Founded:
1837 |
Club
Colours: Gold and Dark Blue |
President:
J R Jeffreys |
Chairman:
R L Dodds.
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Alnwick is said to be the second-oldest
provincial club in England with a proven continuous
history. The club was founded in response to a challenge
from servants in the south of England who were in
the service of the Duke of Northumberland and had
moved for the Summer to the estate in Northumberland
at Alnwick. They became scornful of the efforts
of the local enthusiasts. The first match took place
in front of the Castle in the pastures. Later the
Duke granted land to enable a ground to be created.
Alnwick played on the same ground to the north of
the town, until moving to the present site at Weavers
Way, at the south side of the town, in 1983.
The club was a founder member of the
Alnwick & District League where it operated
until election into the Northumberland Senior League
in 1947. The club along with other members of the
Senior League formed the Northumberland County League
in 1978 and this was in operation until 1999. The
advent of the twenty-first century saw Alnwick,
along with eight other members of the County League,
join the Fosters Northumberland & Tyneside League.
During the two world wars, Alnwick
continued to provide cricket, albeit on a smaller
scale, to members who were not on active duty. And
during the second conflict played many matches in
aid of the Red Cross and other worthy charities.
One such featured the legendary Australian Cricketers,
Cecil Pepper and Lindsay Hassett, who would tour
in 1948 with the all-conquering Bradman Australians.
Many Alnwick players have been regularly
selected for Northumberland including four that
have had the honour of captaining the side, R G
Clough, J M Crawhall, A S Thompson and current captain P.J.Nicholson.
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