Founded: 1895

Leagues played in: Lincoln and District Sunday League

Club honours: Lincoln League Division 3 Winners 1998, Division 1 Winners 1979, 1980; Major Hoult Cup Winners 1951, 1953, 1959, 1960, 1979, 1981; Arthur Coles Trophy Winners 1994

Contact details: Mickey Reynolds, postmaster@mareynolds99.plus.com

Website: http://aisthorpe.play-cricket.com

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By Andy Terry

Founded in 1895, Aisthorpe CC has certainly experienced its fair share of World events. After a less than auspicious start to its life, beginning on a losing streak, which it found hard to recover from, it took a necessary break in 1914, not to return in any form until 1932. Although records became patchy after 1939, it was rumoured that during the Second World War Aisthorpe’s ground was taken over by RAF Scampton and that cricket legend Fred Truman once played a game there as part of his National Service at the nearby base.

According to the Lincolnshire Echo, Aisthorpe CC was resurrected again in 1946, thanks to the efforts of Dr Monteith at Aisthorpe Hall. At that time the pavilion had around it a fetching metal fence. Along with the fence four thick poles were to be found at each corner of the square. These features could have been easily explained if you were to have visited the ground between matches (Hint: horses). Also, according to those players who still remember the 1950s, batsmen were urged to hit the square poles to collect two runs, and to loft most deliveries for six as the grass was often only cut once a season (usually at the beginning).

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Records are sketchy at best – especially if one relies on the testimonies of those still alive who remember the ‘old days’ – but it must be assumed that the activities of Aisthorpe CC continued unabated until 2002 when online records began. We know that in the late 1970s leading into the early 1990s, Aisthorpe comprised two teams – a 1st and a 2nd XI. The pavilion still stands (just), and contains many a trophy commemorating achievements of the past; and they were plentiful. If the old guard had not thrown the majority of their silverware away during numerous ‘spring cleans’, the pavilion would be so full of them you would barely have had room to store a stump! During the 1960s and 1970s Aisthorpe were often winning the League, and Major Hoult Division One Trophies. It was a far cry from the early days at the turn of the century when the team could barely reach 30 all out!