Beaulieu Cricket Club has won the Hampshire Cricket League’s Ground of the Year award in their 176th year
Beaulieu Cricket Club is preparing for the start of the new season after winning the Hampshire Cricket League’s Ground of the Year award in their 176th year.
The club, located east of the Beaulieu Abbey grounds, won the award after years of hard work from Roger Porter and his five volunteer groundsmen, affectionately known at the club as ‘groundies’.
Head groundsman Porter said: “Over the last couple of seasons, Stan Wooldridge, a part of the groundskeeping team, and myself have attended most of the Hampshire Cricket Board and Grounds Management Association groundkeeping workshops at various venues across the county. We have found these very useful and picked many very helpful hints and tips”.
“We have implemented many of these wherever possible, and according to the opposition captains, they have had a very positive effect.”
Beaulieu won the award thanks to votes from opposition captains, who submit a score, rating the ground out of a maximum of 10 points for three categories – wicket, outfield, and facilities – after each league fixture.
Porter added: “When I received the email from the HCL telling me the good news, I was in total disbelief. I couldn’t believe that a small village club playing at the bottom of the pyramid could ever win an accolade like this.
“It is all thanks to the wonderful team we have who give many hours of hard work each week doing something we all love.”
The Beaulieu ‘groundies’ team is made up of Ian Bowman, Peter Bonner, Bob Skutt, Wooldridge and head groundsman Porter.
Bowman, Beaulieu Cricket Club chairman for over 20 years, said: “Over a number of years, the ground has been improved tremendously, particularly the square, primarily by our ability to buy new machinery, including the recent purchase of a new roller.
“It really was an accumulated effort over many years, so when we received the news that we had won, there was some amazement, but we are very proud.
“We were fortunate to get a large grant from Sport England to extend the pavilion, the kitchen, and the machinery store in 2014. It made the club far more spacious and civilised. Many have said we have one of the best pavilions in the area.”
Porter and Bowman were invited to the Hampshire Cricket League (HCL) presentation evening to receive the award from League President and ex-England player Tim Tremlett, a medium-pace bowler and lower middle-order batsman who was a mainstay of the Hampshire side for most of the 1980s.
Bonner, club treasurer, said: “People love to come and play at our ground because it is so scenic. They also like the lovely teas that we provide”.
Beaulieu Cricket Club’s first recorded match dates back to 1754, while they first played on the current ground in the year 1849.
