Clacton Cricket Club run 2 Saturday and 2 Sunday senior teams as well as midweek colts teams, whose ages range
from under 11 through to under 16. Our 1st X1 compete in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League, the 2nd team
play in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship whilst on Sundays we have teams in the PDQ Cars North Essex
Cricket League (1st X1) and the Two Counties (3rd X1).
Clacton Cricket Club also run a programme called "Jiminies" which caters for junior school
children, who learn about cricket by playing the highly successful and fun Kwik Cricket.
Clacton Cricket Club are always on the lookout for players of all abilities, and should you be interested in
joining Clacton CC either as a player or as a social member (Vice President) please send an e-mail via this
site.
Cricket has been played at Clacton for over 100 years. The Club was formed in 1882 and played at several grounds
around the area, including Clacton Grammar School, Old Road (where the Waterglade Retail Park is now sited),
Holland Road and the site at Tower Road where the Westcliff Theatre now stands.
The Cricket Club came into its own being in 1903, having until that time been known as The Clacton Cricket and Lawn
Tennis Club, but collapsed due to the lack of local support. It re-appeared in 1918 as Clacton St.Paul's
C.C.playing matches at the Old Road ground of Clacton Town F.C. an arrangement that was to last until 1923 when the
Cricket Club moved to London Road.
In 1929 the Clacton Cricket Club moved to its present home at the Vista Road Recreation Ground. Due to the enormous
amount of work put in by the then groundsman Don Mann, Clacton was awarded festival status by the Essex County
Cricket Club, and the first County match was played at Vista Road in July 1931 between Essex and Lancashire.
There were several notable performances over the years at Vista Road, including England batsman Colin "Ollie"
Milburn, who, having been left out of the test squad hit a double century in a day for Northamptonshire.
Trevor Bailey taking 10 for 90 for Essex against Lancashire in 1949 and perhaps the most remarkable of all featured
Warwickshire wicketkeeper and Captain Alan Smith (later to become a test selector) who became so frustrated at his
bowlers inability to dismiss the Essex tailenders that he took matters (quite literally) into his own hands,
removed his pads and took the ball himself, banishing his bowlers to the outfield.
He promptly took a hat trick!!!!!!!
The County cut its ties with Clacton in 1966, since when the Club has grown in strength to become founder members
of the much vaunted Premier League system and has performed with distinction at this level.
The Club has had several notable players over the years including the legendary Arnold Quick and John Stuck, and in
recent seasons we have included former Essex and Worcestershire opening bat Adam Seymour and former West Indian
test all-rounder Alvin Greenidge within our ranks.
Many of the current first team squad have made Minor Counties appearances for Suffolk, in both Championship matches
against other Minor Counties and also against first class counties in the Cheltenham & Gloucester one day
trophy.
These players include Andy Poole, Gary Kirk, Mark Jones, Chris Swallow and Ian Morton. Also Danny Rock and Chris
Seal have appeared for Suffolk whilst with Clacton, although both have subsequently moved on. In addition to these
players, David Coyle and Jamie Rock have represented Suffolk at U19 level.
2002 has represented the Club's "finest hour". Having had the two matches against Ramsey (who were relegated)
ruined by the weather, the team had an outstanding season, eventually finishing as runners up in the East Anglian
Premier League. If it had not been for the rain, who knows?
2003 saw us fail to capitalise on our 2002 performance. We drew too many games and lost games that we never should
have. We were severely hampered through injuries to Sean McKiernan which prevented him from bowling for most of the
season, although he again excelled with the bat. Gary Kirk's sickening ankle injury kept him out of cricket for
much of the season. These were major factors in our inability to bowl the opposition out. As a result we finished
comfortably in mid table. We will be looking to improve on last seasons results this time around, and with the
signing of 3 seam bowlers, things look a lot brighter on the bowling front.
These bowlers are Ryan Butterworth, a Zimbabwean seam bowler and middle order batsman who replaces Sean McKiernan
as our coach for the 2004 season. Ryan plays for Mashonaland and has a first class century to his name.
Nyasha Chari is a right arm seam bowler from Zimbabwe, and finally Dutch South African Ryan ten Doeschate will play
when available. Ryan has signed a two year contract with Essex, and when not required to play for them, he will be
available for Clacton.
2004 again saw a mid table finish in the EAPL. Things did not go fully according to plan when Ryan ten Doeschate
sustained a stress fracture of his foot which limited him to just 5 appearances, and in two of these he could not
bowl. His major contribution to the side was his magnificent 169 not out against Vauxhall Mallards which sealed a
thrilling win against the defending champions, who went on to retain their title.
2005 saw us finish in fifth place in the EAPL. Ryan ten Doeschate's appearances were limited due to his involvement
with the Dutch National Team and their ultimatly successful quest to reach the 2007 World Cup to be held in the
West Indies. We obtained the services of former Sri Lankan Test player Indika de Saram as our overseas player, and
he proved to be a big success. Whilst not recording a ton in the EAPL, he did register two scores in the 90s and
several other 50s. On Sundays however it was a different matter as "Sammy" put the opposition to the sword with
three centuries and some of the biggest hitting seen at Clacton since the days of Alvin Greenidge. The 2nd X1 were
promoted to Division 4 of the Marshall Hatchick 2 Counties Championship and the Sunday 1st team were promoted to
the newly formed PDQ Premier Division, where we will renew some old rivalries, most notably against Colchester and
East Essex. The Sunday 1st team also won the 2 Counties Knock Out Cup, defeating Mistley in the Final.
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