History

Kidmore End Cricket Club has been playing cricket in the parish of Kidmore End almost continuously since 1863. This makes the club one of the oldest in the area, older in fact than Somerset CCC with whom a relationship has existed since their inception.
The club then known only as "Kidmore", which is still its more commonly used title, was first captained by Henry Hamilton Palairet, whose sons, Lionel and Richard both played for Somerset CCC. This relationship was further sealed when on the occasion of the club's centenary , Somerset CAC sent the full county side to play Kidmore at Gallowstree Common, still home to the club today. This was unprecedented at the time and received coverage from the press and the BBC.
Since that day nearly 40 years ago, many great names from the world of cricket have played at Kidmore, in the benefit matches which have taken place, including Viv Richards, Martin Crowe, Mushtaq Ahmed and Andy Caddick, to name but a few. The club has to date hosted some 16 Somerset benefit matches and will continue to do so in the future.
Kidmore's first match resulted in a 10 wicket win over local rivals Emmer Green. By 1885, there were 57 members even though the village population numbered only 500. The club moved grounds in this year, only to move back again 3 years later. League cricket first began in 1901 and Saturday cricket was born. Away matches were reached by way of horse drawn van, the cost of which amounted to fully 3 pounds in 1907. The first world war suspended play for 5 years. Soon after the resumption, interest was such that a second XI was formed and it was not long after that, in 1923 that the first century was recorded by Mr. Harry Cook, 106 v Harpsden. by the end of 1939, the club had enjoyed 20 years of uninterrupted play but it was to be almost 10 years before willow would strike leather again.
After the war, cricket was quickly back into its stride. In 1946 the club made the move to its current home at The Hamlet, Gallowstree Common. A pavilion was completed in 1955 to mark the Coronation celebrations. Both the cricket and football clubs contributed to the project and in 1957, the pavilion was handed over to the Parish Council to administer. The sports clubs enjoy a right in perpetuity to its use. Indeed, the cricket and football clubs co-exist quite happily to this day. Since the club's centenary , various developments and improvements to both club and ground have been made. Significantly, a Colts section was set up in 1977 with the first match taking place away to Kennylands School, now closed, in Sonning Common. A colts league began soon after and league cricket was extended for senior players through the advent of a 3rd XI and more recently a 4th XI. To accommodate these extra teams an additional ground needed to be found. The first permanent home for the 3rd XI was in the grounds of the old Borocourt Hospital near Peppard. This development was ably managed by the then captain Mr. John Hullock.
Kidmore's star from a playing perspective was in the ascendancy. Having won the Berkshire League 1st XI and with a 2nd XI sweeping all before them in the early 1980's the club decided to switch its entry from the Village knock-out competition to the National Club competition. This was a pre-cursor to significantly improving Sunday fixtures to the point where the club was competitive with much larger clubs throughout the Thames Valley. Kidmore gained entry to the much vaunted Thames Valley Cricket League in the mid 90's, whereupon, the Division 2 title was secured at the first attempt. Life in the top flight looked ominous but 3rd place was secured the following year. Kidmore End CC had arrived as a major force in local cricket. By this time the club was running 4Xls on Saturdays, 3Xls on Sundays and Colts cricket at the u-13, u-15 and u-17 age groups. Coupled with regular visits from Somerset CCC and hosting Berkshire CCC, the club was flying high.
With the reorganisation of local cricket leagues the club today finds itself in a division more in keeping with its rural club status. Although the club continues to field 3 Saturday sides, Sunday cricket has become less popular generally, resulting in dropping the Sunday 3rdXI.
The emphasis is currently on youth development and promoting the benefits of cricket to the local community. This is entirely in keeping with the aims and ideals of the club as can be seen from this extract taken from the minutes of the club's first AGM back in 1863-

"The Committee trusts that a club started under such favourable auspices, may continue to progress in the practice of that truly noble and truly English game, which is beyond all others calculated to promote the well-being of a neighbourhood by bringing together all classes of parishioners on terms of unity and friendship."