Farmers Cricket Ground, Jersey: You must have heard many stories of passion for cricket, but the story of Jimmy Perchard, a resident of Jersey, is different from all. Without any government help or big budget, Jimmy built a cricket ground in the potato field near his house, which not only changed the life of his family, but also took the cricket history of Jersey to new heights. Today, the walls of the club house of this ground are decorated with caps, photos and memories of international teams from America to Vanuatu.
Dream seen in 1977, came true in 2005
This unique journey of Jimmy started in the year 1977, when he used to play friendly matches in the fields during summer days with fellow farmers of the island. After the match he would often discuss that he wished he had his own cricket ground. Jimmy did not let this dream die. He obtained legal permission to build a pitch in the field adjacent to his house in 2003 and exactly two years later, in 2005, the first ball was bowled on this ground.
The beginning was quite simple. There was neither any pavilion nor any special facility on the ground. The players changed their clothes in the car and a kettle of tea was heated in a small portacabin. But gradually, with the help of sponsors, Jimmy built a fence around the ground, prepared a sightscreen and turned it into a beautiful stadium. This ground was named Farmers Cricket Ground.
The son left his father’s farm and became the captain of the country.
For Jimmy, this ground became not just a hobby but also the nursery of his children. His son Charles Perchard grew up playing sports on this ground and used to play cricket with his father all the time. Charles made his international debut on this ground in 2010 and in 2017 he became the captain of the Jersey national cricket team. For Charles, his father’s ground has proved to be a boon for Jersey cricket, which has helped the country reach the World Cup qualifiers. On this very ground, the Jersey team had confirmed its place in the World Cup Global Qualifier for the first time by defeating Italy.
Jersey has its eyes on 2028 World Cup
The Jersey team, ranked 29th in the ICC T20 rankings, had missed out on a place in the 2026 T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka last year due to a slight difference in net run rate, while they had also defeated a strong team like Scotland in the qualifying. However, the team is now once again on a new path. By winning the sub-regional qualifier held recently in Cyprus, the team has reached the final round to be held next year, where their target is to qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
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