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Hampshire Cricket To Provide An XI For Historic 250th Anniversary Celebrations
Hampshire Cricket To Provide An XI For Historic 250th Anniversary Celebrations
Celebratory matches to be hosted at Broadhalfpenny Down in June to mark 250th anniversary of first ever First Class match – members of the public can apply to play
Hampshire Cricket are pleased to announce the Club will be providing a playing XI for matches celebrating the 250th anniversary of First-Class cricket at Broadhalfpenny Down.
The matches will be played on Friday 24th June (men) and Saturday 25th June (women) at Broadhalfpenny Down, home of the Hambledon Club, and the location of the inaugural First-Class cricket match in June 1772 between Hampshire and an All-England team.
Hampshire’s XI – with players set to be announced over the coming weeks – will play against an All-England XI in a match which will mirror the first ever played, and members of the public can apply to feature in the All-England XI thanks to an initiative from The Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust (BDPT) by following the link below and filling out their form.
David Mann, CEO of The Ageas Bowl, said: “We are delighted that Hampshire are able to support this great initiative, for what will no doubt be a great event that celebrates the birth of our beloved game.”
Mike Beardall, the BDPT Chairman said: “2022 marks the 250th anniversary of the first First-Class cricket match. We are recruiting worthy players from across the country to take part in two of our celebration matches in a season of commemoration.
“This will celebrate all that is good about cricket. We are looking for players of all standards, of all ages, from all backgrounds; we want to form inclusive teams who will be proud to be part of a historical occasion at The Cradle of Cricket.”
In the 18th Century, the Hambledon Club was the acknowledged authority on the Laws of Cricket, and responsible for the development of new techniques and the laws of cricket. These varied from the addition of a third stump to the size of the bat.
Hampshire Cricket are working closely with The Broadhalfpenny Down Preservation Trust (BDPT) to celebrate the special anniversary and a number of additional celebratory events will be announced in the coming months.
