Haberdashers’ Cricket XI: Season Review 2024
In many ways, 2024 was another landmark year for Haberdashers’ Cricket. Building on the incredible momentum from 2023, the fixture list expanded to five matches, reflecting the growing player base, camaraderie both on and off the field, and the friendships formed through a shared love of cricket. It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces returning for another season, and even more pleasing to welcome a wave of new players making their debuts for the club, with 27 players representing the Haberdashers across the five games. We were thrilled that two women cricketers, Sarah Hofmann and Laura Owen, made their first appearances – a vital reflection of our commitment to women’s sport. Never before has the club been in such robust health.
The season included the inaugural match against the Salters at the picturesque Kew Cricket Club, a first appearance for the team at the idyllic Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) Cricket Ground against the Honourable Artillery Company Squadron, and a rekindling of our wonderful friendship with the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment during the Albuhera Day celebrations. Several members of the Haberdashers’ Cricket Club enjoyed a spectacular dinner in the Officers’ Mess, accompanied by the generous hospitality of Major Steve Gibbs and his regiment. We also renewed our traditional rivalries with the Grocers at Shepherd’s Bush Cricket Club and the 7 Rifles at the magnificent Burton Court.
All of these games were truly wonderful occasions. We enjoyed amazing hospitality at each venue, sharing food and a well-earned cold beer with friends once the action on the field was done. While the results seem almost secondary, for the sake of posterity, we posted handsome victories against the PWRR, the Salters, and the Rifles, but came up just short against the Grocers and the HAC. Each game was a fantastic contest, with outstanding individual performances – too many to mention here. But a huge thanks from me, as captain, to all who made the effort and commitment to play for the club this year – it was a genuine pleasure to play cricket with you all.
Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be another exciting year, with a proposed return tour to Ibiza Cricket Club in October currently in the works, alongside a busy calendar of domestic fixtures (and we must beat the Grocers next year!). So please get in touch with me, via the Hall, if you’d like to play in 2025 – it’s a truly wonderful way to make new friends, enjoy some cricket, and forge new relationships within the Company.
Gerry Williams, member of the Livery and Cricket Captain
