The villages of Ingatestone and Fryerning were both mentioned in the Domesday Book. And while cricket may not have been played in these parts for quite that long, the history of the sport in both is a long and eventful one.
While 2008 marked the 150th anniversary of Ingatestone and Fryerning Cricket Club, the first recorded matches played by the former, then flying solo of its top-of-the-hill neighbour – pre-dates 1858 by some 76 years.
The annals of history show that Ingatestone was taking wickets, hitting sixes and winning cricket matches as early as 1772.
1772 – First recorded cricket played by Ingatestone, who played three matches against Stock and also took the field against teams representing Brentwood, Navestock, Mountnessing and Herongate.
1786 – Ingatestone had become one of the finest teams in Essex, becoming Maldon Cricket Club’s first-ever opponents on 28 August.
1789 – Having developed a reputation for using mercenary ‘guest’ players from elsewhere at a time when gambling on village matches was widespread, Ingatestone hosted Maldon in a match whereby the opposition decreed their hosts could name a team consisting only “eleven who have been resident six months in Ingatestone”.
1824 – First record of Fryerning’s own village team playing cricket, defeating Maldon at Ingatestone by six runs.
1858 – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club is created following the amalgamation of the two villages’ sides. The new club defeated Writtle by fourt runs at their Fairfield home on 27 July in their first-ever match.
1866 – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club member is named in an All-England XI for a match against a Twenty-Two of Chelmsford team.
1887 – Patrick Green, who opened a hadware shop in the heart of Ingatestone the following year, became a member.
1890s – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club play host to its two most-famous sons. The first was Essex’s first-ever captain Bunny Lucas was part of the England team which lost to Australia prior to the bails being burned and the ‘Ashes’ being born. The second was the man who was widely regarded as the “fastest bowler ever to play the game”, Fryerning-born Essex seamer Charles Kortright.
1910s – Club members included the Ashton brothers Hubert, Claude and Percy, who were also regulars for Essex.
1958 – The Club celebrated its centenary with the opening of a new pavilion on 2 August. The event was also marked with matches against a Hubert Ashton XI and The Times newspaper.
1976 – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club joined the newly-formed Mid-Essex League – a competition the Club continues to field two teams in.
1983 – The First XI win the Division One title to reach the Premier Division for the first time.
1984 – The Second XI reached the highest position in their history, winning promotion to Division Four for the only time.
1990 – The First XI were promoted to the Mid-Essex League Premier Division for a second time.
1996 – Anglo-European School teacher Simon White wrote his name in the history books and earned a mention on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special after smashing an amazing 30 sixes and 22 fours in a record-breaking innings of 313 not out for the Second XI at Herongate.
2007 – The First XI were promoted to the Premier Division for a third time.
2008 – Ingatestone and Fryerning Cricket Club celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special cricket week in which they played matches against MCC, Essex County Cricket Club, a T.Rippon League XI and Upminster CC, who were also commemorating the same landmark, and a celebratory dinner at the home of President Alan Pudney.
2016 – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club compiled a Riverside Indoor League record of 189 runs in just 12 overs, before going on to thrash opponents Great Waltham by a record margin of 161 runs.
2018 – Ingatestone & Fryerning Cricket Club celebrated its 160th Anniversary with two twenty20 fixtures against Upminster CC, who were also celebrating their 160th year, as well as a tour to Norfolk.