Essex county cricket teams
Encyclopedia
Essex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket
goes back much further than that. It is almost certain that cricket reached Essex by the 16th century and that it developed during the 17th century with inter-parish matches being played.
’s XI, which is recorded in The Dawn of Cricket by H T Waghorn
. The venue is unknown but, if it were at Chingford, it is also the earliest reference to cricket being played in Essex as well as by an Essex team. The game echoed an earlier one in 1718 as the Chingford team refused to play to a finish when Mr Stead's team had the advantage. A court case followed and, as in 1718, it was ordered to be played out presumably so that all wagers could be fulfilled. Lord Chief Justice Pratt presided over the case and he ordered them to play it out on Dartford Brent
, though it is not known if this was the original venue. The game was completed in 1726 .
The earliest reference to a team called Essex is in July 1732 when a combined Essex & Herts team played against the London Cricket Club
.
In July 1737, there was London v Essex at the Artillery Ground
, London winning by 45 runs. In a return game at Ilford on 1 August 1737, Essex won by 7 runs .
References are then occasional until 1785 when the Hornchurch Cricket Club
, based at Langton Park
, became prominent. This club had a very strong team that was representative of Essex as a county. However, the sources differed among themselves re whether the team should be called Essex or Hornchurch. But there is no doubt that Essex was a first-class county from 1785 until 1794, after which the county strangely and abruptly disappeared from the records for a long time.
Essex CCC played its inaugural first-class match on 14, 15 & 16 May 1894 versus Leicestershire CCC at Leyton. It was the initial first-class match played by either club. In 1895, both of these clubs and Warwickshire CCC joined the County Championship
.
For the history of Essex cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Essex 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. It is almost certain that cricket reached Essex by the 16th century and that it developed during the 17th century with inter-parish matches being played.
18th century
The first definite mention of cricket in connection with the county is a highly controversial match in 1724 between Chingford and Mr Edward SteadEdward Stead
Edward Stead was a famous patron of English cricket, particularly of Kent county cricket teams, in the early 18th century.-Cricket career:...
’s XI, which is recorded in The Dawn of Cricket by H T Waghorn
H T Waghorn
Henry Thomas Waghorn , was a cricket statistician and historian. He is best known for his two classic researches into cricket's early history: The Dawn of Cricket and Cricket Scores: 1730 - 1773....
. The venue is unknown but, if it were at Chingford, it is also the earliest reference to cricket being played in Essex as well as by an Essex team. The game echoed an earlier one in 1718 as the Chingford team refused to play to a finish when Mr Stead's team had the advantage. A court case followed and, as in 1718, it was ordered to be played out presumably so that all wagers could be fulfilled. Lord Chief Justice Pratt presided over the case and he ordered them to play it out on Dartford Brent
Dartford Brent
Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. In history, it was the scene of a confrontation between King Henry VI and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York in 1452; and in 1555 thousands of spectators were to witness the burning to death at the stake of...
, though it is not known if this was the original venue. The game was completed in 1726 .
The earliest reference to a team called Essex is in July 1732 when a combined Essex & Herts team played against the London Cricket Club
London Cricket Club
The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:...
.
In July 1737, there was London v Essex at the Artillery Ground
Artillery Ground
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...
, London winning by 45 runs. In a return game at Ilford on 1 August 1737, Essex won by 7 runs .
References are then occasional until 1785 when the Hornchurch Cricket Club
Hornchurch Cricket Club
Hornchurch Cricket Club is based in Hornchurch, Essex and was established in 1783. The club had several good players and for the next ten years it was representative of Essex as a county, the club's name sometimes being interchangeable with that of the county in first-class scorecards.Essex...
, based at Langton Park
Langton Park
Langton Park was a first-class cricket ground in Hornchurch, Essex. Surrounding Langton's House, built in the 18th century , the park was the home of Hornchurch Cricket Club and was a major venue from 1785 to 1793...
, became prominent. This club had a very strong team that was representative of Essex as a county. However, the sources differed among themselves re whether the team should be called Essex or Hornchurch. But there is no doubt that Essex was a first-class county from 1785 until 1794, after which the county strangely and abruptly disappeared from the records for a long time.
19th century
Little was heard of Essex cricket from 1794 until the formation of Essex CCC on 14 January 1876 at a meeting in the Shire Hall, Brentwood . The new club did not become first-class until 1894.Essex CCC played its inaugural first-class match on 14, 15 & 16 May 1894 versus Leicestershire CCC at Leyton. It was the initial first-class match played by either club. In 1895, both of these clubs and Warwickshire CCC joined the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
.
For the history of Essex cricket since the foundation of the county club, see : Essex County Cricket Club
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...
.