The youth section at Hatherley and Reddings Cricket Club has aged rather well because this year they are celebrating their 50^th anniversary.

And it’s certainly a huge success story because these days they have some 250 players – boys and girls – across all the age groups.

It’s a far cry from the early days when they first set up, a time when Mike Denness was captain of England and Geoff Boycott was just starting his self-imposed three-year exile from international cricket.

“My father William Dicks, who was known to most people as Digger, and Arthur Bailey were asked to start a youth section by Denis Wellon, who was chairman of the club at the time,” said Ian Dicks, who these days is on the club’s cricket committee.

“I was 12 at the time and I think we started that year with just one team. It was an under-13 side and we played eight-a-side pairs cricket.

“My dad played for Hatherley for years and he was one of a group of players who had children around my age, as did Arthur.

“The following year we ran an under-15 side as well.

“Back in those days, we had just the one kit bag between us and we used to share bats, pads and gloves. It’s very different today!

“I remember one of our first training sessions, Arthur invited Gloucestershire cricketer Ron Nicholls along to give us a bit of coaching.  He was Cheltenham-born but we didn’t have enough bats for everyone so we used stumps to practise our forward defence!”

Dicks, who played his first game of adult cricket for Hatherley at the age of 13, reckons there were about 10 or 12 players in the youth section right at the very start.

“It’s grown into a monster,” he said with a laugh. “It’s great to see so many boys and girls enjoying playing cricket. On a Friday night in the middle of summer there is cricket being played all over North Park and North Park is a very big area.”

Dicks says the 2005 Ashes, which were shown on Channel 4, produced a big spike in the number of young people wanting to play cricket and he reckons The Hundred, which can also be seen on terrestrial TV, has also played a big part in inflating numbers.

“That’s why The Hundred is so important,” he said.

And a healthy youth section is always good for any club in any sport, of course.

“It’s the lifeblood of the club,” said Dicks, who in the past has served as chairman of the youth section. “And it’s not just about the best players, it’s about encouraging all levels of player.

“Some players who don’t become 1^st XI players can still have a big role to play at the club.

“Obviously we want to produce as many 1^st XI players as possible, they are the future, but it’s how you develop them, it’s not just about how many trophies you win.”

And Hatherley certainly seem be doing a lot right because three of their adult flagship team that defeated Cheltenham in the recent West of England Premier League  Premier 2 Glos/Wilts game – Noah Bennett, James Burton and Joseph Tutty – are all still young enough to play age group cricket.

So who are the best players who have come through the club’s youth system?

“Probably the two most well-known are the Gidman brothers,” said Dicks. “Alex joined at the under-15 age group and went onto captain Gloucestershire and is currently coach with the England Women’s set-up.

“His brother Will started at under-13 level and like Alex played for Gloucestershire and other counties.”

And there are others who have done very well, too.

“Tom Hage who is our current 1^st XI captain, played for Herefordshire, he bats and bowls, he’s a good player,” continued Dicks.

“Three or four of Tom’s age group came through into the first team, that’s a big success for the club.

“Callum Stewart is another, he was a quick bowler. He also played for Herefordshire and played for Somerset 2nds. His dad Rich is an ex-chairman and treasurer of the club and is now groundsman at South Park, he’s been at the club longer than me.

“Jack Clement, the Gloucester rugby player, was another very good cricketer. He plays for Kings Stanley now but he was with us at a very young age.

“He was head and shoulders above everyone else of his age group, he could bowl properly at eight or nine and went on to play for our 1^st XI.

“I must also mention Alice Hill who led the way for the girls and ladies. She was the lone girl through our youth.

“She played for Gloucestershire at all age groups and is now captain of Gloucestershire Ladies. 

“Alice still loves playing for Hatherley and is also coaching the next crop of girls coming through.”

The 62-year-old Dicks still plays the occasional game himself and is hoping to play at least once next season.

“That will make it 50 years of playing adult cricket for Hatherley,” he said with obvious pride.

He also plans to be at the youth section’s end-of-season presentation evening which takes place on Friday at North Park, starting at 5.45pm.

Fifty not out… it should be a very special occasion.