Swyncombe Cricket Club badge: a red kite in front of cricket stumps SwyncombeCricket Club

Cookley Green · Oxfordshire

Good cricket,
great companyfor nearly a century.

Friendly 35-over Sunday cricket high on the Chiltern Hills. Neighbouring villages, the occasional touring side, and a ground known to everyone here as the Field of Dreams. New players always welcome.

Come and play See the Field of Dreams
Looking down the full length of the wicket at the Field of Dreams, Swyncombe CC's maroon stumps in the foreground
Swyncombe Cricket Club badge: a red kite soaring in front of cricket stumps

Swyncombe Cricket Club

East, west, Village cricket is best.

Swyncombe Cricket Club plays its cricket at Cookley Green, a picturesque hamlet on top of the Chiltern Hills between Watlington and Nettlebed. Brick-and-flint cottages, red kites wheeling overhead, and a ground members simply call the Field of Dreams.

We're a friendly bunch who came for the cricket and stayed for the people. We're a non-league club who enjoy our cricket. Our fixtures are 35-over Sunday matches from May to the end of September, weather permitting, largely against neighbouring villages, with the occasional visit from a travelling side. The cricket is taken just seriously enough to be competitive but accessible, with even a cheeky beer or two after the game.

Whether you're a seasoned opener, a reformed fast bowler, or you haven't picked up a bat since school, you'll find a game here, plus weekly nets in season to practice whatever your cricketing heart desires.

The Committee

The ground

The Field of Dreams.

Tended to by the wonderful wicket magician Clive and his trusty sidekick Rich. High on the Chilterns at Cookley Green, cut and rolled by hand, watched over by the red kites above. Village cricket at its best.

Local artist Rob Smith's white-on-black ink sketch of Swyncombe cricketers batting, bowling and fielding in motion, signed June 2025
Local artist Rob Smith's interpretation sketch of our team on the Field of Dreams!!
The pitch at the Field of Dreams, with Swyncombe CC's maroon-wrapped stumps in the foreground and the green pavilion beyond
If M&S did wickets
The Field of Dreams and Cookley Green from the air: the pavilion, the square and the hamlet among the fields
From a plane
Evening sunshine over the outfield, practice net and pavilion at the Field of Dreams
A summer evening at the nets
The club's vintage grey tractor towing gang mowers across the outfield under a blue sky
Resident magician Clive doing spells on the green
Freshly mown stripes on the outfield, with Clive and his mower at work
Rich tending to his garden
A Swyncombe batsman at the crease, bat raised, waiting on the bowler
An unusually straight bat
A player fast asleep in a chair on the pavilion terrace while spectators chat behind
A snooze is welcome, sometimes encouraged
Behind the bar at the summer social: a club member serving drinks under pink festival lighting
Our resident giant Big Ben keeping everyone watered at our summer social
The commentary box beside the pavilion: mixing desk, microphones, speakers and the president at the controls in a striped blazer
President Brett Taylor Fuller doubles up in the commentary box when needed
A junior player grinning and holding up a cricket bat snapped clean in two
We play a type of bazball referred to as 'Brettball', works 70% of the time, everytime
Training on the square: a bowler in mid follow-through with batter and keeper waiting at the far end
Sometimes, Clive lets us train on the wicket if we are very well behaved
Five Swyncombe players lined up in their whites at the 6-a-side extravaganza
A shot from the 6 a side extravaganza
The full Swyncombe side lined up in front of the pavilion and gazebos on a sunny match day
Golden evening light across the Field of Dreams mid-match, fielders and batters in position under the oak
Six Swyncombe players posing in two rows in front of the pavilion
A pewter tankard presentation with a delighted photobomb in the background
Members and friends raising glasses together under bunting and festoon lights at the clubhouse bar
Sunset over the Field of Dreams: pink and violet sky above the outfield, seen from beside the pavilion
The Field of Dreams. As appropriately named

Season 2026

Fixtures and results.

Not on the Field of Dreams this week

Swyncombe v Ewelme

Sunday 19th July · 1.00pm · Away

All welcome

SWYNCOMBE CC · SEASON 2026PLAYED 10 WON 06 LOST 04
DateOppositionStartVenueResult
May
Sun 10 MayTwyford and Ruscombe1.00pmAWAYWON
Sun 17 MayCholsey12.30pmAWAYLOST
Sun 24 MayWatlington1.30pmHOMEWON
Sun 31 MaySt Clements Strollers1.30pmHOMEWON
June
Sun 7 JunElmhurst1.30pmHOMEWON
Sun 14 JunIbstone1.30pmHOMEWON
Sun 21 JunAstons1.30pmAWAYLOST
Sun 28 JunWatlingtonTBCAWAYWON
July
Sat 4 JulSummer BBQ Fundraiser. Everyone welcome
Sun 5 JulPangbourne and Whitchurch1.30pmAWAYLOST
Sun 12 JulBlewburyReplaced PSR Maharajahs1.30pmAWAYLOST
Sun 19 JulEwelme1.00pmAWAYTBC
Sun 26 JulNettlebedRV Cup match1.30pmAWAYTBC
August
Sun 2 AugIpsden1.30pmHOMETBC
Sun 9 AugViscount CC1.30pmHOMETBC
Sun 16 AugCrazies Hill1.30pmAWAYTBC
Sun 23 AugTurville1.30pmHOMETBC
Sun 30 AugHambleden1.30pmHOMETBC
September
Sun 6 SepPresident’s Shield SixesClub cup day11.00amHOMETBC
Sun 13 SepGreys Green1.00pmHOMETBC
Sun 20 SepStonor1.00pmAWAYTBC
Sun 27 SepPhil Day CupClub cup dayTBCHOMETBC
Want a game? Get in touch start times sharp-ish; teas non-negotiable

The History of Swyncombe Cricket

A 100 great years of cricket

Cricket on the green

Swyncombe Cricket Club is located in Cookley Green, a picturesque hamlet situated on top of the Chiltern Hills. The road from Watlington to Nettlebed dissects the green, with its brick and flint houses to the north and south side acting as boundary markers for the original cricket ground.

It is hard to imagine that cricket matches were once played on the green as you drive along the tree lined avenue. One can only imagine that the traffic along the B4009 was a little lighter in years gone by, as we might have lost considerable numbers of fielders.

Got a story?

If you have any other stories or photos from years gone by, we would love to see them. Just click the email button to let us know.

Email the club

This oak tree
was planted in memory of
Ronald Austin, Sergt. R.A.F.
missing May 27th 1941
who achieved distinction on
this ground with bat and ball

At the base of the oak tree, to the right of the pavilion

The cast iron plaque at the base of the oak tree, with a remembrance poppy: planted in memory of Ronald Austin, Sergt RAF, missing May 27th 1941

The plaque and its poppy, by the pavilion oak

Ronald Austin

Unlike many of the Swyncombe cricketers at the time, Ron Austin was "a suit", says Dorothy Ackerman, meaning he worked in an office rather than on a farm. He lived at 1 Coates Lane. He was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, or "WOP AG" as they were known in the RAF, and their "half wing" brevets had the initials WAG.

82 Squadron

Ronald served on 82 Squadron based at Watton in Norfolk, flying the Blenheim Mk IV light bomber. Between May 1941 and March 1942 some of the squadron were detached to Malta. A number of aircraft were lost en route, but the ones that made it were used in low-level attacks in the Mediterranean on enemy shipping sailing between Italian ports and North Africa, keeping Rommel's Afrika Corps supplied.

27th May 1941

On 27th May 1941 three Blenheim aircraft from 82 Squadron attacked an enemy convoy, but unfortunately their bombs had been fitted with instantaneous fuses rather than delayed action. The bombs exploded immediately on leaving the aircraft, which severely damaged the aircraft and brought two of them down into the sea. It seems that the third aircraft realised what was happening and did not drop its bombs.

Ron Austin was killed together with the pilot, but the navigator, Sgt Collins, was the only survivor of the attack and was picked up out of the sea by an Italian destroyer, though very badly injured, losing a leg, and becoming a PoW. He was later repatriated in 1943 under the auspices of the Red Cross via Portugal. A picture exists of the moment that he was handed over to the Portuguese.

The war memorial

Though there are 17 names on the Cookley Green war memorial relating to the First World War, Ron J Austin and Jack H Barnett are the only two names from the Second World War, both from the RAF.

Jack Barnett

Barnett was killed in an aircraft accident on 19th October 1942 at Inverness airfield (Dalcross) while still under training as an air gunner. His remains were returned to his family at Swyncombe and buried in St Botolph's churchyard in a civilian grave.

About 20 years ago the Commonwealth War Graves Commission noted that his gravestone inscription was illegible and offered to erect a standard CWGC gravestone. The offer was accepted, and both the original low curbstone grave marker and the white War Graves Commission stone can be seen in the churchyard together, just to the east of the church.

St Botolph's church, Swyncombe: flint walls and tiled roof among the trees and churchyard gravestones

St Botolph's, Swyncombe. Photo: Mary Tebje

A happy ending

A happy ending to an otherwise sad story: the lady with whom Jack Barnett was "walking out" at the time of his death stayed in contact with his family, and sometime later met his elder brother, who was in the Grenadier Guards and had been wounded at Salerno during the Italian campaign, convalescing at his parents' home at Swyncombe. They subsequently married and had 50 plus years together, and two daughters.

Why "the Field of Dreams"?

Ask a member where Swyncombe play and you won't get an address; you'll be told the Field of Dreams. Stand on it on a June evening, kites circling overhead, and the name needs no further explanation.

Groundcraft

The square and outfield get the full treatment: vintage tractor, gang mowers, roller, wheelbarrow and a great deal of patience from the wonderful wicket magician Clive and his trusty sidekick Rich. The Field of Dreams doesn't tend itself.

Lest we forget

Ron J Austin · Jack H Barnett

Thank you to John Scullard, who kindly contributed to the history page

Club honours

Player of the Year.

President

Brett Fuller

Club Captain 2026

Duncan Ellam

Our Vice Presidents

Village cricket runs on goodwill. Our Vice Presidents keep the club on the field, helping cover the ground, the kit, the teas and the running of the season. In return: our lasting gratitude, a warm welcome at every home game, and a name on this board.

Become a Vice President
Swyncombe players and members raising the cup together in the pub, ribbons in club maroon and gold
The President's Men: a team of puppet characters posing with the shield outside the pavilion
The President's Men, winners of the 6-a-side extravaganza 2025

New members

Fancy a game on Sunday?

We're always keen to welcome new members: players of every standard, scorers, umpires, tea-makers and spectators alike. All levels, genuinely.

1

Get in touch

Drop us a line and tell us a bit about yourself, or simply that you'd like a game. That's genuinely all it takes.

2

Come to nets

We run weekly nets through the season. Come and find your eye, meet the side, and see the Field of Dreams for yourself.

3

Play on Sunday

Friendly 35-over matches against local villages, in one of the loveliest settings in Oxfordshire. Good cricket, great company.

A Swyncombe batsman playing a watchful defensive shot, the ball just in front of the bat
Email the club or find us at the ground on a Sunday

Find us

Getting to the Field of Dreams

The ground is at Cookley Green, a hamlet high in the Chiltern Hills on the road between Watlington and Nettlebed, a few miles from Henley-on-Thames. Look for the green, the brick-and-flint cottages and, in summer, the sightscreens.

Parking is on and around the green; please park considerately. Spectators, dogs on leads and passing walkers are all very welcome. Keep an eye out for the kites; the feathered kind circle the ground most afternoons.

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