Andoversford Cricket Club are looking forward to a special season as they celebrate their 125^th anniversary.

The village club remain an established name within Gloucestershire, something that they are determined to maintain.

There have been many great times over the years but Tony Newcombe, who first played for the club as a 13-year-old more than 60 years ago, said: “The highlight for me is that we are still here as a club.

“So many teams that we used to play have gone by the wayside, getting a team out every week is a success.”

And these days the club are getting out quite a few teams.

They have two teams in the Gloucestershire Cricket League, a midweek team who play in the GCL Cotswold T20 Cup, a Sunday side and three junior teams, including a girls-only under-15 side for the first time.

And they’re enjoying success, too, because the 1^st XI, captained by Jamie Perkins, won Division 9B of the Gloucestershire League last season while the 2^nd XI, who were led by Yohan Dharmathileka, won Division 9C.

On top of that, the midweek side, also skippered by Dharmathileka, won the CDCA T20 Cup, beating Poulton by eight wickets in the final at Stowell Park.

They will be looking to build on that hat-trick of successes this season and winning more silverware would be a fitting way to mark their milestone year, the highlight of which is a game against Gloucestershire’s Over-50s/60s/70s on Sunday 12^th July.

“We want as many people as possible coming to the game – ex-players as well as people from the village,” said Andoversford chairman Joe Conway.

And the club have plenty of other events planned to mark their anniversary.

“We’re holding a quiz night at the club on Friday 22^nd May,” added Conway. “We’re also planning a golf day at Shipton Oliffe and we’re also planning a day trip to Barry which hopefully will include a game of cricket.”

They will all be special occasions, of which there have been many in years gone by, and Newcombe, who was born in Andoversford, was part of quite a few of them.

These days the retired civil servant lives in Cheltenham, but he remains on the cricket club’s committee and, as part of the club’s celebrations, he has written a book about the club.

The one-time Cheltenham Grammar School pupil knows just about everything there is to know about Andoversford Cricket Club and says that having a good team spirit is one of the keys to their longevity.

“A good club needs lots of good people helping behind the scenes,” he said. “That’s so important, as is the fact that we are a big part of the village community.”

Having good cricketers is also important and Newcombe, who played into his 60s, has no doubt about the best player he played alongside.

“David Locke,” he said. “He went on to play for Cheltenham, he could do a bit of everything.

“He could bat, he could bowl. He was a fast bowler and once took 10 wickets in a match. He’s the only player in Andoversford’s history to have done that.

“I also remember he hit hundreds in successive weekends, both against Oakridge. He was a good player.”

The club would love to produce another David Locke in the future and they are certainly giving themselves every chance.

“We run the ECB All Stars programme for five to eight-year-olds,” continued Newcombe. “We want to continue the development of our junior section, that is where the future of the club lies.

“We run a Sunday development side made up of a mix of adults and juniors. They play friendlies and it’s a chance to introduce juniors to senior cricket.

“At the moment there is a bit of a gap between the eight-year-olds up to 13. That’s something we’d like to fill by starting an under-11 side or joining the ECB Dynamos programme, or both.”

Andoversford’s 1^st XI are playing in Division 8C of the Gloucestershire Cricket League this season – they begin their campaign at home to Fairford on Saturday 2^nd May – while their 2^nd XI will again be playing in Division 9C.

“League rules say that two teams from the same club can’t play in Division 8, which meant our 2^nd XI couldn’t be promoted,” explained Newcombe.

“It would be nice if they could both be promoted this season and it would be good if we can the T20 Cup again.”