Marle Hill Cricket Club (1931 to 2006) - a Brief History

Marle Hill Cricket Club was formed in 1931 using the name of a previous Club that had started (and folded) the previous year. It was founded by Les Hyett, who remained the mainstay of the club until his death in 1995. In the 64 years he was associated with Marle Hill, Les undertook all of the administrative duties involved in running the club at various times he was secretary, fixture secretary and scorer (many at the same time) and latterly he became Club President and was still planning for the future just weeks before his death. He did say he had occasionally played for the club when it was short, but since he never gave coaching advice it is believed that his playing experience was limited. It is true though, that without his drive and determination that Marle Hill would not be going today, 75 years after its creation, a fact made even more remarkable by the fact the Club has never owned a ground of its own nor had a permanent lease on one.

Marle Hill is the part of Cheltenham rising from St. Paul’s towards the Pittville Pump Room, and includes Pittville Boating Lake and the area that is now an 18 hole pitch and putt. Indeed the Marle Hill Club badge is a depiction of the Pump Room. In its first few years the Club did actually play at Marle Hill, on a wicket that was cut on the Agg Gardiner's Recreation Ground. However, for most of the early years the Club played their home games on the Cheltenham Ladies College sports field off Malvern Road. Then in 1973 they moved to Leckhampton to play their home games at Naunton Park, a recreation ground still by Cheltenham Borough Council. At first the wicket at Naunton Park was considered one of the best in Cheltenham, but as was the case with all of the council owned wickets, it gradually deteriorated until it was decided in 1997 (?) that the club would become completely nomadic, playing only away games, a decision that coincided with the Club’s withdrawal from League cricket.

Probably the major achievement of the Club was winning the Cheltenham Challenge Cup Knockout three times in five seasons between 1952 and 1956. At the time Marle Hill was considered Cheltenham’s premier club and could boast the services of many fine cricketers including Bob Holder who was one of the best wicketkeeper batsmen in the county and who had trials for Gloucestershire. Also playing at this time was Bob Parker who took 155 wickets in a season, believed to be a club record (sadly many of the early score books are missing).

Other players of note at that time were Les Godwin who was skipper for many years and a steady batsmen, Len Mason an accurate medium pace bowler, John Lyte a quick but somewhat erratic opening bowler and Don Evans an attacking batsmen.

In the 1970s the club was represented by amongst others by Adrian Shaw and Brian Green both heavy scoring opening batsmen, Geoff Hook who batted in the middle order and bowled off-breaks, Derek Turner (another dependable run scorer), John Shaw a naturally gifted all rounder who bowled at a lively pace and Chris Watson a highly accurate medium pace who took 100 wickets in a season 7 times for the club during the late seventies and early eighties.

Many of the clubs runs in the 1980s were scored by former Cheltenham and Tewkesbury bat Bill Teakle, a particularly prolific who regularly scored 1,000 runs a season, and Dickie Love, memorable for his crouching stance and the beads of sweat dripping from his prominent nose. The bowling duties were shouldered by George Williamson, and towards the end of the decade Steve Twine (fast left arm), Sam Groom who bowled steady medium pace and a Phillip Patterson whose loopy off-spin took many wickets, before he developed into a fine batsmen who rarely bowled.

Apart from the evening knockout games, the club played only friendly fixtures until 1987, by which time most clubs had started playing league cricket making it increasingly difficulty to obtain Saturday fixtures. Unable to enter some of the more local leagues due to the lack of their facilities, Marle Hill entered the Phillip, Laney and Jolly League, which covered north Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. This brought a resurgence in the Club’s fortunes as they won the league in 1990 and were runners up the following year as well as being runners-up in the Tewkesbury Hospital Cup in 1988 and 1994.

Much of this league success was based on a tight bowling quintet: quickies Twine and Andy Dudfield (the last man to take 100 wickets in a season), medium pacers Paul Byrne and Neil Griffin and off-spinner Mark Witts. Despite the complaints of sides visiting Naunton Park, the home team regularly accumulated 200 plus, with Teakle, Adam Newbould, Pete Steadman, Steve Fowler, Bob Phillips and Tony Rawlings all making significant contributions, with the squad completed by Lowe, Mike Meredith and Simon Smith, who took on keeping duties mid-way through the season (something he does to this day!).

As much of the team moved to pastures new, the Club suffered a dip in fortune though there were still many notable performers: Stuart Brotherton (who scored 165 not out and with Smith set a Club record unbeaten partnership of 300 (?)), brothers Duncan and Tony Warburton, Paul Grainger (who took four in four to win a league game), Andy O’Brien and in particular all-rounder Mike Meredith who was top performer with the ball for the best part of ten years before he left the Club in 2004, as well being a dependable batsman.

However, as the playing surface deteriated the Club faced increasing pressure from the league and in 1997 (?) the decision to withdraw from the league and revert to Sunday friendlies was made.

For fifteen years between 1979 and 1994 (?) Les Hyett and Martin Burford organised a series of successful cricket tours. In 1979 the Club visited Cornwall and played four games, the following year went to North Devon and based itself at Ilfracombe, and then annually they toured the South Devon area based either in Torquay or Paignton. Games were played against, amongst others, Torquay and Exmouth (both regular venues for Minor County cricket), as well as the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, Paignton, Babbacombe (which has one of the most sloping outfields anywhere) and Cannings Wood next to Dartmoor prison.

Before Les Hyett’s death, Simon Smith had already become Secretary and Fixture Secretary (as well as Club Captain) and he has continued to hold post since, and is currently Chairman.

As well as playing friendlies, Marle Hill still play in the Cheltenham Knockout Cup and the Tewkesbury Hospital Cup, and whilst success has been limited, they have collected some big scalps on the way, including Apperley, Woodmancote and Hatherley & Reddings. The Club has also entered a side into the indoor winter 6-a-side competitions since the cricket hall was built at Pittville, ironically at the foot of Marle Hill: they have twice they have reached the final of the cup losing to Cam and Tewkesbury, and were runners-up in the league in 2004. They also won the Shurdington 6-a-side competition in 2003.

Of the current crop of players, Bob Phillips has been at the Club now for 30 years (?) and still plays with the attacking verve for which he is renowned. Smith is starting his 17th season and acts as wicket keeper/opening bat. Bob’s two sons, Andy and Stuart are now both regular players with Andy hitting 50, 100 and 150 in consecutive weeks in 2005. Chandu Patel is a consistent performer at the top of the order and bowls off-breaks, whilst the other mainstay of the batting is the hard hitting Nathan Moore, with Stuart Brotherton playing when not on duty at Woodmancote. In the bowling department Tom Finnikin provides the spearhead of the attack with Jay Evans bowling medium pace, brothers Andy and Stuart Williams make a significant contribution with their right-arm swing bowling and left-arm china men respectively and the ever improving Mike Bluett.

As the Marle Hill heads towards its century, it continues to look to the future, and for this, its 75 year, it has linked up with N.A.T.S. and will for the first time in almost a decade be playing a limited number of home fixtures. The Club continues to promote cricket in the Cheltenham area and beyond, and is looking forward to meeting up with many of its friends over this season of celebration.