GO cricket in durham

Durham County Cricket Club was established in May 1882, and the team played their first match at Ashbrooke Cricket Ground in Sunderland the following month where they defeated Northumberland by four wickets.

Over the years Durham have won many acolades including the Minor Counties Championship a record-equalling nine times between 1900 and 1984. The team also became the first minor county to defeat a first class county in the Gillette Cup in 1973 when they beat Yorkshire.

Between 1976 and 1982 Durham notched up a record of 65 minor county matches without defeat, and in March 1989 the club’s committee applied to become a first class cricketing county club.

After less than three years, the Test and County Cricket Board awarded Durham County Cricket Club first class status on 6th December 1991 – the first county to be granted such status for 70 years.

Durham has also been home to number of top class players such as Ian Botham, David Graveney, Wayne Larkins, Paul Parker, Geoff Cook, Dean Jones and Simon Hughes.

In 1993 planning approval was granted for the club’s current ground, Riverside [map], a splendid arena that is the newest addition to the Test Match circuit having hosted England v Zimbabwe in the second Test in June 2003.

The club’s first match at the Riverside was in May 1995 against Warwickshire, and since then Durham County Cricket Club has continued to go from strength to strength.

For more information and current fixtures for Durham County Cricket Club check out the Website www.durhamccc.co.uk