The villages of Great Bowden and Little Bowden, Leicestershire are separated by the River Welland and both
abut the town of Market Harborough.
In 1882, both villages formed a cricket team and for well over a century each Club went their separate ways,
playing friendly fixtures at weekends against local village opposition in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. Records show
that the first game between Great Bowden and Little Bowden took place in 1883. However, a challenge from Little Bowden was
declined in 1884 when Little Bowden could not raise a team from inhabitants of the village. This was apparently an important
rule of village cricket in those days.
After various homes around the village, Great Bowden Cricket Club took up a base at the Great Bowden Recreation
Ground at some time before 1923. The Club played from a wooden pavilion situated on the southern boundary of the ground
from 1967.
Little Bowden Cricket Club had a home at Little Bowden Recreation Ground for much of its life, before moving
to Symingtons Recreation Ground in Market Harborough in the late 1970's.
Great Bowden moved to play league cricket in the early 1990's, whilst Little Bowden found it a struggle
to continue to put out sides for both Saturday and Sunday friendly games.
As Great Bowden progressed in the Northamptonshire Alliance Cricket League, the Club looked to run a league
second eleven. However, difficulties were experienced in recruiting players. Talks were entered into between the Clubs' and
the decision was taken in 1997 to form the one Club, Bowden Cricket Club, to play at Great Bowden Recreation Ground.
The amalgamation of the two clubs has been a success. Bowden Cricket Club now runs four senior sides each
week during the season and also has thriving junior section with that alone having over 80 members.
The new Club's members, with help from the local community, raised funds to replace the wooden pavilion
with a new modern building, in 2005.
