From the gifting journal
Cricket Gifts for Dad That Aren't a Mug
01 September 2026 · By Editorial Team
The short answer
Cricket gifts fail when they are about cricket generally: a bat-shaped bottle opener works for a fan of any team, or no team at all. A better gift is about his cricket specifically — his county, his ground, his club or the way he follows the game. That is why a ground print, a considered book or something connected to his playing life usually beats another novelty mug.
Which kind of cricket fan is he? Three different gift briefs
The first question is not what cricket gift to buy. It is which cricket he actually follows. A county member, a club player and an international cricket watcher may all describe themselves as cricket fans, but the same present lands very differently with each.
The county member
He goes to four-day cricket in an empty stand, knows the ground by sight and has probably built his cricket year around particular fixtures. A gift connected to his county or the ground he visits is more considered than a generic cricket object. A good county history, a ticket to a day’s play or a print of his ground all have a clear connection to the way he spends his time.
The club player
He still turns out on Saturdays, keeps an eye on the weather and may have stronger feelings about a scorebook than a slogan on a pint glass. His own club can matter more than an international venue. Look for something useful, personal or connected to the team he actually plays for rather than assuming he wants replica professional kit.
The Test watcher
He follows international cricket closely and may watch every session he can, including the ones interrupted by rain. A thoughtful cricket book, a print of a ground that matters to him or a ticket to a day’s play can suit him better than an item decorated with a generic bat and ball.
Start with these three types before you shop. The county member may value place and routine, the club player may value his own team and playing life, and the Test watcher may value the wider history of the international game.
Why most cricket gifts fail (and it isn't the mug's fault)
A mug is not automatically a bad present. The problem is that most novelty cricket gifts do not say anything about the person receiving them. They swap a football slogan for a cricket slogan, add a pun on a glass and call the job done.
That approach misses the useful distinction between someone who attends county cricket, someone who plays club cricket and someone who watches international cricket. If the object could be given to any sports fan by changing one word, it is unlikely to feel especially chosen.
Use this as a practical sense-check before buying:
| Gift | Best for which fan | Chance he already has one |
|---|---|---|
| Engraved tankard or pint glass | The social cricket fan, if the wording has genuine personal meaning | High |
| Personalised bat or ball | A club player, particularly for a team or playing milestone | Medium |
| Club or county membership renewal | A county member or committed club supporter | Low, but check before buying |
| A good cricket book | A Test watcher, county member or reader who follows cricket closely | Medium |
| A ticket to a day’s play | Someone who prefers being at the ground to receiving another object | Low, but check dates and preferences |
| A scorebook | A club player or someone who scores matches | Medium |
| A framed ground print | A county member or Test watcher with a meaningful venue | Low |
| Cricket-themed novelty items | Someone who actively enjoys gag presents | High |
The table is not a rulebook. A renewal is a poor surprise if he has already arranged it, and a pint glass can work if it refers to a particular club, season or shared memory. The point is to ask whether the gift belongs to his cricket rather than to the sport in the abstract.
Start with his ground
A specific ground is often the most useful starting point because it narrows the gift without making you guess at a slogan, size or team preference. Think about where he watches cricket: a county ground, an international venue or the club ground where he still plays.
The cricket ground prints catalogue covers 43 grounds, including Test and county grounds and famous international venues. The customer chooses the ground in the online designer before ordering, so you can check whether the relevant venue is available rather than assuming it is.
If you are buying for a club player, do not automatically choose the most famous ground. The place he turns out on a Saturday may carry more personal meaning than a venue he has only watched on television.
A print of the ground he watches at
A cricket ground print is a map of a specific ground. Beneath the ground map, you can add a short line of text and optionally a date. That gives you a way to make the gift personal without covering it in cricket jokes or guessing which player he wants mentioned.
Use the cricket ground designer to check the catalogue and choose the ground yourself before ordering. The designer is also the sensible place to confirm whether the particular county or international venue you have in mind is included.
The line beneath the map could be:
- The ground name and the year he joined as a member
- The date of a memorable match
- The name of his club
- The date he first played there
- The name of a family tradition connected to the ground
- A plain line such as “Saturday cricket, [club name]”
- The ground name followed by a season or year
- A short understated message such as “Still turning up”
For a county member, the ground and membership year may be enough. For a club player, his own club name is often the more meaningful line. For a Test watcher, a memorable match date can make the print specific without pretending you know which player or result matters most to him.
If cricket is not the right sport but he follows another venue-based interest, the same approach is available through golf course prints. The principle is the same: choose the place, then add a small piece of personal context.
Gifts for a county member
A county member has already told you what matters by where he spends his time. A membership renewal can be useful, but it is worth checking first because it is the sort of gift he may already have arranged. A ticket to a day’s play is another good option if you know which fixture or format he would enjoy.
For something he can keep, consider a county history or a print of the ground he attends. A ground print does not require you to choose a player, predict his favourite match or buy clothing in the wrong size. Add the year he joined as a member, the ground name or a date that means something to him.
This is also where a general cricket gift is most likely to feel flat. A county member’s interest is usually tied to a place and a routine. Buy for that place and routine.
Gifts for a dad who still plays club cricket
A club player’s cricket is active rather than purely observational. A scorebook may be more welcome than a piece of decorative kit, especially if he scores matches or keeps records for the club. A personalised bat or ball can also work when it marks a real team, season or playing milestone rather than carrying a generic joke.
Ask what he actually does at the club. If he plays, scores, coaches or helps organise fixtures, the answer changes the gift. His club name beneath a ground print can be more personal than a famous Test venue. A useful cricket book may suit him too, but avoid buying a technical item unless you know what he needs.
For more ideas across different sports and activities, see these gifts for sports fans, then filter the suggestions through his actual cricket life.
Books, archives and things to read over a rain delay
A cricket book is a good choice when you know he enjoys the game beyond the score. The safest route is to match the kind of cricket he follows rather than choosing a title because it has a bat on the cover.
- A county history: suited to the member who follows one county closely and enjoys the wider story around it.
- A good tour diary: a choice for the Test watcher who likes the travel, places and texture around international cricket.
- An almanack: useful for someone who enjoys records, fixtures and the detail around the game.
- A biography: appropriate when he has a particular player or cricket era he follows closely.
Books are also a sensible answer for the fan who appears to have everything, provided you check what he already owns and avoid buying a title he has mentioned several times but already bought himself. A book does not need novelty value; it needs to connect to the part of cricket he actually watches or plays.
Cricket gifts to avoid
Skip anything that relies on a pun about “wicket” or “stumped” unless he genuinely enjoys that sort of humour. Avoid novelty drinking games when you do not know that he wants one, and be cautious with replica kit in the wrong size or from the wrong team.
Most importantly, do not assume he supports the same county or team you think he does. Cricket fans can follow a county, a club and an international side at the same time, or have a complicated relationship with all three. If you cannot identify his team, choose a ground, a book or a neutral gift connected to how he follows the game.
Matching the gift to the occasion: Father's Day, birthday, Christmas, retirement
Father’s Day
A ground print or a thoughtful cricket book suits Father’s Day when you want something personal rather than another item for the kitchen. You can find more ideas in the Father’s Day gifts collection.
Birthday
A birthday gives you room to choose something tied to a particular ground, club or match date. For a club player, use his own club as the starting point. For a county member, use the ground he attends.
Christmas
At Christmas, a book, scorebook or ground print can be easier to get right than clothing or equipment. If you are buying for a fan who already has plenty of cricket objects, choose a specific place or subject rather than another generic cricket design.
Retirement
Retirement is a useful occasion for a gift that records a cricket life: a county ground, a club name, a membership year or a meaningful date. Keep the wording restrained if that suits him; personal does not have to mean elaborate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cricket gift for a dad?
A good cricket gift for a dad is one connected to the cricket he follows. A print of a specific ground, a county history, a ticket to a day’s play or a club-related gift is more personal than a generic cricket novelty.
What do you buy a cricket fan who already has everything?
Buy something based on his particular cricket rather than another general cricket item. A ground print with a short line of text and optional date, a carefully chosen book or a ticket can work because they relate to a place, memory or interest.
Are there prints of cricket grounds you can buy as a gift?
Yes. A cricket ground print is a map of a specific ground, with space beneath for a short line of text and optionally a date. The catalogue covers 43 Test and county grounds, including famous international venues. Check the cricket ground designer for the particular ground you have in mind.
What is a good gift for someone who is a county cricket member?
A ground print of the venue he attends, a county history, a ticket to a day’s play or a membership renewal can suit a county member. Check whether he has already arranged the renewal, and choose a ground-related gift when you want something he can keep.
What should I buy a dad who plays club cricket rather than just watching it?
Choose something connected to his own club or playing life. A scorebook, a personalised bat or ball for a genuine milestone, a useful cricket book or a ground print with his club name beneath it can be better than replica kit or a generic slogan.
Find Your Ground and start with the venue that makes the gift specifically his.
Looking more broadly? Browse our personalised Father's Day gifts.
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