Kent county cricket teams
Encyclopedia
Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket
goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex
, is the birthplace of the sport. It is widely believed that cricket was invented by children living on the Weald
in Saxon or Norman times.
See : History of cricket to 1696
Cricket became established in Kent during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the English Civil War
. It is believed that the earliest county teams were formed in the aftermath of the Restoration
in 1660.
.
Kent was a major county throughout the 18th century, largely due to the Dartford Cricket Club
and famous patrons such as Edward Stead
, Sir Horatio Mann
and John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset. Noted Kent players included William Bedle
, Robert Colchin
, John Frame
and Joseph Miller.
of Kent opened the bowling and was no-balled for using a roundarm
action, a style he had attempted to introduce since 1807. Willes promptly withdrew from the match and refused to play again in any important fixture. His action proved the catalyst for the so-called "roundarm revolution".
Kent struggled against the prominence of Sussex in the early roundarm years but then enjoyed a glorious period in the middle of the century. Rowland Bowen has recorded that a Maidstone newspaper in 1837 described a match between Kent and Nottinghamshire as for the County Championship
. This is the earliest known use of the term although the concept of a Champion County was much older. Kent was duly proclaimed "Champion County" in 1837 and through most of the 1840s. Mainstays of the Kent team in those years included Alfred Mynn
, Fuller Pilch
, Nicholas Wanostrocht
aka "Felix", Ned Wenman
and William Hillyer
.
On 6 August 1842, formation of the original Kent County Cricket Club took place in Canterbury
. The new Kent CCC played its initial first-class match against All-England at the White Hart Ground in Bromley on 25, 26 & 27 August 1842. On 1 March 1859, a substantial reorganisation occurred to create the present Kent CCC.
For the history of Kent cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Kent County Cricket Club
.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, is the birthplace of the sport. It is widely believed that cricket was invented by children living on the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
in Saxon or Norman times.
See : History of cricket to 1696
History of cricket to 1696
The history of cricket to 1725 traces the sport's development from its perceived origins to the stage where it had become a major sport in England and had been introduced to other countries....
17th century
The first definite mention of cricket in Kent relates to a match at Chevening in 1610 between teams from the Weald and the Downs.Cricket became established in Kent during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It is believed that the earliest county teams were formed in the aftermath of the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660.
18th century
The first recorded inter-county match took place in 1709 between Kent and SurreySurrey county cricket teams
Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
.
Kent was a major county throughout the 18th century, largely due to the Dartford Cricket Club
Dartford Cricket Club
Dartford Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England and its origins go back to the early 18th century, perhaps earlier.See also: Dartford Brent...
and famous patrons such as Edward Stead
Edward Stead
Edward Stead was a famous patron of English cricket, particularly of Kent county cricket teams, in the early 18th century.-Cricket career:...
, Sir Horatio Mann
Sir Horatio Mann
Sir Horatio Mann, 2nd Baronet was an English MP. He is remembered as a member of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire and a patron of Kent cricket. He was an occasional player but rarely in first-class matches....
and John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset. Noted Kent players included William Bedle
William Bedle
William Bedle was an English cricketer who played for Dartford and Kent in the first quarter of the 18th century. He is the sport's earliest known accomplished player...
, Robert Colchin
Robert Colchin
Robert "Long Robin" Colchin was a highly influential professional English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period at a time when the single wicket version of the game was popular.-Cricket career:...
, John Frame
John Frame (cricketer)
John Frame was an English cricketer and arguably the first great fast bowler in the game's history...
and Joseph Miller.
19th century
In the 1822 MCC versus Kent match at Lord’s, John WillesJohn Willes (cricketer)
John Willes was an English cricketer who, though he made only five known first-class appearances, had a significant impact on the game's history and development...
of Kent opened the bowling and was no-balled for using a roundarm
Roundarm bowling
In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
action, a style he had attempted to introduce since 1807. Willes promptly withdrew from the match and refused to play again in any important fixture. His action proved the catalyst for the so-called "roundarm revolution".
Kent struggled against the prominence of Sussex in the early roundarm years but then enjoyed a glorious period in the middle of the century. Rowland Bowen has recorded that a Maidstone newspaper in 1837 described a match between Kent and Nottinghamshire as for the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. This is the earliest known use of the term although the concept of a Champion County was much older. Kent was duly proclaimed "Champion County" in 1837 and through most of the 1840s. Mainstays of the Kent team in those years included Alfred Mynn
Alfred Mynn
Alfred Mynn was an English cricketer during the game's "Roundarm Era". He was a genuine all-rounder, being both an attacking right-handed batsman and a formidable right arm fast bowler. The noted cricket writer John Woodcock ranked him as the fourth greatest cricketer of all time. Simon Wilde...
, Fuller Pilch
Fuller Pilch
Fuller Pilch was an English cricketer. Described as "the greatest batsman ever known until the appearance of W. G. Grace", the right-hand batting Pilch played 229 first class cricket matches between 1820 and 1854 for an assortment of counties, including Kent, Hampshire, Surrey and Surrey, as well...
, Nicholas Wanostrocht
Nicholas Wanostrocht
Nicholas "Felix" Wanostrocht was a noted English amateur cricketer....
aka "Felix", Ned Wenman
Ned Wenman
Edward Gower Wenman was an English cricketer in the mid-19th century.Coming to eminence in 1831, he was a key member of the great Kent team of the 1840s and generally rated one of the best wicket-keepers of the period...
and William Hillyer
William Hillyer
William Richard Hillyer , was a prominent cricketer for Kent County Cricket Club, MCC and many other sides in the days before county and international cricket was organised into regular competitions....
.
On 6 August 1842, formation of the original Kent County Cricket Club took place in Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. The new Kent CCC played its initial first-class match against All-England at the White Hart Ground in Bromley on 25, 26 & 27 August 1842. On 1 March 1859, a substantial reorganisation occurred to create the present Kent CCC.
For the history of Kent cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
.