|
|
 |
|
Isham Cricket Club can trace its origins back to the last century, although the precise date of its
foundation is unclear.
The diary of the village school states that a 'Cricket Supper' was held there in October 1877, and in
1882 - the year of England's famous defeat in the 'Ashes' Test at The Oval - a detailed account of
Isham Cricket Club's annual meeting and dinner appears in the 'Kettering Observer' of November 17.
Between 60 and 70 members and friends attended, and were entertained by the village brass band.
The secretary, Charles Wilson, reported that the five matches played that season had produced two
victories, two defeats and a draw. The Reverend R.J. Clarke, in the chair, proposed the main toast
of the evening - "Success to Isham Cricket Club" - and the president, James Marriott, responded.
The club was still active around the turn of the century, and a scorecard survives from Isham's local
derby against Orlingbury on May 25, 1901. Orlingbury's 77 all out proved a winning score as Isham
succumbed for 51 in reply, and their batting tribulations continued later that summer when they
were dismissed for just 15 at Cranford! There is more evidence - some of it photographic - of cricket
being played in the village either side of World War One, but the club in its present form came into
being in 1950. |
|
Within two years Isham CC had a proper home in Orlingbury Road, a pavilion was added in 1955,
and the club tasted competitive cricket in the Mid Northants Village League which it won in 1966
with 13 victories from 18 matches, including a 'double' over Orlingbury on successive weekends in
August. Orlingbury lost their ground in 1968 and amalgamated with Isham, who moved to their
present home and entered the Northamptonshire County League in 1980. |
Successive promotions took the club into the Premier Division in 1991, and a couple of summers later - boosted by
the presence of New Zealand's current skipper, Stephen Fleming - Isham finished as runners-up to the County Colts. On a never-to-be-forgotten Sunday afternoon in 1997, Isham beat friendly rivals Horton House at the County Ground
to win the Northamptonshire Knock-Out Cup for the first time.
Isham's 2nd XI has also played in the County League since 1993, and in 1999 the
club became one of the 17 founder
members of the new Northamptonshire Sunday
Challenge. Isham's Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 sides compete in the Higham and District Youth League, while Isham Zingari help keep Saturday friendly cricket alive in Northamptonshire. |
Isham will Never Forget the Brilliance of Stephen Fleming |
After many years of friendly cricket on a Sunday, Isham finally took up the challange of entering the
Rutland League in 2005.
|
|
