Nunwicks 21st Century

2000

The new century began with Nunwick gaining promotion to the second division of the EVCL by being runners up in Division 3. This was in no small part due to the bowlers who were led by Andy Collin who topped the Divisions bowling averages with an average of 5.55 for his 22 wickets.

2001

The 2001 season was dominated by a non cricket event, the “Foot and Mouth Epidemic” which swept the country. The EVCL fixture list was abandoned for the first part of the summer only resuming towards the end of the season for a few friendly fixtures. A number of grounds were in accessable due to their location in relation to farmland. Nunwick was no exception where a number of the farms in the adjacent village of Great Salkeld had succummed to the nightmare.

The junior coaching continued throughout the year by kind permission of the village school which hosted the sessions in their grounds.

2002

The year started well as both Andy Collin and Ian Brown gained their level 2 coaching awards.

An Under 15 side was introduced to league cricket and played in the the Penrith and District Junior League. From that first group of juniors a number of them have now progressed and gained coaching awards to help the current juniors. The side which were mainly comprised of under 14’s finished runner up in the League and League Cup to a strong Carlisle side.

Ben Crouch became the first Nunwick player to be awarded the EVCL “Most promising under 21”.

2003

A good year for Nunwick as Darren Collin continues his cricket development in fine style succeeding Ben as the EVCL “Most promising under 21”, and claiming the most Man of the Match awards with 8. He was well supported by Norman Shuttleworth who claimed the EVCL Division 2 fielding trophy with 10 catches.

The under 15 side improve on the previous year by winning both the League and defeating Appleby in the League Cup final which was played at Staffield.

2004

Nunwick claim the Second Division title with oustanding performances from Adam Collin who tops the batting averages with an average of 78.4 runs. Ben Crouch was the leading wicket taker with 36 wickets.

2005

For a club who had struggled to field the full compliment of players consistently in the seventies and eighties the formation of a second team was a massive step. The 2nd XI would provide an exit route from junior cricket for those not eligible to play because of age and an introductory route into senior competitive cricket. The team was captained by Chris Malpas, a club stalwart, but was predominately comprised of ex juniors who had come through the ranks.

The commitment to junior cricket was further emphasised by the introduction of under 11 and under 13 sides to the Cumbria Junior Cricket League. The club had moved on from fielding one side per week to fielding six sides per week in under 10 years.

Nunwick also played host to the inaugural Eden Girls Kwik Cricket Festival. The finalists both Plumpton School and Lazonby School went onto the county finals day. Plumpton School defeated Lazonby School in the final. If the decibel levels were an indicator, the the girls enjoyment was obvious to all.

2006

The 1st XI reach the final of the county junior cup only to taste defeat by a narrow margin to Keswick II, who play in a league two rungs above Nunwick in the cricket pyramid. Nunwick had defeated teams from Netherfield and Workington on the cup run.
James Tweedie became the third Nunwick player in five years to be the EVCL “Most promising under 21”.

2007


The first XI are crowned champions of EVCL Division 1 and gain promotion to the “EVCL Premiership”. This was due to a great team effort but the talents of Neil Sands who topped the batting averages and Leg Spinner James Tweedie who won the bowling averages, were highlighted.
The team were back row L-R Keith Buckle, James Tweedie, Neil Sands, Adam Collin, John Mounsey & Giles Harrison. Front Row L-R Matthew Williamson, Ali Mawson, Andy Collin, Dougie Parker and Ian Rose.

The clubs continued to develop its commitment to juniors in gaining the Sport England / ECB Club mark acreditation, and, in doing so become only the second cricket club in Eden to reach that level.

2008

The club introduce a third senior team who in the inaugural “Cumbria Cricket Village League” with the specific aim of giving junior members more experience of competitive cricket.

Nunwick also achieve “Community Amateur Sporting Club” status.


The club hosts its first ever representative game when Cumbria take on Northumberland at under 14 level. One of the large number of spectators was Jonathon Edwards the olympic triple jumper, and parent of the Northumberland wicket keeper. The photograph on the right shows Jonathon with “Tea Ladies” Barbara Malpas and Lynn Dent with her son Thomas. The photograph below shows the match in progress.

In the winter of 2008 an indoor league Starts at Penrith Leisure Centre, where Nunwick are amongst the teams which have entered.