Wales Minor Counties Cricket Club
Encyclopedia
Wales Minor Counties Cricket Club, representing the historic counties of Wales except Glamorgan
is currently the only non-English member of the Minor Counties Championship in the England and Wales domestic cricket
structure.
The Minor Counties play three-day matches at a level below that of the first-class
game. At present, Wales competes in the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship. It joined the championship in 1988 after Somerset
's second eleven left the competition.
in 1921. The others were Carmathenshire
from 1908 to 1911; Denbighshire
from 1930 to 1935; and Monmouthshire
from 1901 to 1934.
Following the withdrawal of the Somserset Second XI
from Minor counties cricket at the end of the 1987 season
, Wales Minor Counties entered Minor counties cricket for the 1988
season as their replacement. Since then, Wales Minor Counties is yet to win the Minor Counties Championship and MCCA Knockout Trophy
.
The county first played List A cricket in the 1993 NatWest Trophy
against Sussex
. The county appeared in eighteen List A matches from 1993 to 2005, winning eight and losing ten, the majority of which against first-class
opponents. Wales Minor Counties lost the right to play List A cricket when the Minor counties were excluded from the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy from the 2006 season
onward.
The following Wales Minor Counties cricketers also made an impact on the first-class
game or are of note in other fields:
Colin Metson
Danny Collins
Phil Simmons
Alexander French
include:
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
is currently the only non-English member of the Minor Counties Championship in the England and Wales domestic 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...
structure.
The Minor Counties play three-day matches at a level below that of the 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...
game. At present, Wales competes in the Western Division of the Minor Counties Championship. It joined the championship in 1988 after Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
's second eleven left the competition.
Club history
Welsh counties have formerly competed individually in the Minor Counties Championship. Glamorgan was easily the most successful and it became first-classFirst-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...
in 1921. The others were Carmathenshire
Carmarthenshire County Cricket Club
Carmarthenshire County Cricket Club was a county cricket club based in the historic Welsh county of Carmarthenshire that competed in the Minor Counties championship from 1908 to 1911, without success...
from 1908 to 1911; Denbighshire
Denbighshire County Cricket Club
Denbighshire County Cricket Club was a county cricket club based in the historic Welsh county of Denbighshire, that played in the Minor Counties Championship for five seasons from 1930 to 1935 . The side was unsuccessful, and in its final season it lost each of its eight matches, six of them by an...
from 1930 to 1935; and Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire County Cricket Club
Monmouthshire County Cricket Club was a cricket team that represented the county of Monmouthshire in the Minor Counties Championship competition from 1901 to 1934....
from 1901 to 1934.
Following the withdrawal of the Somserset Second XI
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
from Minor counties cricket at the end of the 1987 season
1987 English cricket season
In the 1987 English cricket season Nottinghamshire pulled off the Championship and NatWest Trophy "double"-Honours:*County Championship - Nottinghamshire*NatWest Trophy - Nottinghamshire*Sunday League - Worcestershire...
, Wales Minor Counties entered Minor counties cricket for the 1988
1988 English cricket season
The 1988 English cricket season was dominated by Worcestershire who won the first of two successive championships and also a second successive Sunday league title....
season as their replacement. Since then, Wales Minor Counties is yet to win the Minor Counties Championship and MCCA Knockout Trophy
MCCA Knockout Trophy
The Minor Counties Cricket Association Knockout Cup was started in 1983 as a knockout one-day competition for the Minor Counties in English cricket...
.
The county first played List A cricket in the 1993 NatWest Trophy
1993 NatWest Trophy
The 1993 NatWest Trophy was the 13th NatWest Trophy. It was an English limited overs county cricket tournament which was held between 22 June and 4 September 1993...
against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
. The county appeared in eighteen List A matches from 1993 to 2005, winning eight and losing ten, the majority of which against 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...
opponents. Wales Minor Counties lost the right to play List A cricket when the Minor counties were excluded from the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy from the 2006 season
2006 English cricket season
The 2006 English cricket season includes home international series for England against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. England are coming off a winter with more Test losses than wins, for the first time since 2002-03, but still attained their best series result in India since 1985...
onward.
Famous players
- See List of Wales Minor Counties CC List A players and :Category:Wales Minor Counties cricketers
The following Wales Minor Counties cricketers also made an impact on the 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...
game or are of note in other fields:
Colin Metson
Colin Metson
Colin Peter Metson is the current Managing Director of Cricket of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and a former English cricketer....
Danny Collins
Danny Collins
Daniel Lewis "Danny" Collins is a Welsh footballer currently playing for Ipswich Town on loan from Stoke City. Collins also plays for the Wales national football team as a defender....
Phil Simmons
Phil Simmons
Philip Veraint Simmons is a former skilled all-round cricketer who played as an opening batsman a useful bowler and a talented slip fielder.-Career:...
Alexander French
Alexander French
Alexander Niall French is a Hong Kong cricketer who has played two One Day Internationals and nine ICC Trophy matches for Hong Kong. French made his debut aged 16 at the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia, and played four matches, scoring 22 runs with a highest score of 13 in the debut match against Italy...
Grounds
The club have no fixed home, but play their matches at various grounds across Wales. Grounds used for the 2011 season2011 English cricket season
The 2011 English cricket season began on 2 April with a round of university matches, and will continue until the final of the Clydesdale Bank 40 on 17 September. Three major domestic competitions are contested: the 2011 County Championship, the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 and the 2011 Friends Life t20...
include:
- Eugene Cross ParkEugene Cross ParkEugene Cross Park is a rugby and cricket ground in Ebbw Vale, Wales. In November 1919 the Ebbw Vale Welfare Association was formed and bought the "Bridgend Field". The of land became known as the Welfare Ground, and in 1973 its name was changed to its present title in honour of Sir Eugene Cross,...
, Ebbw ValeEbbw ValeEbbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough... - Pen-y-Pound, AbergavennyPen-y-Pound, AbergavennyPen-y-Pound is a cricket ground in Abergavenny, Wales. It is the home of Abergavenny Cricket Club, who play in the South Wales Cricket League. The ground was first used by the Glamorgan 1st XI in 1981 for limited over matches and in 1983 for County Championship matches. Between 1985 and 1997, the...
- Pontarddulais ParkPontarddulais ParkPontarddulais Park is a cricket ground in Pontarddulais, Glamorgan. The ground was established in 1976, when Pontarddulais Cricket Club played Glamorgan in a friendly, which was the grounds first match...
, PontarddulaisPontarddulaisPontarddulais is a community and town in the City and County of Swansea, Wales. It is situated north west of Swansea city centre. It falls within the Pontarddulais ward.-Overview:... - Usk Cricket Club Ground, UskUskUsk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...