Grayshott Cricket Club are celebrating their 130th anniversary in 2026.

Cricket in Grayshott was first played in the field where the catholic church now stands. The cricket club were founded in April 1896 and Oliver Chapman, the pioneer of cricket in Grayshott, soon approached Ingham Whitaker about a ground where matches could be played. The outcome of their discussions was a pitch to be laid on ground known as Grayshott Park, opposite Grayshott Hall, and it was on that ground that the club entered the I’Anson Cup Competition at its inception in 1901.

For most of the club’s history Grayshott fielded two men’s teams in the original I’Anson & Miller Cup Competitions. The late 1950s saw the introduction of junior cricket at the club and then in the 1970s Peter Clapham became the main force for leading junior cricket.

Since the late 1990s and throughout the 21st century the club have grown exponentially under the leadership of Graham Sampson and Paul Roberts. In 2026 the club will field four men’s sides, four women’s sides and 18 junior teams, including four girls-only teams. As well as being a Super 1s disability hub, the club are also an ECB All Stars and Dynamos centre.

The club offer cricket to all irrespective of ability, and engages with local state schools to promote cricket for boys and girls who may not normally get the chance to enjoy the game.

Grayshott CC have more than 500 members, including more than 400 playing members and 130 All Stars and Dynamos. During 2025 the club reached another milestone, with 100 girls playing at the club.

Grayshott’s reputation in developing young cricketers has seen many former junior players progress into adult cricket at the club. Club stalwart Andy Wheble has now scored more than 15,000 runs in I’Anson Division One cricket for the club and off the field has organised several cricket tours. Ollie Pope started as an under-nine at Grayshott before making one of several moves on his way to achieving the ultimate accolade of playing for and captaining England.

The club introduced women’s softball cricket in 2020, which has continued to grow in popularity. With the growth in girls’ cricket, 2025 saw the club relaunch a women’s hardball team aimed at providing a pathway for older girls. This year will see the club run a second team to allow women to progress from softball to hardball cricket.

In 2026 the club will also launch walking cricket aimed at men and women aged 55 years and over who are keen to maintain their physical and mental health in a social environment.

The new season will see the men’s first team return to Division One of the I’Anson Cup Competition after only a one-year absence in the whole 125 years of the competition.

With the growth in membership, the club transformed their outdoor net facilities at Grayshott several years ago and made the move in 2016 to take on the responsibility for a second ground. The club acquired the lease for the idyllic ground at Broxhead Common at nearby Lindford, and have developed the site over the past ten years, including adding another junior pitch.

Anyone who would like more information on Grayshott CC should visit the club’s website at: www.grayshottcc.co.uk for further details.