When Patrick Smith first arrived at Gerrards Cross Cricket Club as an overseas player, he couldn’t have imagined that years later he’d be leading the side out fighting for promotion into the Home Counties Premier League Division One.
“I just really enjoyed it,” he says. “There was a great bunch of lads, and when the opportunity to captain came up, it felt like the right thing to do. I’ve had three strong seasons here so far, and I’m hoping the fourth one is even better.”
It didn’t take long for him to make an impact. In his debut season, Gerrards Cross were stuck in the Thames Valley League Division 1, a division they’d tried desperately to escape for years.
And after a turbulent start — two wins and five losses — it looked like they’d be fighting out of the relegation zone rather than promotion. But a hard-fought match against Cookham Dean changed things.
“We played Cookham Dean, chasing 180, and we were 84 for eight. It looked done. But my batting partner at the time and I dug our heels in. That win gave us momentum — and belief. From there, we didn’t look back.”
The team went on a run of 10 straight victories – a club record – which eventually led to their promotion in the final game.
Now established in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League, Gerrards Cross has built a well-balanced squad with a blend of experience and youth.
Last season, the batting lineup was anchored by Chris Marrow, who Patrick Smith claims always seemed to have a bat in his hand. Amongst their other top-order batters, he cemented a platform most weeks for them to capitalise on.
“It was nice to see our juniors stepping up too.”
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the ambition is clear.
“We’re not here to survive. We want to win the league and go up as champions.”
To help achieve that, Gerrards Cross have added three significant signings.
Ben Spencer, a hard-hitting all-rounder returning from a year of injury, fills the gap left by long-time club servant Richard Knudsen. George Harvey joins from Eastcote, also a Bucks player, as a talented wicketkeeper-batter, freeing up Chris to take to the outfield. And Hugo Hammond — an England Physical Disability international — brings both playing experience and off-field insight to the squad.
“Hugo just moved to the area for work, reached out to the club, and we were lucky enough to bring him in. He’s got experience, leadership qualities, and will add real depth to the batting order.”
The club is conscious that promotion would mean another big step up in standard, but they remain in confident spirits. Having finally built up a solid squad of 15–16 players, the aim is not just to challenge but to build a competitive squad that can work together for the next 5+ years.
“When I first arrived, the club had just lost a core group — with the likes of Dan Hampton — so it felt like a transition. Now, we’re starting to put the building blocks in place. We’ve got a young, hungry squad who all know each other and are pushing in the same direction.”
As for rivalries, Slough remain a key matchup — “it’s always a good game” — and the likes Wokingham and Datchet who were relegated last year will undoubtably be fighting for promotion once more.
Photo Credit: Sports Shots
