The South Essex District Cricket Board’s knock-out cup has its origins in Thurrock, when it was known as the Thurrock and District Knock-Out Cup, the silverware was – and still is – known as the Fred Dinmore Trophy. Its format was a very popular sixteen overs per side, with eight deliveries in an over.  On this page, it is intended to review every final played, by providing a match report as well as the teams and scores. That will be quite an achievement – it is understood that the event first took place shortly after the formation of the Thurrock and District Cricket Association.  The Association was formed in 1947, with the first competition being staged in 1951.

In its infancy, just after the end of second world war hostilities, it was reported that the Association contacted the Club Cricket Conference to obtain consent to run a competition rather than the normal ‘friendly’ fixtures; the Association were informed, in apparently no uncertain terms, that the event was likely to be too competitive and not in keeping with the values and traditions of the game.  However, the Conference did advise that approval for the event could be granted if it were for charitable purposes.  Therefore, as the England captain at the time, Freddie Brown, was President of the National Blind Cricketers Association, a decision was made that a charitable collection in favour of the Blind would take place at each Thurrock Knock-Out fixture.  Collections were often topped up by a donation from the Association itself and this tradition continued until the Thurrock and District Cricket Association disbanded in 1997, following the introduction of regional cricket boards by the newly-formed England and Wales Cricket Board.

In 2009, the competition format changed to be twenty overs per side to be more aligned with the modern-day twenty-20 format, though so far there has been a resistance to introduce coloured clothing.  If you have any records, scorebooks, photographs or information about this competition, would you please contact the SEDCB Secretary, Cliff Cansdale, who would be pleased to include any details on this page.  With acknowledgements to Geoff Lake, SEDCB Vice-President, who has provided the competition winners covering a period from 1966 to 2008 inclusive and match details from 1998 to 2002, and former local cricketer Don Crossley.

PAST WINNERS

2011 – Stanford le Hope

Stanford le Hope once again won the trophy after overcoming the Pegasus and Corringham score of 137-8.  Stanford reached their target with just four balls to spare but with seven wickets in hand, as the victors ended on 140-3 after 19.2 overs.  More details to appear when known.

2010 – Stanford le Hope

Stanford le Hope are the winners of the 2010 knock-out competition after defeating host club Thurrock by four wickets at Blackshots. Winning the toss and electing to bat, Stanford posted a match-winning score of 131 for 6, for whom the main contributors were Robert Page, 23, Martin Leslie, 22 and Matthew Page, also scoring 22, despite the best efforts of Thurrock’s Brooks, who returned 2-13 from his alloted four overs. After the break, Thurrock were off to a flyer as Ayub and Stanikzai scored freely, reaching 32 and 37 respectively. But Ross Poulton turned the game Stanford’s way as he produced identical bowling figures to the earlier performance of Brooks. With another Stanford spinner – this time Neil Samwell, who claimed 1-15 from four overs, the lid was firmly placed on the Thurrock reply as they fell just short of the target, producing a final tally of 123 for the loss of eight wickets.

2009 – unknown – to be researched and advised

2008 – Stanford le Hope

The 2008 final produced an exciting, close finish as Stanford le Hope won with just one ball to spare.  Horndon on the Hill, batting first on their own ground, reached 132 for the loss of seven wickets after the customary 16 eight-ball overs, with Jeff West jnr top scoring with 45.   But Lee Knight and Gary Sanderson kept Stanford in contention with 3-39 and 2-22 respectively.  After the break, Horndon claimed three early wickets, but then Lee Knight (49 not out) and Nathan Shearer (29 not out) joined forces to put together a match-winning unbroken partnership of 84 to clinch victory by seven wickets.

2007 – Horndon on the Hill

2006 – Horndon on the Hill

2005 – Stanford le Hope

2004 – Grays and Chadwell

2003 – Stanford le Hope

2002 – Horndon on the Hill

The 2002 final, staged at Horndon Recreation Ground on Friday 19th July was a real thriller and featured some excellent individual performances.  Horndon, batting first, reached 143 for the loss of six wickets, for whom Kevin Price made his mark with a fine undefeated 57.  But Grays and Chadwell’s Matthew Hills came very close to pulling off a victory with 69 not out.  But Matthew had to witness a procession of departures from the other end of the pitch as Horndon’s Price completed a superb all-round performance with 4-33, while Paul Bennett gave valuable support with 3-21.

2001 – Stanford le Hope

Friday 20th July saw Stanford le Hope CC win the knock-out cup on their own ground, by defeating Pegasus and Corringham CC by 23 runs.  Stanford had brothers Peter and Ian Gray to thank as they scored 29 and 25 respectively, despite an excellent spell of pace bowling from Daryl Hymas which yielded four wickets at a cost of only 22 runs.  Pegasus and Corringham were then dismissed for 97, thanks to John Briggs being able to match Hymas’s figures of 4-22, while Martin Hathaway took 3-20.

2000 – Grays and Chadwell

On Friday 21st July at Stanford Recreation Ground, Grays and Chadwell batted first and posted 143-8 from their sixteen eight-ball overs.  Their main contributor was Dave Evans, who was dismissed just one short of a deserving half-century.  Corringham finished on 135-9 in a close finish, for whom Mark Bridger scored 51.  For Grays and Chadwell, Robert Neal took 4-28 and Evans completed a fine all-round performance with 2-30.

1999 – Horndon on the Hill

On Friday 23rd July at North Stifford, Horndon on the Hill stormed to an impressive four-wicket victory over Belhus in a high scoring encounter.  Belhus, batting first, had reached 160 for the loss of just two wickets, with Andrew Cayless making 61 not out and Wayne Read hitting 41 not out.  But then Steve Cole and David Towler hit back for Horndon by scoring 44 and 41 respectively, to help their team to a tremendous victory with one over to spare.  The competition was sponsored by William Taylor Insurance Brokers, David Towler picked up the man of the match award and a cheque to the value of £50, while Horndon’s competition-winning prize was £300.

1998 – Stanford le Hope

The competition was sponsored by local businessman William Taylor for the third consecutive season and for this season, the event was known as the William Taylor Insurance Brokers knock-out competition.  The final was held on Friday 17th July at North Stifford village green, the ground having been leased to him by Thurrock Council several years previously.  His generous sponsorship of the event was for £1,000, shared between this competition and the veteran’s trophy.  Stanford le Hope batted first and were dismissed for 113 with Ian Gray top scoring with 25.  Humphrey and Wilkinson took 3-29 and 3-20 respectively for Orsett.  In reply, Orsett were restricted to 103 for the loss of seven wickets, despite a fine 33 from Kevin Sargeant.  Darren MacDonald took 2-23 for Stanford and he was adjudicated as man of the match by the sponsor, for which a £50 prize was awarded.  His team also benefitted from Bill Taylor’s generous sponsorship to the tune of £300 for winning the competition.  In addition, the win rounded off a fine double for Stanford; the club won the veterans’ trophy the previous evening.

1997 – Orsett

The competition was in the second year of sponsorship from Bill Taylor, under the name of Sports Corner, which was a sports retail business owned by him in Lodge Lane, Grays.  He generously sponsored the event to the tune of £1,000, with a £300 cheque going to Orsett, the winners.

1996 – Grays and Chadwell

1995 – Horndon on the Hill

The 1995 final was played at Stanford Recreation Ground.  Horndon’s Dave Stitson was in devastating form with the bat.  The Belhus bowling was despatched to all parts of the ground as Stitson hammered 82 runs off just 49 balls to secure a convincing victory.

1994 – Stanford le Hope

1993 – Stanford le Hope

1992 – Orsett and Thurrock

Orsett and Thurrock defeated Belhus in the final, which was a similar situation to the 1981 final.

1991 – Orsett and Thurrock

1990 – Horndon on the Hill

1989 – Stanford le Hope

1988 – Tilbury

1987 – Stanford le Hope

1986 – Orsett and Thurrock

1985 – Orsett and Thurrock

1984 – Orsett and Thurrock

1983 – Orsett and Thurrock

1982 – Orsett and Thurrock

1981 – Orsett and Thurrock

Orsett and Thurrock defeated Belhus quite comfortably.  Orsett scored 101 batting first, but Belhus never came close as they suffered a collapse of match-losing proportions.

1980 – Thames

1979 – Orsett and Thurrock

1978 – Belhus

Pegasus and Corringham hosted the 1978 final, which was played between Belhus and Thames Board Mills.  Belhus batted first and scored 138 for the loss of just three wickets, for whom Bill Taylor top scored with 56 not out.  Taylor then completed a fine all-round performance by taking four wickets, while Geoff O’Neill took three catches in the outfield.  It proved to be a comfortable victory in the end for Belhus, the only time the club has won the Thurrock knock-out cup.

1977 – Orsett and Thurrock

1976 – Orsett and Thurrock

1975 – Orsett and Thurrock

1974 – Orsett and Thurrock

1973 – Tilbury

1972 – Grays

1971 – Thurrock Interknit

1970 – Thurrock Interknit

1969 – Shell Club

1968 – Dagenham Cables

1967 – Thurrock RAFA

1966 – Shell Club

1965 -

1964 -

1963 -

1962 -

1961 -

1960 -

1959 -

1958 – Lathol

1957 – Lathol

1956 -

1955 -

1954 -

1953 -

1952 -

1951 -

The inaugural Thurrock and District Cricket Association knock-out final was staged at the Co-Operative Sports Ground at Grays, and Fords were known to be one of the finalists.  The Association had been formed three years earlier, in 1947.  Former local cricketer Don Crossley advises that the ground was like “a postage stamp” and Fords had a great batsman in their team by the name of Albert Dransfield, a hard-hitting number three.   According to Don’s re-collection of events, a large crowd turned up to watch the game.  More information will be added to this page in due course as our research is ongoing.