BRIDGETOWN Cricket Club is celebrating its centenary season in 2024 and to date on the field the team is enjoying success and currently they occupy third place in Division One of the West Somerset Cricket League, having won six of their 10 matches.
Off the field the club that was founded by Roy Nesfield, who played a few games for Worcestershire before he moved to West Somerset in 1924, is preparing for their Centenary Cricket Week.
The seven days of celebrations gets underway with the WSCL home fixture against Ashbrittle who currently top Division One, which is likely to be a keenly fought match between two sides who have featured as leading sides on the local cricket scene for many years.
This is followed on Tuesday with a match against a West Somerset Select XI which is due to get underway at 2pm. On Thursday Bridgetown host Somerset Stragglers, one of the best known clubs in the county, who themselves were founded in 1900.
For many years Bridgetown founder Roy Nesfield appeared regularly for the Stragglers and on one occasion claimed nine wickets in an innings. Bridgetown host a Golf Day at Minehead Golf Club where the action gets underway at 11am.
On Saturday the focus of attention shifts to the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton where Bridgetown host their Centenary Dinner and Dance starting at 7.30pm. The guest speaker at the Centenary Dinner is former England and Somerset cricketing legend Vic Marks who is no stranger to Bridgetown because as a youngster he was recruited by Roy Nesfield to play for the Somerset Stragglers against Bridgetown.
The week concludes on Sunday, July 14, with a Family Club Cricket Day and BBQ starting at 11am. As part of the centenary year celebrations a display of archive material covering the club’s history will be on display in a marquee at the ground throughout the week, where teas and hospitality will be available on match days.
Money raised from the Centenary Events will go towards Bridgetown’s plans to build a pavilion extension, to improve their changing and hospitality facilitation and launch the club into it's second century. To find out more about any of the events please call 01643 851206.
Meanwhile, Bridgetown backed up their good form of the previous week with a 155-run drubbing of Morebath in the first division of the West Somerset League.
Batting first, Bridgetown made the most of a good hard pitch with a magnificent 181 run opening partnership between Freddie Stevens and Ken Cross.
Stevens, in particular, timed the ball beautifully in a 71 ball 130. Cross fell for 40 as Bridgetown posted 311-5. In reply Morebath slumped to 155 all out with Tom Gliddon taking 3-46 and Chris Wookey 3-54.