Two years ago West Indies fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh turned up at the Addington Village Road ground near Croydon to open the Surrey Cricket League First Division club’s new pavilion. The original pavilion was razed to the ground in an arson attack but was rebuilt through an insurance settlement.
Addington, not to be confused with Kent League club Addington Village, claim to be one of the oldest clubs in the country and take the 1743 from their date of formation.
In their early years Addington fielded one of the strongest sides in England during the formative years of organised cricket and they beat the London Cricket Club by an innings at the Honourable Artillery Company ground in Finsbury in their first season. The following year Addington accepted the Slindon Challenge thrown down by a club from Sussex to play any other parish in England. The match was also played at the HAC Ground over two days in September but was ruined by the weather. In July 1749, Five of Addington played Five of All-England in a three match series which the All-England quintet won 2-1 with a two runs victory in the decider. Later in the month in a return match, the same Addington five beat the same All-England five for fifty guineas. But, on 26 July, in a deciding match for a 100 guineas prize, All-England won by two runs.
Addington’s time as one of England’s eminent clubs was shortlived but the ground, where Walsh opened the rebuilt pavilion is still in use, though the opposition is more modest. These days Addington play in the lowest organised league in Surrey where Balham & Tooting, Old Isleworthians & Heston and Old Wimbledonians are among the visitors to Addington Village Road.
A league apart: The Surrey Cricket League is the lowest level of organised cricket in the county, coming a long way down the foodchain below the six-division Ryman Surrey Championship, which is one of the premier leagues across the country accredited by the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the Fullers Brewery Surrey County League, which has two divisions. (Telegraph)
