Parley Sports Club dates from the 1940s when local sportsmen returning from the war founded a football and cricket club located on parish council land. As the club grew it developed into one of the most successful Dorset football clubs winning the Dorset Combination League on a regular basis throughout the 1960s. The clubhouse was officially opened by the famous cricket commentator John Arlott on 13 October 1961.
The cricket club progressed throughout the 1970s and 1980s, moving from being a summer sporting outlet for footballers to being a strong Division One presence in the Bournemouth League. In the late 1980s the cricket club joined the Dorset League where it rapidly progressed through the divisions. Amalgamation with Springfield Amateurs C.C. in 1993 gave the club a presence in the Dorset Premier league along with the introduction of several talented players. Further amalgamation with Monty's C.C. in 1996 gave Parley a strong organisational and youth infrastructure.
In 2000 Parley became Dorset champions for the first time, going through the season unbeaten. Following this the club has built its youth structure to the point where the club is able to field a number of very successful teams at every age group. In subsequent years the success of its youth teams has been remarkable. In 2006 its under 15 team won the Portman Under 15 National Club Championship after a memorable sequence of wins. The core of this team have stayed together and, in 2009, justified the club's youth policy by winning the Dorset Premier League championship; the youngest side ever to do so. The club switched to play some teams in the Hampshire League and successfully climbed the league ladder in a decade. This culminated in the winning of the Hampshire League in 2019.
Results from the 2022 season provided a promotion to the Southern Premier Cricket League. This ECB Premier League is widely recognised as the highest level of amateur cricket across the South of England.
Over the years several Parley players have been selected to play for Dorset in Minor County cricket.
As the club continues to grow it looks forward to extending its success and proudly notes the achievement of David Payne in progressing from its youth teams to success in the England under-19 team and a full time contract with Gloucestershire CCC. In July 2021 'Sid' was selected for the full England ODI squad for a series on home soil against Pakistan. Also Tom Barber who toured with the England U19s squad and secured a full time professional position firstly with Middlesex CCC and then with Nottinghamshire CCC. May they be the first two of many.
On 22 June 2022 David 'Sid' Payne was selected to play for England in an ODI against The Netherlands. England won the game by 8 wickets with Sid bowling 9 overs and securing 1 wicket for 38 runs. A proud day for him and his family and a historic moment for him and Parley Cricket Club
There is no doubt that the basis of the badge was originally that of Bournemouth Amateurs Cricket Club who it is believed were formed in the 1920's. There is a long history of the distinction in cricket between Players (people paid to play) and Gentlemen (amateur players) and that is where the name of the club was sourced. It was not until 1963 that the MCC abolished that amateur status causing all first class cricketers to become professionals. Bournemouth Amateurs CC merged with Springfield CC in 1983 to become Springfield Amateurs CC. Then 1993 saw the merger of Parley CC and Springfield Amateurs CC as Parley Springfield CC. There was a further merger with Monty's in 1995 to form Parley Monty's CC. The rules of the Parley Sports Club dictated that those names were used for a couple of years when the Springfield and Monty's were dropped to leave Parley Cricket Club.
I have been unable to ascertain why the rose and griffin were chosen together. However Bournemouth would have been within the Hampshire county boundary and the symbolisation of the griffin depicts excellent characteristics (see below).
The Hampshire Rose – its origin remains a mystery! The Hampshire red rose has been adopted as an emblem by organisations throughout the county – including the HGS! The symbol varies from a single or double rose, to the Tudor Rose depicted on King Arthur’s round table in Winchester. But where did it originate?
Could it have evolved from ‘The Golden Rose of Provence’?
Believed to be the original centrepiece of King Arthur’s round table, and the badge adopted by Winchester born Henry III after he married Eleanor of Provence in 1236.
Or did it derive from the Lancastrian red rose?
The initial link between Hampshire and Lancaster was made in 1283, when Henry IIIs younger son, the Earl of Lancaster & Leicester, brought Hampshire’s Somborne Hundred into the Earldom of Lancaster.
Whatever the origin of the Hampshire rose, it could forever remain a mystery!
What does a griffin symbolise?
It is used to denote strength and military courage and leadership. Griffins are portrayed with the rear body of a lion, an eagle's head with erect ears, a feathered breast, and the forelegs of an eagle, including claws. These features indicate a combination of intelligence and strength.
Please see below the pictured Springfield Amateurs and Parley Springfield badges and colours. Springfield CC did not have a badge and the Bournemouth Amateurs CC badge was adopted on their merger in 1983. Colours have also changed with the 2000 combination supposed to represent the colours of the 3 merged teams. However instead of a maroon band the jumpers arrived from the manufacturers with a pink band! Over the years the Parley Cricket Club badge has developed into a hexagonal rose over the griffin and matured into the present navy and gold colours.
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