History of Antwerp Cricket Club

1880

Cricket is played for the first time in Antwerp at the Wilrycksche Plein (the site of the present-day Bouwcentrum)

 

1892

The Antwerp Cricket Club is established on 11 May at a meeting held in Café Shakespeare on the Groenplaats in Antwerp.

 

1895

The Club acquires a new ground in Zurenborg.

 

1896

The club amalgamates, forming the Antwerp Football, Cricket and Law Tennis Club

 

1897

The club’s ground is converted to a velodrome, forcing cricket to find alternative headquarters

 

1914

The outbreak of war on the continent puts a temporary halt on cricket in Antwerp

 

1924 Cricket resumes in Antwerp on the Beerschot ground in Wilrijk

 

1930

Antwerp Amateur Cricket Club is founded entirely by Belgian players commissioned in England during the war. 

 

1950-1972

Cricket is played on a fairly summary basis, often consisting of scratch matches against makeshift sides or sporting clubs from further afield such as Standard Athletics in Paris.

 

1976

After a brief sojourn, the Antwerp Cricket Club reforms and plays its first match at the British army barracks at Emblem.

 

1983

The club acquires a permanent address in the Plantenhoekstraat on the border between Rumst and Reet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1990

Antwerp CC becomes a founding member of the Belgian Cricket Federation.

 

2010

Antwerp CC plays its last season at the Rumst Ground before being forced to vacate it.

The club is now homeless and forced to play its matches away. A difficult period for the club. 

 

2012

Nevertheless, the club bounces back to win the BCF Division 2 and gain promotion.

 

2013

Antwerp cricket club narrowly misses out on the 1st Division title but the future seems bright for the club.

 

2014

Antwerp CC begins development of the new Antwerp Cricket Ground at Middelheim Park.