A Brief History Of
Pinkneys Green Cricket Club.

The first recorded cricket match on Pinkneys Green took place in 1885. For most of the next forty years friendly fixtures were played against other local clubs, fixtures which still survive to this day. These were played only on Saturdays due to the religious strictures of the time. Competitive cricket arrived in the 1920s in the form of the world's first limited overs competition, the Julian Cup. Played in the weekday evenings of May and June the competition provided Pinkney's with their first piece of silverware when the cup was won in 1950.

After World War Two, the fixture list extended to Sundays and the club's facilities improved with running water and electricity being connected by the 1960s.

The 1970s saw the advent of league cricket and, coupled with the inception of the National Village Championship, provided the opportunities which led to the decade becoming the golden age of cricket on Pinkneys Green.

The glory trail began in 1973 with victory in the Area Final of the Village Championship. Two consecutive Area Final appearances followed, the Green winning again in 1975. 1977 brought triple success with the club being crowned champions of the East Berkshire League, Area Village Championship and the Julian Cup. The following season saw the Green fall at the final hurdle in defence of the Area Village Championship and the Julian Cup.

In 1979 Pinkneys joined the newly formed Berkshire League and began the 1980s by winning promotion to the Premier Division, but thereafter the club's fortunes went into decline. Three consecutive relegations ensued and in 1986 the Green finished just one place off the bottom of the league. However off the pitch progress had been made, in 1984 a bar was opened, and in 1986 the pavilion was renovated into its 2000 state.

Towards the end of the 1980s form on the pitch revived with Pinkney's reaching three consecutive Old Pals' Bowl Finals, winning the Bowl in 1988 and retaining it in 1989. By 1992 the Green had returned to the Premier Division of the Berkshire League and in 1993 finished runners up. 1993 also saw a remarkable run to the final of the Julian Cup, which included a four times played semi final. During this period the strength of the club was indicated by the 2nd XI also rising to the Premier Division of their league, and a colts team which reached Berkshire League Finals.

In recent years success has come in the form of the Old Pals' Bowl. Once again three consecutive finals were reached with the Bowl being won in 1996 and retained in 1997. Last season Pinkney's reached the final for a record eighth time but lost narrowly to North Maidenhead. Also in 2001 the 1st XI finished comfortably in mid table of the Berkshire League Premier Division and the Under 17 colts progressed to the play off stage of the Berkshire Colts League.

From 2002 the 1st XI continued to play in the Premier Division until relegation to Division 1 at the end of season 2005. This coincides with the loss of our pavilion during the winter of 2004 and subsequent loss of players. The club continued to play with 2 Saturday XI's and 1 Sunday XI during the period where the pavilion was demolished. The first season using gazebo's as changing facilities and in the last 2 seasons using metal containers. The new pavilion is now purpose built providing some of the finest changing facilities within the area.

In 2007 the club began to rebuild and now in 2011 we have a thriving adult membership together with a growing youth section. Currently we enter two Saturday XIs in the Morrant Chilterns League. We also have two Sunday XIs playing friendly matches throughout the summer. Our seniors also particpate in many local cup competitions. Finally for the 2011 season we have U13 and U15 XIs competing in the Berkshire Youth Cricket League and a mixed midweek 20/20 team entered in the East Berks Twenty/Twenty League.

Pinkneys Green Cricket Club

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