Maori Oxshott CC

Maori Oxshott CC History

After a distinguished 105 year history, Oxshott Village CC has ceased to be following a merger of the Steels Lane club and Maori CC, formerly of Worcester Park. At extraordinary general meetings at both clubs members voted to unanimously accept the merger.

Maori-Oxshott CC will run two sides in the Surrey Championship this season, increasing to three in 2002. Peter Shiells, former chairman of Oxshott Village has taken on the role of chairman for the new club. He said that

"Due to declining numbers in the past few seasons, we had been looking to merge with another club, and it appears that Maori have answered our prayers."

Tony Murphy, the retiring Maori chairman said,

"Over the past three years our relationship with our landlord at our ground had deteriorated. Their decision, in February, to cancel cricket at the ground for this season left us without a home. A merger with Oxshott Village ensures that Maori can continue to play cricket."

Maori CC

Maori CC v NZ (Apr-58)

Maori CC traces its roots back to 1923 and was a regular starting point for the New Zealand tourists to the UK. The clipping below is from the Club News of June 1958, discussing the game between the club and the tourist that year.

Oxshott Village CC

OVCC celebrated its centenary in 1996. Oxshott's cricket team of 1896 was full of villagers, a mixture of rich landowners, tenant farmers, handymen and servants to the landed gentry and the club has a fascinating history going back to the 19th century. Below two of the first photos taken of the Oxshott team.

...

The first documentary evidence of Oxshott Village Cricket Club was in an article in the July 1896 edition of the parish magazine of St. Mary's, Stoke d'Abernon. The pictures below are from the early 1900s and include Maurice Wadey whose son Cyril Wadey has been closely associated with the club since the late 1920s and has been president of OVCC since 1975. Cricket was played in the village before 1896, with the first recorded game played in 1893. In its early days, the club was closely connected to the grand estates of Bevendean and Danes Hill. Cricket continued to be played on the picturesque Bevendean pitch until 1914.

The carefree days before the First War.

In 1920 the original ornate cricket pavilion was relocated on the new sports ground in Steels Lane. The present club-house was opened in 1969 by Sir Charles Trinder, then Lord Mayor of London, the son of one of the founders of OVSC. 1977 was a milestone in OVCC's history, with league cricket sweeping into Steels Lane. Things went from strength to strength with the club running two Saturday and occasionally two Sunday sides until the centenary year in 1996 but then came the fire in the clubhouse.
The exodus of both younger and older players due to many causes led to an almost irretrievable slide in membership of the Cricket Club during the years after the fire in 1997. Fortuitously Maori CC and Peter Shiells negotiated an agreement with the Surrey Championship Committee and brokered an amalgamation in March 2001. This new lifeblood enables us to ensure the continuance of cricket at Oxshott into its second century. The extremely successful Colts section is now extending to Under 15 age level from where it is only a short step into senior cricket. We therefore look to this source to continue our newfound momentum.

The President lines up his team during the Centenary year.

Maori Oxshott Milestones

Year	Description
1896	Oxshott Village CC formed.
1923	Maori CC plays first game.
1958	NZ tourists draw with Maori in tour opener.
1996	OVCC centenary.
2001	Maori CC and Oxshott Village CC merge. U13 XI win cup final.
2002	3rd XI League cricket restored. Benefit game staged for Ali Brown of Surrey CCC with a 35 over game against The Bunbury XI. P&O representative Michael Gradon put the pros to shame with a splendid century. A thrilling game saw the Surrey team win by 4 runs in a 500 run thriller.
2003	Surrey CCC coach Keith Meddlycott plays for the club. This continues the link with the County as former player Tony Murphy and current Director of Cricket, Richard Thompson, are also playing members. Club hosts Alec Stewart Benefit game with Surrey Past vs Present. 2nd XI win League at a canter and gain promotion.
2004	Surrey CCC continues the link with the club as James Benning joins. Former county players Monte Lynch, Jon Robionson and Scott Ellis join the ranks.
2010	Our strong links with Surrey CCC continue as Richard Thompson, President, is elected as Chairman of Surrey County Cricket Club, one of the most powerful positions in the game. Additionally former Chairman and Club Captain Tony Murphy is elected to the position of Non-Executive Direcor of Cricket in the county.