Bowerchalke CC Versus Coombe Bissett CC 1938

INTRODUCTION
Many thanks for this information go to Don Hewlett who has researched the history of Coombe Bissett CC which folded in 1974 (interestingly, the year after Bowerchalke CC) and was re-formed in 1980.

Don has been very supportive and provided lots of encouragement and insights for us with our research project into the old Bowerchalke CC.

We'd like to take this opportunity to publically thank him.

COOMBE BISSETT CC
Don managed to track the old Coombe Bissett CC (including names of all the players) back to 1888 when they played Nunton at Homington Down: the players were made up by two groups The Toffs and The Farmworkers. In addition to cricket being played at Homington Down there was also a 8 hole golf course. Unfortunately, the old Coombe Bissett CC at Homington Down folded when the The Toffs formed South Wilts Golf Club...and took the pavillion with them!

Don informs us that in the 1920s and 1930s Coombe Bissett CC played at Tottens on the Homington Road leading out of Coombe Bissett. It seems there was a break between 1934 and 1938 when the club reformed and moved to a ground on the Blandford Road, playing on a concrete strip before moving across the road to the Giant's Collar Ground. Cricket started again after WWII in 1946 and Coombe Bissett CC played at this ground until 1973 and then played for one season at the Shutts Lane Recreation Ground before the club folded in 1974.

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!
One really encouraging piece of information shared by Don was that despite everyone telling him that there were no old scorebooks or books with meeting minutes still in existence they did eventually materialise! We are ever hopeful that will be the same for Bowerchalke CC. Of course as soon as we found out he had old scorebooks we had to ask him the question...did Coombe Bissett CC and Bowerchalke CC ever play against each other? After a bit of searching Don discovered three matches in 1938 and the details are set-out below.

There are some familiar names to us listed in these scorecards, in particular Harold and Arthur Gulliver for Bowerchalke and Reg and Don Thorne for Coombe Bissett. If you take a look at the Bishopstone CC website (weblink on the Right Hand Side of this webpage) and search through that Club's picture gallery you will see some old pictures of Reg and Don.

MATCH ONE
This match played at Bowerchalke on May 24th 1938.

Innings Of Coombe Bissett CC
D.Thorne b. H.Gulliver 2
J.Bradley LBW b. A.Gulliver 1
D.Dyer b. A.Gulliver 0
E.Thorne b. G.Tate 11
R.Thorne NOT OUT 23
B.Bacon b. A.Coombs 15
D.Cox b. G.Tate 8
W.Tutt b. G.Tate 8
N.Loader NOT OUT 10
R.Stephens DNB
K.Morris DNB
Extras 9
Coombe Bissett CC total 87 for 8 declared

Unfortunately, details of the Bowerchalke CC innings have completely faded from the scorebook...but that might not be a bad thing because the book does show that the Bowerchalke CC total was 18 all out!

Result Of 1938 Match One: Coombe Bissett beat Bowerchalke CC by 69 runs.

MATCH TWO
This match was played at Bowerchalke on June 21st 1938.

Innings Of Bowerchalke CC
J.Cook ct. D.Cox b. D.Dyer 0
J.Coombs b. R.Thorne 0
L.Penny b. D.Dyer 2
P.Stevens b. D.Dyer 0
H.Gulliver b. D.Dyer 20
A.Coombs ct. D.Cox b. R.Thorne 2
Ed. Wiltshire b. R.Thorne 0
K.Lawes b. D.Dyer 11
N.Case b. R.Thorne 0
H.Sheppard NOT OUT 4
B.Silverthorne b. R.Thorne 0
Extras 7
Bowerchalke CC total 44 all out

Coombe Bissett Bowling
D. Dyer 7.2-0-13-5
R.Thorne 7-2-26-5

Innings Of Coombe Bissett CC
D.Thorne b. H.Gulliver 9
R.Powell ct. Coombs b. P. Stevens 2
W.Tutt b P.Stevens 7
D.Dyer ct. Coombs b. P.Stevens 0
P.Castle b. H.Gulliver 2
R.Thorne LBW b. P.Stevens 5
B.Bacon b. H.Gulliver 0
R.Stephens b. H.Gulliver 0
W.Lawes b. H.Gulliver 0
D.Cox b. P.Stevens 0
M.Owlgly NOT OUT 4
Extras 4
Coombe Bissett CC total 33 all out

Bowerchalke CC Bowling
P.Stevens 7-1-16-5
H.Gulliver 6.1-2-13-5

Result Of 1938 Match Two: Bowerchalke CC beat Coombe Bissett CC by 11 runs.

MATCH THREE
This match was played at Coombe Bissett on July 20th 1938.

Innings Of Coombe Bissett CC
Coombe Bissett
D.Thorne ct & b b. L.Penney 8
R.Powell LBW b. L.Penney 2
P.Castle b. L.Penney 0
D.Dyer b. E.Gulliver 17
D.Cox b. A.Coombs 5
R.Thorne b. A.Coombs 0
B.Bacon b. G.Tate 9
M.Pidgley b. W.Case 0
R.Sims b. G.Tate 0
W.Lawes NOT OUT 1
R.Stephens ct. H.Gulliver b. A.Coombs 4
Extras 10
Coombe Bissett CC total 57 all out

Bowerchalke CC Bowling
A.Coombs 6-2-19-3
L.Penney 6-0-15-3
E.Gulliver 3-1-5-1
G.Tate 3-2-3-2
W.Case 2-2-0-1
B.Silverthorne 1-0-4-0

Innings Of Bowerchalke CC
K.Lawes ct. R.Sims b. P.Castle 0
L.Penney b. D.Dyer 0
J.Coombs ct. D.Thorne b. P.Castle 3
G.Tate ct. D.Thorne b. D.Dyer 10
A.Coombs ct. D.Thorne b. P.Castle 0
A.Gulliver b. P.Castle 16
P.Stevens ct. D.Dyer b. P.Castle 4
W.Case ct. R.Stephens b. P.Castle 2
B.Silverthorne b. D.Dyer 0
L.Spencer NOT OUT 0
H.Gulliver LBW b. D.Dyer 0
Extras 1
Bowerchalke CC total 36 all out

Coombe Bissett Bowling
D.Dyer 8-2-12-4
P.Castle 8-1-23-6

Result Of 1938 Match Three: Coombe Bissett CC beat Bowerchalke CC by 21 runs.