History

Whilst cricket has undoubtedly been played in the village for many a long year, Keevil Cricket Club was formed at a meeting held on the 9th August 1949 at "The Cottage", Keevil ( "The Cottage" is now 12 Main Street). The first matches were played during the following summer,the ground being situated in a field belonging to Mr Jim Weeks near Pinkney Farmhouse. Games were played for a number of years at Pinkney before the Club had to find a new home.

After playing for a while in a field known as "Great Dogland", near the turning to Bulkington and Burzley Bottom, and having to play all their fixtures away in 1958, the Club finally took up residence at the Manor, where it has remained ever since. The original pitch was on the large field called "Torridge", on the left of the Manor drive as you approach the house. In 1976 the pitch was moved to another location at the rear of the Manor gardens and is now approached through the orchard. The ground is small and very compact and quiet secretive! It looks it best in early summer when the May blossom is in full bloom, the surrounding land is yellow with buttercups, and the trees are all clothed in youthful greenery. Touring teams in particular much appreciate its rustic charm.

From 1958 onwards the Club went from strength to strength. Having a long term base made all the difference and the fixture list grew. Keevil probably lost many more matches that it won but the times were magical; the last days of real village cricket, before the onset of Leagues and before gin and tonic took over from real beer in the after match carousal. The team played hard to win and even harder to enjoy themselves in the rural pubs throughout the length and breadth of Wiltshire.

In the early seventies, League Cricket became established in the area and we joined both the Melksham and Devizes Evening Leagues. In 1972 Keevil became champions of the Devizes League, clinching the title on a Thursday evening against Roundway Hospital.

During the eighties the Club played in the Wiltshire Saturday League, rising to the dizzy heights of Division Four. Unfortunately the Club fell on lean times for a while and it often became difficult to raise a team. Happily those days are now behind us. A sensible compromise was reached; those members wishing to play league cricket did so on a Saturday, but were unswervingly loyal to the Club on a Sunday. And so we became a happy Club once again - and we still are.

So, dear reader, when you hear the distant sound of bat on ball, wander through the Orchard, sit in the sun, and watch some good cricket.