Brambles Cricket Match
Each year in August members of two yacht clubs sail into the middle of the Solent to the sandbank known as the Bramble Bank, or more usually simply ‘the Brambles.’ When the bank emerges from the waves, during low *spring tides, a cricket match takes place.
Of necessity, it is a short match, for the relentless tides turn and the bank returns to its usual status of navigational hazard.
Boats carrying players and spectators from the Island Sailing Club of Cowes and the Royal Southern Yacht Club of Hamble-le-Rice gather and wait for the water levels to fall. As soon as it is viable, everyone scrambles ‘ashore’ onto the puddled sand, the players in their traditional cricket whites. The boundary shrinks at the command of the tide until eventually play becomes impossible, stumps are drawn, and everyone packs up and goes home. The match may last 30 minutes, but on occasions an hour of play has been possible.
The victors are decided beforehand, the two clubs taking it in turns to ‘win.’ The victors then host the post-match meal.
First-class cricketers have taken part on occasion; the fast bowler Stuart Broad played in 2018 and described it as ‘the most unique game of cricket’ he had ever played. Ebony Rainford-Brent took part in 2025, when the ‘pitch’ was so water-logged that she was playing in water up to her knees.
The idea of a Brambles cricket match is believed to have been the idea of the well-known Isle of Wight yacht designer Uffa Fox. However, the modern fixture between the two yacht clubs dates from 1984.
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*spring tides have nothing to do with the season. The word comes from an Old English word meaning ‘to spring forth’ or ‘swell.’ Spring tides are exceptionally high or low tides governed by the alignment of the earth, moon and sun. They occur twice a month during the new moon and the full moon. The sun’s gravitational pull reinforces the moon’s pull and the two combine to create the greatest swell.
That was certainly very enjoyable to read this. Never heard of this cricket match before. I used to spend many an hour watching my dad play cricket. Then later in life made sandwiches to help my sister when it was her turn to make them. Her husband was on the village cricket team. I would probably have refused to help if I had to go on a boat to deliver them, says I smiling.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they have time for afternoon tea at the Brambles match!
DeleteThis sounds like a very novel event. Our tide in northern Quebec staYED OUT longer than yours.
ReplyDeleteIt's just a bit of fun.
DeleteI remember seeing this on TV some time ago. English eccentricity at its finest.
ReplyDeleteMakes you proud to be British, doesn't it? 😉
DeleteIsn't it terrific how humans find novel ways to play?
ReplyDeleteIt's madness!
DeleteThis is so very cool! Incidentally, I have never seen a cricket match, either trying to beat the tide or not.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely game to watch, even if you don't understand what's going on, and you meet nice people in the crowd - there's no nastiness as there can be at a football match.
DeleteI do like events like this :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Sol do I. Somehow they give me hope for the future.
Delete*so*
DeleteWhat an interesting event. What people won’t come up with
ReplyDeleteI like odd events like this, across the globe.
DeleteHow interesting!
ReplyDelete. . . but daft!
DeleteThat sounds like a whole lot of fun for all concerned. I suppose at times weather would effect the match, or see it cancelled.
ReplyDeleteI made a very understandable assumption about spring tides. Now I know better.
Lifeboats stand by in case they're needed to rescue stranded players or spectators.
DeleteThere is Water Polo, so why not water cricket?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
DeleteIf memory serves, the opposite of spring tides are neap tides. I am not going to look it up in case I am wrong, and I don’t want to be. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are quite correct, sir.
DeleteBritish madness! Love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful.
DeleteSnap - Mr B was just yesterday showing me photos of this year's match. We get an exposed bank off where we live now - perhaps we should organize ourselves a new year cricket match along the same lines.
ReplyDeleteDid Mr B take part? Definitely you should organise a cricket match on your sandbank. I can see it now, developing into an annual event with invitations sent out to other similarly inclined people across the world.
DeleteWhat’s that expression about mad dogs and Englishmen…………
ReplyDelete😷
ReplyDeleteI wonder where the spectators sit?? And whether many have been washed away while applauding. Well played, sir, glug, glug..
ReplyDeleteI suspect many stay on their boats, or return to them, sharpish, the 'ground' gradually disappearing beneath their feet.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun kind of crazy (although I've no clue what cricket is all about). We have a little sandbar off the side of our lake property....Hmmm...perhaps? It would likely be one of the longest cricket matches ever as the sandbar usually only once the lake freezes and the snows come.
ReplyDelete