Former England players to celebrate Hook centenary

Hook Cricket Club Centenary 1923-2023:

This season has seen Hook Cricket Club celebrate its 100th year with some special fixtures planned to mark the landmark. The centrepiece of the club’s centenary celebrations will be a day of cricket involving a host of former England international cricketers which will be a truly memorable occasion.

A centenary is a very proud and historic moment for any community club and for Hook Cricket Club it is no different. The club was founded in 1923, playing its fixtures outside of the village for the first 30 years before moving to its now permanent home at the Recreation Ground in Hook.

A great debt owed to local coal miners

Hook village itself owes its existence to the rich coal seams of Pembrokeshire.
Known as the Black Diamond Village, anthracite was mined in Hook for many years.
In turn, the cricket club owes its existence to the hard work and philanthropy of those
miners, who despite their relative poverty collectively purchased the Recreation
Field. The Miners Trust entrusted the field to the people of Hook in perpetuity for the
purposes of recreation, providing the foundation for what is now the club’s ground.

The club holds accreditation to the England & Wales Cricket Board Clubmark
Scheme, a big part of which is the promotion of cricket across the ages. From a one-
team club Hook now runs nine teams, including two senior men’s teams, a ladies
team and junior teams at all age groups from Under 9 to Under 17.

Aerial photo of the ground at Hook

A proud moment for club doyen Evan

Off the field, like all grassroots sports clubs, Hook has been and continues to be indebted to numerous volunteers who keep the club running. The centenary year will be a special one for a particular individual. Current club President Evan Martin will celebrate his 80th year of involvement with the club where he has carried out every role imaginable from player to coach to groundsman. Evan is held in very high regard and continues to be an ever-present at the club.

The PCA English Legends are coming to raise funds for charity

Hook marked its centenary with a prestigious fixture against Marylebone Cricket Club on 21st July and the PCA England Legends are at the ground on 1st September. This will be the first occasion the PCA Legends have come to Pembrokeshire and it will be a day
packed with activities.

The day will kick off with a lunch in Hook Sports & Social Club and a Q&A session
with the former England players. Former Warwickshire cricketer Ed Giddins will host
the session along with an auction of some superb prizes including a Spanish holiday.

It is hoped the day will raise a good amount for the nominated charity, the ‘2Wish
Foundation’, a fantastic charity which provides support to those affected by sudden
death in young people.

PCA

Exciting four-team format, all with famous names involved like Welsh pace man Simon

The cricket will follow with four eight-a-side teams, each including two former
internationals, competing in semi-finals and a final. Ex-Glamorgan and England fast
bowler and 2005 Ashes winner Simon Jones has been confirmed alongside other former stars like Monty Panesar, Andy Caddick, Adam Hollioake and Owais Shah, plus three others yet to be confirmed.

Looking ahead to the centenary season club Chair Jon Willington was
understandably excited. ‘I am delighted that as a club we marked our big year with a prestigious match against the MCC and this is now followed by the PCA England Legends.

These are great opportunities for our young players to rub shoulders with some of
their cricketing heroes. Reaching 100 years as a club is a proud moment. As a club
we look forward to the celebrations and hope that the local cricketing community will
turn out in force to support the PCA fixture.’

There are still a few tables available for the PCA England Legends’ day. If anyone is
interested in getting involved in what will be a day to remember please contact Jamie
Phelps

Former England players to celebrate Hook centenary

Hook Cricket Club Centenary 1923-2023:

A great debt owed to local coal miners

The PCA English Legends are coming to raise funds for charity

Exciting four-team format, all with famous names involved like Welsh pace man Simon

Sponsors for the day