I am sorry to bring you the sad news that John Parnell, a long serving member of the Cricket Club, passed away, peacefully at home, on Sunday night. I am sure you will spare a little time, in your busy lives, to think of Barbara, his wife and the rest of the family, at this time of great sadness.

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John's funeral will take place on Friday 16th April at 3.00pm

It will take place at
Breakspear Crematorium
Breakspear Rd
Ruislip
Middx. HA4 7SJ

Barbara and John's son, Tony, have said that John made no special wish as to which charity, people should make donations, so if you wish to make a donation to a charity, in John's memory, please do so according to your own wishes.

The Funeral directors are
Sydney Hurry & Co
341 Rayners Lane
Pinner
Middx
HA5 5EN
Tel No 020 8866 2211

Many thanks for your appreciation of what John has done for the game of cricket.
Please feel free to pass the contents of this message on to whoever, you think would like to have the details

I am sorry to have report that Alan Digby, passed away today, having lost his struggle to combat cancer. It was a relatively short battle, but nevertheless painful and we can now all be reassured that he is at peace with the world.
You can never replace a person, like Alan, who has done so much in his life and given so much time to others, but if we can all remember, at least one happy situation which involved Alan, then his name will be remembered for a long time and we can all have a smile on our faces.

It is too early to give you details of the arrangements, but we will do so once they are known.

We are happy if you would pass this information on, to those people that knew Alan, which, as we all know was a very wide circle, particularly involving cricket.

Alan Digby, a man with great knowledge and wisdom. He has done so much for others and shall never be forgotten. An inspiration to many people, always thinking about others ahead of himself. A TRUE LEGEND.

 

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Alan's funeral will take place on Monday 26th April at 2pm at Golders Green Crematorium. Hoop Lane, London NW11 7NL
He requested no flowers, and can we please respect his wishes.
The charity of his choice is Macmillian Cancer Support, if you wish to make a donation. http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Donate/Donate.aspx

After the fune...ral, in a celebration of his life, you are invited to join his friends and family at Kenton Cricket Club, Kenton Park Road, Kenton, Middx. HA3 8UB, where refreshments and drinks will be available.

 

WEDNESDAYS 5.30pm - 3RD & 4TH ELEVEN NETS
(people wishing to become a member should attend on these nights)

THURSDAYS 6.00pm - 1ST & 2ND ELEVEN NETS
Wednesday/Thursday nights are training nights. 

Now we have no more evening games i think we should put more efforts into our training nights. We are only just over half way through the season so have lots of important games to come. Both teams have had mixed results this year so more training is required to become more consistant.

The bowling machine is in full working order, we have lots of other training aids which we can use as well and we have some free time to use it all. We can do training drills we can use but require people there to work with.

The more people that come to training the better so please can we all try and make an effort to attend on Thursdays from 6.00pm.

We have 4 nets and a bowling machine for you to work with. We also have experienced cricketers who are happy to help improve your skills. To join the club, please fill out contact form.

Kenton C.C was formerly known as the Athenions. This club originated in the Willesden area and also provided tennis, hockey and football. It is believed that the club was formed in 1900.
In 1921, it moved to the present site, which was, then in the might of farmland with not a house in sight. The club rented the land from Mr T Smith of Kenton Farm.

Entry to the ground was through a gate in Kenton Lane, as Kenton Park Road had not been laid down. The Cricket facilities consisted of one square (the top square) and an army hut. The section ran two Elevens which played mainlylocal fixtures. In the early 1920's, T.F Nash acquired much land in Kenton including our area for building houses. The Chairman of the club at the time, Captain Pauley persuaded Nash to sell him the land used by the Athenions Sports Club. Thus we were saved, but the new houses encroached the onto our site and in particular made the cricket ground much smaller.

In 1927 came the change in the name of the club to Kenton Cricket Club. That year saw the demolition of the old pavilion by fire. Much present building dates from that time. The 1920's saw Kenton gaining in strength with stronger fixtures and the recruitment of better players, but still being only at the level of the 2nd Eleven of the best clubs.
1934 was the first year that Kenton fielded 3 Elevens and soon after that play began on the
bottom square.

In 1938 Captain Pauley sold our site to Mr Jack Brazier who was not only the local dairyman, but also a very good club member. It is fair to say that Jack was a very benevolent landlord.
Cricket continued at the club during the World War 2 with 2 Elevens playing. The standard improved with the recruitment of several new players, particularly W.B Morris who achieved the first club double in 1943 with 1,176 runs and 101 wickets. He later played for the conference and area.

Kenton was a good venue for charity cricket matches and benefits. In 1943 a first class side skipped by Jack Duston played Kenton C.C in aid of the Red Cross.
Over 2,000 spectators saw the match which yielded an incredible £853, not only a record for C.C.C charity matches, but for any one day game including those played by 1st class counties.
After the war, the playing strength of the club grew and stronger fixtures were sought. In 1945 Kenton C.C entertained the British Empire Eleven on behalf of the Red Cross and another record was established with receipts of £963. In 1947 Mr. Brazier had sub-let the ground to A.N.Other. A dispute between this person and Kenton C.C saw the cricket section 3 Eleven's wander for two years.

The most famous benefit game took place at Kenton in 1949 for Denis Compton.
A full Middlesex team scored 405-7 declared to which Kenton replied with 254 (659 runs in 412 ). Denis Compton scored 177 in 69 minutes including 17 sixes. Benefit games took place for Sid Brown, Leslie Compton, Alec Thompson, Harry Sharp, Jack Robertson, Alan Moss and Tony Lock. In 1951 the club improved its relationship with Mr. Brazier.

The arrangement of an annual rent was started by a 5-year lease guaranteed by six club trustees. By now Kenton C.C was running 4 Eleven's both Saturdays and Sundays. In 1955 came the first match against the Cross Arrows at Lords. Kenton chasing 231 scored 233-4 with Leslie Dewin 152*.
Peter Rogers was one of the clubs outstanding cricketers and on the weekend of May 25th 1957 become the first to score centuries on consecutive days.
The Steak and Kidney supper has great tradition and in the 1950's attracted many guests from the Surrey and Middlesex County Clubs. The Silver Jubilee supper (1933-1958) saw the attendance of Andy Sandham and H.T.Bartlett.

In 1960 the club bought the ground from Mr. Brazier and hence the future was even more secure.
Until the mid-1960s Kenton C.C was a strong club with many fine players. For a variety of reasons, standards slipped and several poor years followed. Over a period Kenton C.C lost many good players and the opportunity to negotiate for a place in the County League was spurned.
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw two important moves in southern cricket as a whole. The first these was the setting-up of the colts cricket. Kenton has been involved since the inception and our contribution over the years has been steady, rather than spectacular. We have produced many cricketers of reasonable standard rather than any county stars.

The second movement has been the move from friendly cricket towards structured league cricket.
It took a long while for the authorities to grasp the reins of league cricket. Initially clubs were invited to a range of private leagues. Kenton commenced in the Middlesex Alliance League, but it thought we deserved something better. Therefore a Kenton member initiated a meeting with other clubs and The Middlesex Cricketers League was formed. This ultimately merged into the current Middlesex Championship.
Apart from a tour to Bognor Regis in the late 1920s, Kenton were poor travelers. The Annual tour commenced in 1968 with a week in South Wales. Subsequently the club has toured Hampshire, Wiltshire, Gloucester, Devon, Barbados, and Sri Lanka.

Over the years we have carried at improving facilities. In 1963 the third (middle) square was carved
out which gives opportunities for just one game on the ground. In the early 1980s the first artificial (Notts type) pitch was laid.

Kenton today is one of the few clubs with a bank of for nets, plus a bowling machine. The most recent development has seen additional changing rooms and shower block at one end of the clubhouse and to balance this, a further bar and clubroom at the other end.
The decline of Sunday friendly cricket has seen a growth of competitions on that day. Kenton competes in the Chess Valley League where attractive fixtures are usual. Much work has been done to improve the cricket pitches in recent years, the main operation being drilling to improve bounce and drainage.
We hope to continue to progress and to ensure this, work to our development plan.