Cricket in Havant
Local clubs and the summer game
Cricket has a long tradition in the Havant area, with clubs providing the opportunity to play the summer game at levels from competitive league cricket to friendly, social fixtures. Havant Cricket Club is the principal club in the town, running multiple teams for adults and juniors.
Havant Cricket Club plays at a ground that has been the home of local cricket for many years. The club runs Saturday league teams competing in the Hampshire Cricket League, as well as Sunday and midweek teams that play friendly fixtures. The standard of play ranges from experienced club cricketers to enthusiastic newcomers, and the club welcomes players of all abilities.
Junior cricket is an important part of the club's activity, with coaching sessions and age-group teams providing an introduction to the game for children from primary school age upwards. The All Stars Cricket programme, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board, is offered locally and provides a fun, structured introduction for five-to-eight-year-olds. The Dynamos programme continues the pathway for eight-to-eleven-year-olds.
The cricket season runs from late April to September, and the long summer evenings are ideal for midweek matches and practice sessions. The club's facilities typically include a pavilion with changing rooms and a bar, and the social side of the club is an important part of its appeal. Cricket clubs are community institutions, and the post-match gathering in the pavilion is as much a part of the game as the cricket itself.
Women's and girls' cricket has grown in recent years, following the success of the England Women's team and the increased investment in the women's game by the ECB. Local clubs have responded by establishing women's sections and girls' coaching programmes.
For those who prefer watching to playing, Hampshire County Cricket Club plays first-class cricket at the Ageas Bowl in West End, Southampton, and also stages matches at other venues. Test matches, one-day internationals and T20 fixtures at the Ageas Bowl are within easy reach of Havant by car or train.
Indoor cricket nets are available at some of the sports centres in the area during the winter months, allowing batsmen and bowlers to maintain their skills through the off-season. The nets are also useful for pre-season preparation as clubs gear up for the new campaign.
For those who prefer watching to playing, Hampshire County Cricket Club plays first-class cricket at the Ageas Bowl in West End, Southampton, and stages international matches that are within easy reach of Havant by car or train. Indoor cricket nets are available at some sports centres during the winter months, allowing batsmen and bowlers to maintain their skills through the off-season. Cricket in Havant, as in every English town, is more than a sport. It is a social institution, a community gathering and a connection to a tradition that stretches back generations. The sound of leather on willow on a summer afternoon remains one of the most evocative sounds of English community life.