Club History


CLUB HISTORY

Our roots can be found in an assortment of lads from Dagenham who played cricket after school, and during the holidays, at Goresbrook Park. On the 5th October 1981 a group of us met at the Chequers Public House and constituted the Club. Our first committee was elected, comprising Alan Mitchell (Chairman), Garry Walsh (Secretary), Frederick Morrison (Treasurer), Dean Barwick (Fixtures Secretary) and Steve Rooke (Club Captain).

In 1982 we participated in a series of friendlies as a 'wandering' side. Despite losing the majority of games, we made rapid strides to establish ourselves as a serious cricket club. Over the next couple of years we utilised facilities at Hainault Forest and Central Park in Dagenham, and Barking Park for our home friendlies, before settling down at King George's Park, Romford in 1985. This latest move coincided with an invitation to participate in the Comprehensive Claims Essex Suburban League - our first sortie into structured, competitive cricket. We were Division 2 winners in 1986 and outright league champions, boasting a 100% record, in 1988.

In 1990 we upgraded facilities by moving 'home' to Oldchurch Park, Romford. This had the benefit of an onsite bar and an excellent track tended by a dedicated groundsman, Joe Harvey. As a result, our fixture list improved dramatically. The following term, 1991, we were accepted into Division 6 of the Smallcombe Sports Essex County League. After a succession of championships and promotions, we attained Division 1 status by 1995.

In 1998 we set up headquarters at the May and Bakers Sports Ground, enjoying facilities unparalleled in the locality. As a result of heightened interest in the club, we began to attract cricketers from other teams. The biggest injection of new blood came as a result of the influx of players from Essex Taverners CC, a Warley based outfit. The majority of these new members lived in the Dagenham area, playing under the guise of the Railway CC, before joining the Taverners.

As a consequence of this growth in membership, we were able to field a regular Sunday Second XI during the 1999 campaign. This year also marked the creation of our colts section under the tutelage of David Whisker. During the millennium year we were able to field two senior sides on Saturdays, enabling us to accept an invitation to join the Morrant Essex Cricket League.

We now run four senior Saturday sides utilising both squares at the M&B Club, playing in the T Rippon Mid-Essex Cricket League, the club switching leagues in search of more competitive cricket following two unsuccessful applications to join the Shepherd Neame Essex League.

In addition to winning the Premier Division of the former Morrant league in 2011 & 2013, the 2012 season saw our first League Cup triumph. We also won the league T20 competition in 2010 and 2011.

In 2014, our first in the Mid-Essex League, all four Saturday XI's were promoted from their respective Divisions, in 2017 we will participate in the Premier Division, Div 2, Div 7 and Div 9.

On a Sunday we run one eleven in the Essex Sunday League, where after winning the East Division in 2015, we finished 4th in the Premier Division in 2016..

Our colts section, comprising U9, U11, U13, U15, U16 & U19 sides, continues to flourish, and has enjoyed success in both League and Cup cricket. Our U15 and U11 sides were Havering League winners in their age groups in 2016, our U16s have graced the County Ground, Chelmsford, for the final of Essex's flagship Matchplay competition twice, in 2006 and 2013 and our U19's made the finals day of the U19T20 competition at Billericay in 2016.

The Colts section currently boasts a membership in excess of sixty, and provides excellent opportunities for young people in Dagenham and surrounding areas to enjoy cricket. Our first league winning first XI utilised only fourteen players, thirteen of whom came through the ranks at Goresbrook.

Our club prides itself on good sportsmanship with fun along the way, the 1st and 2nd XI's winning the sportsmanship award for their respective Mid-Essex Divisions in 2014 & the 4th XI repeating the feat in 2016.