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Brockley Cricket Club club is always keen to attract new members. We have three weekend teams, catering to all abilities. In addition, umpires, scorers, and social members are all welcome. If you are interested in joining Brockley Cricket Club, then please contact us

Despite a population little in excess of 250, Brockley Cricket Club fields three weekend teams. Our first and second teams play in divisions two and eight of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship. Our Sunday team plays in the Hunts County Bats Suffolk League. The club also has a midweek side playing in the Adams Harrison Midweek Cricket League and a healthy junior set up, with teams at various age groups. Please use the links to the right of this page to contact team captains. For enquiries into youth teams, please contact Peter.McGowan@mundipharma.co.uk

Our youth set up is led by Stuart Fisher. Stuart is a first team opening batsmen, and the clubs most consistent run scorer. Over the past decade, Stuart and our other qualified coaches have passed on their knowledge to good effect, with several youngsters graduating to the first team. Youth coaching sessions are held on Friday nights during the season and we field junior teams at various age levels. For more information, please contact Peter McGowan at Peter.McGowan@mundipharma.co.uk

For many members village cricket would not be village cricket without a beer or two. IPA is the brew of choice around these parts and we have a fully licensed bar to quench your thirst. The club arranges various social matches throughout the season, the most notable of which being the village vs. club fixture and the Presidents Day match. We also entertain the Tamborine team most years - a select eleven of musicians and friends. Our main fund raising event of the year is our fun day, which includes our famous egg throwing competition. Our anual dinner and awards ceremony takes place in Jan/Feb.

Brockley Cricket Club started in the 1920's with the advent of the charabanc and Saturday afternoons off for farm workers. The Rev Nettleship's nephew was the prime mover in forming the club. The pitch was along the Hartest road next to Clockhouse farm. In those days all the surrounding villages had teams and great was the rivalry between Brockley, Rede, Hawkedon, Hartest and Whepstead. Brockley was famous for the large number of Boreham's the side contained. On one occasion there were 10. However the star of the side was Ernie Pawsey, the village postman and black smith. The opposition used to get him so riled that he bowled faster and faster and wilder and wilder until the ball was bouncing over the wicket keeper's head. He was a sort of early version of James McKinney. With the onset of the war the club was disbandoned.

It restarted in 1953 with Alf Bishop as captain. The ground was an old meadow behind Mr Coe's farmstead. Alf was a fearsome but indiscriminate hitter. His tenure at the crease was short but exciting. I think Alf could only have been in charge for one year before he was succeeded by Cyril Chalice whose captaincy lasted 15 years. During that time we played friendlies. It was also a period of transition as the old guard was replaced by a crop of very young, very keen, talented cricketers. A very youthful Kenny Boreham helped Brockley to their first cup final victory in the Wickhambrook Cup Competition in the early 1960's by getting seven wickets. Great was the rejoicing that night! In those days scores were low, teas were frugal, we changed in a converted chicken hut and Cyril kept the ball shiny from one game to the next by applying liberal quantities of shoe polish. I can remember Harry Rose scoring the first ever century for the club during this era. In 1963 Mr Coe sold the turf on our ground and we had to move. In 1964 Mr Francis leased us our present ground. We had to put it down to grass and made mistakes preparing the square that are still being felt today!

In 1969 Brockley entered the Suffolk League. There were only two Leagues at the time: the Premier and Division 1 with no promotion and relegation between the two. Ken Boreham took over the captaincy at the start of this more competitive era when match fees were 15p. We actually played some very strong sides during this period: Worlington, Lakenheath, Tuddenham, and Bury Railway Club all of which eventually got invited into the Premier League. In 1972 we were relegated for the first time in our history. We needed to win the last match of the season but Great Cornard called off. There was weeping and gnashing of teeth! However next year we won all our matches and were back where we belonged. KB's time at the helm was noteworthy for a series of wonderful cup triumphs in the Drakard and Rowntree Competitions. We can all remember Mike Beloe's triumphant on drive for six into the setting sun to win us the Rowntree Cup against the old enemy Nowton.

In 1979 Dennis Fisher began his 15 eventful years as captain. This was a period of consistent success in the Suffolk League Division One. We were top of the league on four occasions and were the best village side in West Suffolk outside the Premier Division. In 1986 our playing strength led to the creation of a second team to play on Sundays. During these years Tony Spurling began at long last to improve the wicket with the help in 1988 of our most important purchase ever: a heavy motorised roller from Philip, which remained in use for more than twenty years. Facilities improved when three portacabins were purchased for a clubhouse and we were licensed to run a bar. Paul Martin has run the bar for the last 17 years - testimony to his great thirst! In 1987 Len Pawsey who had played for Brockley since its reconstitution in 1953 retired. How we missed him for his competitiveness, humour and character.

Dean Sykes took over the captaincy in 1994 and remained at the helm for 9 years. A re-organisation of league cricket in Suffolk meant that promotion and relegation between leagues was now possible. In three years, Brockley progressed from the first division of the Suffolk Mick McNeil league through the Suffolk Intermediate and Premier leagues into division 3 of the Two Counties league. Rapid promotion stimulated another huge improvement in facilities: new changing rooms, a shower block, sightscreens and finally excellent covers that made us the envy of other clubs. This period also saw a new flush of young cricketers and the gradual demise of the stalwarts from KB's time.

James McKinney took over the captaincy in 2003, and in his third and final year as captain, led Brockley into Division two of the Two Counties League - the highest league position the club has achieved to date. James left the club that very year. Stuart Fisher took over the reigns and following relegation, led the team back into Division two, before relinquishing the captaincy after 3 years at the helm. Ben Jeffrey captained the team between 2009 and 2010 and managed to consolidate our position in Division Two. In 2010 we made our debut on Sky Sports. This was also the year in which Joe Reed left the club. Joe was a prolific run scorer and wicket taker for the club, finishing the 2010 season with 807 runs and 36 wickets for the firsts. The challenge, as we go into 2011 under the captaincy of Simon Byford, will be to replace those lost runs and wickets. This could be the chance to shine for some of our younger players, who have benefited from our youth coaching programme.

If you can fill in the gaps or add to the history of the club please contact us

Club House
Home and Away Changing Rooms
Hot Showers
Licensed Bar
Sight Screens
Artificial Wicket
Roll on Covers
Two New Fixed Practice Nets
Roll on Practice Net
Catching Cradle
Brand New Roller

Brockley Cricket Club is located between Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury in West Suffolk. The village of Brockley is referred to as Brockley Green on some maps. Please don't make the mistake of going to the Brockley near West Stow. Our ground is located on the left hand side of the B1066, just north of the village. The entrance is unmarked and concealed, so we advice you to drive slowly and keep a keen look out.

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