BOVEY Tracey’s 175th-anniversary celebrations move into top gear later this month with a showcase game against the Devon Lions.

Sunday, June 22 is going to be a red-letter day for the club as it marks a century and a half of cricket on what was known as Bovey Heath when cricket was first played there.

Past players from the Bovey Tracey team that won the Devon Cricket League Premier Division title for the first time in 2002 are on the guest list for the big day.

“Neil Davey, Daniel Full, Mark and Adam Gribble, Colin Mortimore and Alan Searle, all members of that team, will be taking up fielding positions near the bar,” said Jeremy Christophers, who also played in the side and is one of the celebration’s organisers.

“We would like to see many more former players who have contributed to the club's rich history there on the day.”

Bovey won the Premier title again in 2017 and some survivors from that team will have a more active role on the day.

“Ryan Bougourd, William Christophers, Andy Fairbain and Hugo Whitlock from the class of 2017 will be included in the 12-man squad for the match,” said Christophers.

Matchday is an opportunity for the club to raise money for a new practice net complex in the club grounds.

Nets have developed considerably since Bovey first laid down concrete bases in 1938 – and moved them shortly afterwards to a site in what is now the club car park. The current practice area next to the pavilion has been in use for the last 30 years.

Tina England, the Bovey Tracey CC chair, is driving an £85,000 project to create a two-lane enclosed practice area in the car park area.

“Junior and senior players will be able to practice all year round, even while matches are being played, which is a massive upgrade from our current nets, which can only be used for throwdowns during games,” said England.

“A facility like this is not cheap and our total fund-raising target is a daunting £85,000.

“We have successfully secured £28,000 in grant funding, and we’ll also contribute £10,000 from club savings carefully built up over the past few years.

“To cover the remaining costs, we plan to use an interest-free loan from the ECB and crowdfunding.

“Our crowdfunder goal is £15,000, but once we reach £7,500, Sport England will add in a matching £7,500.”

Bovey Tracey CC can track its roots back to 1848 and a match between married and single men on what was then land belonging to Mr Bentinck, who owned Indio House on the other side of the road. Away fixtures against other clubs started in 1850 with a match against the long-defunct Exeter side Isca.

The first home game on what is now known as the Recreation Ground took place in August 1852 when St Marychurch were the visitors. They won a four-inning game by 73 runs.

By 1900 the club had built a pavilion – and rebuilt it after a fire in the 1870s – although it did not acquire electricity until 1942! Showers had to wait until 1951.

The bar first opened in the early 1950s and was enlarged in 1959, which coincided with the introduction of Sunday cricket.

A kitchen, an umpires’ room, enhancements to the pavilion balcony and the installation of a telephone (1980) were further improvements off the field during the transition to league cricket from 1974 onwards.