CAMDENIANS CRICKET CLUB - A LITTLE HISTORY
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The cricket club was established in 1931 and, with the exception of the years of the Second World War, has played every season since then. Little is known of the pre-war period because the records were lost but the years since 1947 have been fully documented by the club's historian, Jack Crook, who was chairman for 20 years (1965-1984).
In 1947, the club only fielded one Saturday XI and steadily expanded to the extent of regularly turning out seven sides per week by the mid-1980s.
The fifties provided a golden era for the club with such fine batsmen as Cornelius, Crook and Wraight (who still hold the record of 234 for any partnership); bowlers Brown, Hamer and Simpson (one of only two bowlers ever to take all 10 wickets in an innings); and all-rounder Yates, who performed the 'hat-trick' four times in and in one match took 14 wickets (9 for 15 bowling with the right arm and 5 for 42 with the left arm, in the second innings). Dennis Steel was keeper in those days (376 dismissals) and he also 'kept' the club's books for some 27 years. Another cricketer of note was one George Robb who, in between playing football for Finchley, Tottenham (much to the chagrin of many an Old Camdenian who supported that other well-known North London side) and England, found time to scor six hundreds and take some important wickets. George was also ever present when the club toured the counties of Devon, Dorset, Oxford and Sussex during this period.
As the aforementioned were setting standards for others to follow, two players were starting to make a name for themselves - Bert Weedall, who had until 1988 taken more wickets for the club than any other bowler, and Alan Robinson, who was still adding to his club record of 540 dismissals behind the stump. As the 50s came to an end, the fine side of that decade began to break up. The standard of the club's achievements dwindled somewhat and it was to take a while before they picked up again.
A new decade saw the emergence of future long-serving club stalwarts, all rounders Cairns and Cronin, batsmen Crowley and Davies and Bowlers Mulrennen and Warwick. The club continued to go on tour and the counties of Essex and Kent were added to the list.
The 1970s approached and so too did the prospect of the new ground and clubhouse. For many a long year, the Old Camdenians had been striving to accumulate enough funds to build their own premises and in 1972 their dreams was realised and, simultaneously, the club became 'open'. New players joined and then came the development of league cricket throughout the country.
In 1976, the Old Camdenians became founder members of the Middlesex Cricket League and considerable success returned once again. In 11 seasons, the club reached no less than 7 finals of the cup competition, finishing on a winning note on 4 occassions and also winning 5 league titles. Several players represented the League XI in both the UK and on the League's West Indian tours. It was the experience of all these tours both at home and overseas, coupled with the long tested skills and youthful talented players, that prompted the club's committee to make the bold decision to tour the South Pacific (Fiji, Australia and New Zealand) in 1987.