Ripley Cricket Club is now 252 years old, this makes it one of the oldest cricket clubs in the world. Ripley has a very proud history and we are glad that we are able to let others from a wider range hear about it, below is a section taken from the 250th celebration brochure.

Cricket at Ripley 1700's

Noblemen, gentlemen and even royalty were responsible for the early progress of the game of cricket. Wagers of sizeable sums on the match were commonplace and betting amongst spectators was part of village life. Noblemen recruited the best players as staff for their country houses, to ensure the team that their wager was safe.
Research of books and papers at The British Museum has shown that Ripley feature regularly in the earliest history of cricket.
From 'Cricket Scores 1730-1771 by Walter T.Waghorn

August 1747
A great match at Cricket for 50 guineas aside is made by the noblemen and gentlemen, and to be played on Monday next, in the Artillery Ground, between the gentlemen of Ripley, Bramley and Thursdley in the west of Surrey, against the gentlemen of London. Wickets to be pitched by one o'clock. They play the following match the Thursday following on Ripley Green. These matches being attended with great charge, the door for the future will be six pence, two pence not being sufficient to defray expenses.
From 'Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket by G.B. Buckley

1751
On Tuesday July 9 on Moulsey Hurst, the Gentlemen of Eton who played the Great Match at Newmarket against those of Ripley and Thursley for £100 a side.
Daily Advertiser - July 8th 1751

1754
On Monday July 22, in the Artillery ground at Guildford, Ripley, Thursley and the lower part of Surrey against Bolney, Brighton and the eastern part of Sussex for 20 guineas a side.
Wickets to be pitched at 1 and the match played out.
Reading Mercury - July 15th 1754

This is an extract from the official Ripley Cricket Club Brochure 'A Celebration Of Cricket' © Copyright © 1999 Ripley CC. ® All rights reserved.