T. N. Pearce's XI
Encyclopedia
T. N. Pearce's XI was a scratch cricket
team composed largely of Test
and other prominent first-class
players.
Between 1951 and 1974, T. N. Pearce's XI played an annual first-class match at the end of the English cricket season against the touring team. The match was part of the annual Scarborough Cricket Festival
and, though played in a spirit of some conviviality, it often produced highly competitive games with outstanding performances. It was usually the last first-class match of the season.
The T. N. Pearce side was selected and organised by Tom Pearce
, who had captained Essex
between 1933 and 1950 and was an England
Test selector for many years after his retirement from playing. Before Pearce took on the organisation of the side, a similar match had been organised at the Scarborough Festival by H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, and before Leveson-Gower by Charles Thornton
.
Further matches were played in the 1976 and 1978 seasons, but the festival then lapsed for a few years and when it was revived in the 1980s, the scratch side was first organised (and sometimes led) by Brian Close
and then by the TV personality Michael Parkinson
.
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...
team composed largely of Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and other prominent first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
players.
Between 1951 and 1974, T. N. Pearce's XI played an annual first-class match at the end of the English cricket season against the touring team. The match was part of the annual Scarborough Cricket Festival
Scarborough Festival
The Scarborough Festival is an end of season series of cricket matches featuring Yorkshire County Cricket Club which has been held in Scarborough, on the east coast of Yorkshire, since 1876. The ground, at North Marine Road, sees large crowds of holiday makers watching a mixture of first class...
and, though played in a spirit of some conviviality, it often produced highly competitive games with outstanding performances. It was usually the last first-class match of the season.
The T. N. Pearce side was selected and organised by Tom Pearce
Tom Pearce
Thomas Neill Pearce OBE was an English cricketer and Rugby Union official. He was primarily a batsman for Essex and was captain for nearly 20 years. He also acted as secretary, chairman and president of Essex, and was also a Test selector for England.-Cricket career:Pearce made his first-class...
, who had captained Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
between 1933 and 1950 and was an England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
Test selector for many years after his retirement from playing. Before Pearce took on the organisation of the side, a similar match had been organised at the Scarborough Festival by H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, and before Leveson-Gower by Charles Thornton
Charles Thornton (cricketer)
Charles Inglis Thornton , nicknamed "Buns", was an English cricketer who played more than 200 first-class matches in the later 19th century, for no fewer than 22 different teams....
.
Further matches were played in the 1976 and 1978 seasons, but the festival then lapsed for a few years and when it was revived in the 1980s, the scratch side was first organised (and sometimes led) by Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
and then by the TV personality Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
.