cricket, played in a fun and enjoyable way, for all people regardless of age, religion, disability or colour.

In 2008 four milestones were passed. On the 28th June two junior matches were played simultaneously on the Brocus. The under 13s played a Surrey area cup semi final against Wimbledon and the under 9s played on the Flicx wicket on the specially prepared football pitch against Oxted and Limpsfield. On the 5th July the club fielded a third eleven on a Saturday for the first time in its history when they played and beat Oakwood Hill in an away match, and on the 20th July a Sunday 3rd XI played and beat Habgood CC. On the 27th August the club entertained a touring team called Garware House Club who had travelled from Mumbai in India.

Newdigate 1st XI at City of London Freeman's School - 24th July 2004
R.Sheldrick (umpire), J.Callcut, W.Turner, J. Van de Meuwe, C.Major, M.Rance, D.Callcut, M.Ross
R.Callcut, R.Haigh (capt), B.Crook, A.Cooper