At 4 something o’clock, Nic was up and prepping to meet our guests on Bluetooth RIB. Ready for their early morning visit to watch the annual cricket match played in the middle of Solent Water.

Since the 1950’s, the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, Southampton and the Island Sailing Club, Cowes, Isle of Wight have met to play a short game of cricket. Bramble Bank itself is only visible during low-water spring tides. Due to the game being dependent on tides, the date changes each year. In 2022 was not played at all as a mark of respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

This year the match started at 6 a.m. Nic and our guests had been bobbing around waiting for Bramble Bank to show itself. They then anchored up and headed onto the sandy spit to watch the proceedings. In addition to the cricket, the King and Queen pub had set up a rum bar offering free tipples to the early morning crowd. Spectators were milling around, many clutching travel mugs and the lucky few with foil-wrapped breakfast sandwiches.

Tim Devlin, captain of the Isle of Wight team and club commodore, said: “The Bramble cricket match is a wonderful tradition that both clubs look forward to and thoroughly enjoy taking part in.”

Although the bowlers race to complete their overs before the tide swamps the wicket, the winner is always decided ahead of time, with the clubs taking turns to hoist the trophy.

This year the islanders were victorious after Royal Southern’s turn in 2021.

By 7:30 am everyone was back onboard Bluetooth. Then it was off to the Island Sailing Club for breakfast before heading back to Hamble Point.

Cricket match at Bramble Bank, September 2nd 2023.

 

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