1919-1939

Between The Wars

Poulton's cricket resumed late in the spring of 1919, 6 months after the end of the Great War. It was a typical friendly Poulton game, clearly chosen to cement the ties and friendships within the club, made closer by the suffering of 1914-1918.

    The Wilts and Gloucester Standard reported: "Poulton Married v Single - Played on May 24th and resulted in a win for the married. Lieutenant Miller made 100 retired and A Falconer 26 in a total of 163 for 9. The singles made 69 in two innings, B Hughes 20 not out and 16 run out." The brief report has special interest for two reasons. First, Lt. Miller's century is the first recorded by a Poulton player. Second, A Falconer had played in Poulton's last pre-war game when he had opened the batting and made 46 rund, going on to take 5 wickets and a catch in the easy victory over Stratton.

    The first post-war game against local rivals came the following week. The Standard again: "Poulton v Ashton Keynes - played at Poulton on May 31st, resulting in a win for Poulton by 12 runs on first innings. W T Stevens 12, and E Curtis 12, were top scorers on their respective sides. Scores: Poulton 60; Ashton Keynes 48."

    And it was business as usual off the cricket field too. The Standard reported: A GREAT SALE "The dispersal of Mr J A Attwater's entire herd of pure-bred Dairy Shorthorns attracted a very large company to Dry Leaze on Tuesday afternoon and expectations of a successful sale were abundantly realised, the excellent prices made testifying in a most gratifying manner to the careful selection exercised by the breeder and his admirable management of the herd. A capital start was made, the competition remaining spirited to the end. For Fairy Queen 4th, a roan c. 1910, 580 gns was given, Mr Snook of Kelmscott taking her heifer calf at 200 gns." Almost a column of narrative and prices followed - cricket was kept in its proper place.

    Games continued against local rivals, Poulton losing close finishes against teams like Stratton and Ampney Crucis in the midsummer of 1920. But the pagesof the local paper were full of a blossoming genius at Cirencester Grammar School. Poulton can claim a small share in the building to greatness of Walter Hammond. The Grammar School batted first in a game against Poulton and when rain stopped play the score was 76-0, Hammond 61 not out. The Standard, chronicler of all the good and bad in local life, printed his averages. In games for the 1st XI he scored 752 runs in 18 innings with a top score of 110 not out and an average of 57.84. His bowling took 81 wickets for 327 runs, averaging 4.04. In House matches he made 613 in 4 innings, with 3 not outs and a highest score of 365. His average? 613.0! He bowled 32 overs with 11 maidens taking 25 wickets for 50 runs, an average of 2.0! He had his 17th birthday in June that year.

    Poulton couldn't quite match that level of achievement but the team was expanding and consolidating over the years. The first recorded post-war appearance of Poulton 2nd XI was on July 15th 1922. "Played at Williamstrip and after a pleasant and exciting match ended in a win for the home team by the narrow margin of 3 runs." Williamstrip made 39, Poulton replying with 36. And this game was also the first recorded appearance of one of Poulton's great stalwarts between the Wars and for several years after the Second World War. Reg Adams was not out 11.

    The consolidation showed in a run of victories. There was a particularly pleasing spell in July and August 1924 when Ampney Crucis were seen off twice, and there were wins too over Ampney St Peter (in a two-innings game), Bibury and Siddington. Remarkably, in that run of games two bowlers, B Bowles and P Lafford shared 56 wickets between them, Bowles taking 31 and Lafford 25. The other four wickets in the six completed innings were run outs!

    The spell of victories was, of course, too good to last, but excellent bowling  continued to feature in match reports. On June 27th 1925: "Poulton v Kempsford - Kempsford batted first and by the good bowling of R Adams (7 wickets for 8 runs) and Maynard, was dismissed for 28 runs. Poulton, having scored 20 runs for only 3 wickets, still required 3 runs when the last man went in but they won an exciting game by five runs. Scores Poulton 33, Kempsford 28." And three weeks later at Ampney Crucis: "A very enjoyable game, W Morse again bowling well for the visitors, his 5 for 21 including the hat trick, N Swinford batting finely for his 37. Scores: Ampney Crucis 91, Poulton 124."

And in 1927, when a newspaper advertisement next to the cricket reports priced Black Beauty Shag at 7d per oz, Lafford was at it again, removing 8 Ampney Crucis batsmen for 4 runs. Ampney Crucis made only 25 in reply to Poulton's 138 (R Turner 50 not out). The next month saw a victory over Driffield by 3 runs, Lafford getting 6 wickets and Adams 4 to dismiss the home side for 39.

    So Poulton cricket continued into the 1930's with games against sides familiar and unfamiliar. The Married Men beat the Single again, but when did Cirencester Gardners (losers in a game at Poulton in late May 1933) go out of business? And whatever happened to Cirencester Bakers, whom Poulton beat by 26 runs the following Thursday?

    As Europe moved slowly but inevitably towards war, cricketers in the villages of Gloucestershire continued their relaxation, with the occasional fearful look over their shoulders. More players with names which were to become a major part of Poulton's cricketing history featured in the scorebooks - Ash, Ayres, Edwards, Mitchell. Then the final recorded game before the outbreak of the Second World War. On August 12th, Poulton went to Williamstrip: "Very close game, ending in a win for Poulton by 8 runs. W Morse batted well for Poulton, making 36 runs. C A'Bear and P Jones batted well for Williamstrip making 27 and 35 respectively. P Cole taking 6 for 29. Scores Poulton 80, Williamstrip 72."

    Hitler provided the opposition for the next six years.

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