Street Cricket Club has a history which goes back more than one hundred and forty years. In the Central Somerset Gazette 27th September 1862, there is a report of a match against Glastonbury second XI. Street scored 47 in their first innings. Glastonbury hit 59, and Street looked to be certain losers when they could only scrape together 37 runs in their second knock.

However, Glastonbury were skittled out for just 6 runs, thanks to a demon bowler called Walton (initial unknown), who took 11 wickets in the match. Did he bowl round-arm, one wonders, or was he an exponent of the new over-arm bowling which was legalized that same year?

Wells were playing cricket even earlier than this, but ran into trouble 1838, when the Bishop of Bath and Wells refused them permission to play on Cathedral land because he considered cricket to be an "improper game, teeming with symptoms of irreligion and leading to practices of immorality and disgrace!"

It makes the mind boggle, doesn't it!

However, judging by the number of clergymen playing cricket in the club and village sides of the 1880's and 1890's, the Church by then took a much more lenient view of the transgression of cricketers - or else they had mended their ways. Indeed, the Rev. George Beilby was a stalwart player and captain of Street C.C. around the turn of the century. Another notable clergyman cricketer at about this time was the Rev. E. Jones of Wells, who once took 9 for 32 against Street, including the hat-trick.

By the time of the first Great War, Street had become a senior side in the County. The famous "Sammy" Woods of Somerset and England played against them for Bridgwater in 1914, and scored 35 in a match Street lost by 50 runs.

Moving forward to the 1920's and 30's, opne comes to a bright chapter in Street cricketing history. Dr. Jack Eglington and J. Anthony Clark were successful captains. Max Mallett was a prolific run-scorer, and a young off-spin bowler, George Burroughs, took a hundred wickets in one season, and played for Somerset.

Other local players of distinction were George Jones, Les Marsh, Doug Hartry, Wilf Marsh, Alan Underwood and Charlie Li Calsi. After 60 years associated with the Club, Alf Durston died in 2000. Mike Barber is now President. R.J.O. Meyer turned out occasionally when not on County duty. In 1937 against BAC he scored 106, and took 9 wickets for 27 runs.

When the war was over, and club cricket came to life again, the young men who had just been making their mark stepped into the limelight. Captains including Alf Durston, Cyril Adams, Bill Graves and Tom Burden, the Bristol City and Leeds Untied footballer. The Hartry family, Bill as groundsman, Ken as umpire and treasurer, and Cliff as player did much for the Club.

In 1966, thanks to the generosity of the Clark Foundation, the field was vastly improved, and a new sports complex built, catering for many games and activities.

In 1973, League cricket was introduced to Somerset. Initially in the first division, Street had a brief run in the premier section, but then slipped to the second division. Happily, 1988 saw promotion back to Division One, and with a strong and successful youth section to provide the players of the future, I hope Street can look forward to another century of good cricket.

Founder members in 1973, Street had a very good batting wicket on their Victoria Road ground. The club spent two years in the Premier Division and then three years in Division 1, winning the title in 1977 to return to the highest level. Relegation followed in the first year and a further three year stint was again followed by promotion in 1981, and this venture at Premier level lasted just two years before relegation in 1983, followed by regulation to Division 2 in 1986.

The club gained promotion from Division 2 in 1988, with Nick Talbot hitting 574 runs at an average of 38.3, fourth in the averages, and P. Dommett taking 39 wickets at 12.8, sixth in the averages. The club became a very steady Division 1 side, usually in the top half of the table until 1993 when, after looking likely promotion candidates, they fell away and finished in tenth place, avoiding relegation by one point, in spite of 455 runs from Talbot at 28.4.

The highest position achieved by the club has been sixth in the Premier Division in 1982.

A Second Eleven joined Division 2 in 1974, winning promotion in the first year, but were relegated back to Division 2 in 1982. Having been regularly in the top half for ten years, 1993 saw success and the team took the Division 2 title with ease without losing a match.

Nick Talbot has developed into a very useful batsmen, having scored 4212 runs in his 142 innings since 1981 at an average of 29.7.

By Mike Barber