Prince's Cricket Ground
Encyclopedia
Prince's Cricket Ground in Chelsea, London
was a cricket
ground, created by two brothers by the name of Prince, on which 37 first-class
matches were played between 1872 and 1878. The ground was built on in 1883. The boundaries of the site are marked by Cadogan Square West, Milner Street, Lennox Gardens Mews, Walton Street and Pont Street.
Middlesex County Cricket Club
used the ground between 1872 and 1876. The ground was also used by South of England and by Gentlemen of the South. Several Gentlemen v Players
fixtures were also played there. In 1878, the touring Australians
played two matches on the ground: Gentlemen of England v Australians and Players v Australians (the last first-class match held on the ground, scheduled for 11 September to 13 September but finished in two days). The increasing acquisition of portions of the site for building development discouraged its further use.
The former first-class cricketer Thomas Box
was employed as an attendant at the ground. On 12 July 1876, during the Middlesex v Nottinghamshire match, he collapsed. He died three hours later.
The site was also used for lawn tennis, badminton
and other games. A permanent roller skating
rink was also added.
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
was a cricket
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...
ground, created by two brothers by the name of Prince, on which 37 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...
matches were played between 1872 and 1878. The ground was built on in 1883. The boundaries of the site are marked by Cadogan Square West, Milner Street, Lennox Gardens Mews, Walton Street and Pont Street.
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
used the ground between 1872 and 1876. The ground was also used by South of England and by Gentlemen of the South. Several Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
fixtures were also played there. In 1878, the touring Australians
Australian cricket team in England and North America in 1878
In 1878, an Australian cricket team made the inaugural first-class tour of England by a representative overseas side. The tour followed one made by an England cricket team to Australia in 1876/77, during which the first Test matches were played....
played two matches on the ground: Gentlemen of England v Australians and Players v Australians (the last first-class match held on the ground, scheduled for 11 September to 13 September but finished in two days). The increasing acquisition of portions of the site for building development discouraged its further use.
The former first-class cricketer Thomas Box
Thomas Box
Thomas Box was a famous English cricketer who is remembered as one of the most outstanding wicketkeepers of the 19th century.-Player:...
was employed as an attendant at the ground. On 12 July 1876, during the Middlesex v Nottinghamshire match, he collapsed. He died three hours later.
The site was also used for lawn tennis, badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
and other games. A permanent roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
rink was also added.
Ground records in first-class matches
- Highest total: 612 Oxford University v Middlesex 1876
- Lowest total: 47 Middlesex v Oxford University 1874
- Highest individual score: 261 WG Grace South of England v North of England 1877
- Best bowling: 8-31 Fred MorleyFred MorleyFrederick Morley was a professional cricketer who was reckoned to be the fastest bowler in England during his prime...
Players of the North v Gentlemen of the South 1875 - Highest partnership 281 (for the 2nd wicket) WG Grace & JM Cotterill South of England v North of England 1877