Comments on: Kent County Cricket Club gate, Beckenham

By: matt

matt — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:55:25 +0000

Dear sir or Madam,
I have recently found a small, maybe ornamental cricket bat, which is made of pine, its about 25 inches long, it has written on it SJA TOP SCORER 1985 and is signed by fifteen different people.

I found this bat around the Kent area and am seeking information on it before its sale.
Would you be so kind as to provide anything you do know about Kent cricket clubs or SJA?

Kind Thoughts

Matt

By: AKR

AKR — Wed, 22 Jun 2005 03:07:29 +0000

I love your cricket-photo-trawling around, Will. There’s some good stuff you dig up, and this is one of them. Coming after a few drinks I had last night with an Englishman who makes it a point to watch a county macth when he returns to England(“because the feeling of a county match is something else”), this was even nicer.
I must make it to a ground in England once, and watch a ‘quaint’ cricket match…
and, interesting to read nick’s stuff as well..

By: AKR

AKR — Wed, 22 Jun 2005 03:07:05 +0000

I love you cricket-hoto-trawling around, will. There’s some good stuff you dig up, and this is one of them. Coming after a few drinks I had last night with an Englishman who makes it a point to watch a county macth (“because the feeling of a county match is something else”), this was even nicer.
I must make it to a ground in England once, and watch a ‘quaint’ cricket match…
and, interesting to read nick’s stuff as well..

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 22 Jun 2005 00:56:11 +0000

Well well well… funnily enough, that’s exactly where I play my football: Kent CCC, Worsley Bridge Road, Beckenham, Kent. There are four football pitches dotted around the grounds – three well within a Pietersen/Flintoff smash of the wicket, and one on the other side of a hut (also probably within range). We’re often told off for scampering on to the cricket pitch itself while playing; the groundsman is understandably keen.

As for the gate, I’ve never really noticed it before, it’s usually open when I arrive. The bar is covered in cricketing memorabilia: Derek Underwood is probably the most famous son of the area. There are plenty of photos and signed bats. But I know it as a football ground – the facilities are, for a Saturday league football club at least, excellent. Nice changing rooms, very hot showers. The lovely Fleur runs the bar/food – her daughter is, well, lovely.

Incidentally, Crystal Palace FC’s training ground is next door; in fact on all sides of the ground is either a football, rugby or cricket pitch.

Never actually seen a cricket game there though.