West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club
West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club (WC&TCC) is an ambitious club based in the picturesque village of West Chiltington in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England.
The club plays its cricket at the West Chiltington Recreation Ground in a picturesque location near the South Downs. The original West Chiltington Cricket Club (WCCC) was established in 1921 and for many years enjoyed playing cricket against local sides. As the turn of the century approached, WCCC and the dormant Thakeham CC merged to create a more viable and competitive player base. This allowed the newly merged club to really challenge and be competitive in the West Sussex Cricket League (WSCL) whilst still offering more friendly traditional Sunday cricket. In 2008, WC&TCC was welcomed into the Sussex Invitation Cricket League (SICL) representing a new stage of the Club's playing development and new challenges.
Recent History
Both the former clubs played friendly cricket for many years. WCCC subsequently joined the Sussex Championship League (later to be renamed the West Sussex Cricket League). At time of merger at the West Chiltington CC AGM in 2000, WCCC was a WSCL Division Two side with many players actually living in Thakeham.
In 2005, the Club started an ambitious youth development policy which has been a tremendous success for local children and youths. A number of ECB accredited coaches have given up their time to run teams and in 2009, the Colts (junior) teams played local league cricket at Under 9s, 10s, 11s, 12s, 13s, 14s and 16s.
In 2006, the Club celebrated being crowned champions of the WSCL First Division for the first time and in the following year, the Club created a second Saturday XI which entered WSCL Division Four. Essentially this allowed the Club to apply to enter a higher level of cricket which has since been achieved. In addition, it provided a greater platform for the Club's colts to play competitive cricket alongside senior players which was vital if the better colts players were to be retained.
In 2007, the Club was delighted to be chosen to host a testimonial match for the then Sussex CCC opening batsman Richard Montgomerie. The weather was kind and the largest crowd to ever watch WC&TCC play saw a Sussex CCC XI squeak home narrowly. Mushtaq Ahmed even rejected Sussex CCC's advances to play for WC&TCC. The overwhelmingly successful day raised well earned funds for an excellent & loyal Sussex cricketer. Through extensive press coverage, it also further raised the burgeoning profile of one of the county's more popular village cricket clubs.
The Club was awarded the ECB ClubMark accreditation in 2007 and recognised as an ECB Focus Club in 2008. In 2008 the Club also joined the Sussex Invitation Cricket League.
For 2009, three brand new nets are now in use near the tennis courts to accelerate both colts' and adult progression. The Club has also recruited its first overseas players in an attempt to quickly progress up out of Division Three of the new West Sussex Invitation League.
Honours (as a merged club)
2002 West Sussex Cricket League Division Two - Runners Up
2003 West Sussex Cricket League Division One - Runners Up
2005 West Sussex Cricket League Division One - Runners Up
2006 West Sussex Cricket League Division One - Champions
2007 Sussex Junior Cricket Festival Under 14s Plate - Runners Up
2008 Sussex Junior Cricket Festival Under 12s Plate - Runners Up
Records
Highest score made by WC&T: 413-4 - 2nd XI vs Pulborough 3rds at home on 26 May 2007
Lowest score made against WCT&T: 50 all out by Steyning 3rds against the 1st XI on 18 May 2002
Lowest score made by WC&T: 50 all outby the Sunday side at Ditchling on 11 September 2005
Highest score against WC&T: 305-6 made by Falling Leaves XI against the Sunday side on 13 August 2006
Biggest margin of victory: 326 runs- 2nd XI vs Pulborough 3rds at home on 26 May 2007
Biggest margin of defeat: 211 runs- Sunday side vs Falling Leaves at Arundel on 13 August 2006
Number of ten wicket victories: One(1st XI vs Ifield 3rds at home on 3 July 2004)
Number of ten wicket defeats: Four
Highest individual score: Brian Chambers - 198* vs Brighton Insurance at home on 14 May 2005
Best individual bowling figures: James Chaloner - 10-3-17-8 vs. Ocean away on 27 July 2002
Most hundreds: Eleven - Brian Chambers and Rob Llewellyn