Founding Of Berne Cricket Club 1977

It took an Irish cricket enthusiast plus a few optimistic British expatriates to start a cricket club in Berne during the summer of 1977. Over a beer in the local pub on a Friday night, plans were formed to get a local side together and the first practice in Marzilimoos was scheduled for the next weekend.

Cricket in Switzerland existed only in Geneva (1815) and Zuoz (1924), according to local records, so Berne did well to make third place before clubs in Basel, Zürich, Wintherthur and CERN joined the ranks of the Swiss Cricket Association in the late seventies.

 

The first operative committee of Berne Cricket Club comprised of

John Mackenzie, chairman

Keith Hewlett, secretary

Greg Rimes, treasurer

Peter MacLaverty, captain

Geoff des Ligneris, member

Louis Adhihetty, member

Geoff Issott, member

 

Their pioneer work included organizing a field to play on, a cricket mat, club equipment, balls, post box, score book and scoreboard, and draw up a constitution.

The private premises of the Australian embassy members served as meeting and fundraising venues, including casino nights (later the marine house) for much needed financial funds.

BCC soon became one of the most cosmopolitan cricket teams in Switzerland, with representatives from seven nations drawn from local institutions including the UPU, Hasler AG, the English church, the local
pub and surrounding embassy staff, to mention a few of the expat havens.

Berne Cricket Club has always been privileged to have distinguished patrons from embassies of most cricketing nations represented in Switzerland. The very active committee organized tours of Southern
England (Kent and Surrey), Porlezza (Italy), Zuoz plus participation in all local league and cup competitions.

The following members contributed to BCC’s club activities on and off the field during the first years of Berne Cricket Club. Not only has the club flourished, but its success has encouraged others to follow its example.

Geoff des Ligneris
Member-Berne CC Founding Committee

Cricket in Switzerland, Cricket in Bern, Cricket in Berne, Cricket Switzerland