Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

Gloucestershire CCC
Gloucest cricket logo.png
One Day nameGloucestershire
Personnel
CaptainEngland Chris Dent
One Day captainEngland Chris Dent (LA)
TBA (T20)
CoachEngland Richard Dawson
Overseas player(s)Afghanistan Qais Ahmad
Team information
Colours                        
Founded1870
Home groundBristol County Ground
Capacity7,500 – 17,500
History
First-class debutSurrey
in 1870
at Durdham Down, Bristol
Championship wins0 (unofficial Champion County 4 times)
One-Day Cup wins(2)
FP Trophy/NatWest Trophy wins(5)
  • 1973
  • 1999
  • 2000
  • 2003
  • 2004
Benson & Hedges Cup wins(3)
  • 1977
  • 1999
  • 2000
Official website:gloscricket.co.uk

First-class

Kit left arm yellowborder.png
Kit right arm yellowborder.png

One-day

Kit left arm blackborder.png
Kit right arm blackborder.png

T20

GloucestershireCCCFirstClassKit.svg

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Gloucestershire. Founded in 1870, Gloucestershire have always been first-class and have played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England. The club played its first senior match in 1870 and W. G. Grace was their captain. The club plays home games at the Bristol County Ground in the Bishopston area of north Bristol. A number of games are also played at the Cheltenham cricket festival at the College Ground, Cheltenham and matches have also been played at the Gloucester cricket festival at The King's School, Gloucester.

Gloucestershire's most famous players have been W. G. Grace, whose father founded the club, and Wally Hammond, who scored 113 centuries for them. The club has had two notable periods of success: in the 1870s when it was unofficially acclaimed as the Champion County on at least three occasions, and from 1999 to 2006 when it won seven limited overs trophies, notably a ‘double double’ in 1999 and 2000 (both the Benson and Hedges Cup and the C&G Trophy in both seasons), and the Sunday League in 2000.[1]

Honours

First XI honours

  • Champion County[2] (3) – 1874, 1876, 1877; shared (1) – 1873
  • County Championship (0)
Runners-up (6): 1930, 1931, 1947, 1959, 1969, 1986
2 divisions since 2000 (2000–2003 D2, 2003–2005 D1, 2006– D2)
Division 2 – 2003 – 3rd – promoted to Division 1, 2005 – relegated to Division 2
  • Royal London One-Day Cup (1) – 2015
  • Sunday/National League/Pro40 (1) – 2000
Runners-up (2): 1988, 2003
Division Two (2): 2002, 2006
  • Gillette/NatWest/C&G Trophy (5) – 1973, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004,
Semi-finalists (5): 1968, 1971, 1975, 1987, 2009
  • Benson & Hedges Cup (3) – 1977, 1999, 2000
Finalists (1): 2001
Semi-finalists (1): 1972
  • Twenty20 Cup
Finalists (1): 2007
Semi-finalists (1): 2003

Second XI honours

  • Second XI Championship (1) – 1959

Earliest cricket

Cricket probably reached Gloucestershire by the end of the 17th century. It is known that the related sport of "Stow-Ball" aka "Stob-Ball" was played in the county during the 16th century. In this game, the bat was called a "stave". See Alice B Gomme : The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland.

A game in Gloucester on 22 September 1729 is the earliest definite reference to cricket in the county. From then until the founding of the county club, very little has been found outside parish cricket.

Origin of club

In the early 1840s, Dr Henry Grace and his brother-in-law Alfred Pocock founded the Mangotsfield Cricket Club which merged in 1846 with the West Gloucestershire Cricket Club, whose name was adopted until 1867, after which it became the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.[3] Grace hoped that Gloucestershire would join the first-class county clubs but the situation was complicated in 1863 by the formation of a rival club called the Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Cricket Club.[3]

Dr Grace's club played Gloucestershire's initial first-class match versus Surrey at Durdham Down in Bristol on 2, 3 & 4 June 1870.[4] Gloucestershire joined the (unofficial) County Championship at this time but the existence of the Cheltenham club seems to have forestalled the installation of its "constitutional trappings".[3] The Cheltenham club was wound up in March 1871 and its chief officials accepted positions in the hierarchy of Gloucestershire.[3] So, although the exact details and dates of the county club's foundation are uncertain, it has always been assumed that the year was 1870 and the club celebrated its centenary in 1970.[3]

What is certain is that Dr Grace was able to form the county club because of its playing strength, especially his three sons WG, EM and Fred.[3]

Club history

Gloucestershire CCC in 1880.

The early history of Gloucestershire is dominated by the Grace family, most notably W G Grace, who was the club's original captain and held that post until his departure for London in 1899. His brother E M Grace, although still an active player, was the original club secretary. With the Grace brothers and Billy Midwinter in their team, Gloucestershire won three Champion County titles in the 1870s.

Since then Gloucestershire's fortunes have been mixed and they have never won the official County Championship. They struggled in the pre-war years of the County Championship because their best batsmen, apart from Gilbert Jessop and briefly Charlie Townsend, were very rarely available. The bowling, except when Townsend did sensational things on sticky wickets in late 1895 and late 1898, was very weak until George Dennett emerged – then it had the fault of depending far too much on him. Wally Hammond, who still holds many of the county's batting records formed part of an occasionally strong inter-war team, although the highest championship finish during this period was second in 1930 and 1931, when Charlie Parker and Tom Goddard formed a devastating spin attack.

Outstanding players since the war include Tom Graveney, "Jack" Russell and overseas players Mike Procter, Zaheer Abbas and Courtney Walsh.

Dominance in one-day cricket (1999–2004)

Gloucestershire was very successful in one-day cricket in the late 1990s and early 2000s winning several titles under the captaincy of Mark Alleyne and coaching of John Bracewell. The club operated on a small budget and was famed as a team greater than the sum of its parts, boasting few international stars.[1] Gloucestershire's overall knockout record between 1999 and 2002 was 28 wins and seven losses from 37 games, including 16 wins from 18 at the Bristol County Ground.

The club's run of success started by defeating Yorkshire to win the Benson & Hedges Super Cup in 1999 before then beating neighbours Somerset in the 1999 NatWest Trophy final at Lord's. In 2000 Gloucestershire completed a hat-trick of one-day titles, winning all the domestic limited overs tournaments, the Benson and Hedges Cup, the C&G Trophy and the Sunday League in the same season. The club maintained its success winning the C&G Trophy in 2003 and 2004, beating Worcestershire in the final on both occasions.

Recent years (2006–present)

The club's captain for the 2006 season, Jon Lewis, became the first Gloucestershire player for nearly 10 years to play for England at Test Match level, when he was picked to represent his country in the Third Test against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in June 2006.[5] His figures in the first innings were 3–68, including a wicket in his very first over in Test cricket, and he was widely praised for his debut performance.

Following the retirement of several key players, such as "Jack" Russell and Mark Alleyne, Gloucestershire's fortunes declined. The club subsequently stripped back its playing budget as it looked to finance the redevelopment of the Bristol County Ground in order to maintain Category B status and secure future international games at their home ground. Performances suffered and despite reaching the final of the 2007 Twenty20 Cup, losing narrowly to Kent,[6] the club failed to win any major trophies for a decade.

In 2013 Gloucestershire stopped using 'Gloucestershire Gladiators' as its limited-overs name.[7]

Gloucestershire won their first major silverware for 11 years in 2015, overcoming favoured Surrey to win the Royal London One-Day Cup in the final at Lord's. Captain Michael Klinger, who flew back from Australia to play in the semi-final win over Yorkshire, was named the tournament's MVP scoring 531 runs at an average of over 106.[8]

Rivalries

Gloucestershire contest one of English cricket's fiercest rivalries, the West Country derby against Somerset, which usually draws the biggest crowd of the season for either team. Traditionally, the boundary between the counties is drawn by the River Avon. Although Gloucestershire CCC's home ground is in Bristol, which straddles the Avon (and has been a county in its own right since 1373), many people from south Bristol favour Somerset CCC despite the fact the club plays its home games much further away in Taunton. However, in the past Somerset have played first-class matches at venues in the south of Bristol.[9][10]

Grounds

A tablet of W.G. Grace at the Grace Gates of the Bristol County Ground

The club's debut home match in first-class cricket was played at Durdham Down in the Clifton district of Bristol.[11] This was the only time the county used this venue for a match.[12] The following year Gloucestershire began to play matches at the Clifton College Close Ground in the grounds of Clifton College in the same part of the city, and this remained a regular venue for the county until the 1930s, hosting nearly 100 first-class matches. In 1872 the county used a venue outside Bristol for the first time when they played at the College Ground in the grounds of Cheltenham College. This venue has continued to be used regularly for the county's annual "Cheltenham festival" event, which in the modern era incorporates additional charity events and off-field entertainment.[13] In 1889 Gloucestershire began to play matches at the Bristol County Ground in Bristol, which has subsequently served as the club's main headquarters and hosted the majority of the county's matches. It was here that the club played its first List A match in 1963 against Middlesex, and its first Twenty20 match forty years later against Worcestershire. Somerset have played first-class matches at other venues in the city.[9][10]

In the 1920s Gloucestershire ceased playing at the Spa Ground in Gloucester, which had been in use since 1882, and switched to the Wagon Works Ground in the city. This ground remained in use for nearly 70 years, hosting over 150 first-class matches, before its use was discontinued in 1992. In 2012 the club investigated the possibility of returning to the Wagon Works Ground and making it their permanent headquarters after being refused permission for extensive redevelopment of the County Ground in Bristol,[14] but ultimately this did not occur. In 1993, the club moved its base in Gloucester to Archdeacon Meadow, a ground owned by The King's School. This venue was only used for first-class matches until 2008 but was used for four Twenty20 matches in 2010 and 2011, the most recent county games to take place in the city. All subsequent matches have taken place in either Bristol or Cheltenham.

Players

Current squad

  • No. denotes the player's squad number, as worn on the back of their shirt.
  • double-dagger denotes players with international caps.
No. Name Nat Birth date Batting Style Bowling Style Notes
Batsmen
10 Jack Taylor  England (1991-11-12) 12 November 1991 (age 27) Right-handed Right-arm leg break
15 Chris Dent  England (1991-01-20) 20 January 1991 (age 28) Left-handed Slow left-arm orthodox Club captain
21 George Hankins  England (1997-01-04) 4 January 1997 (age 22) Right-handed Right-arm off break
28 Ian Cockbain  England (1987-02-17) 17 February 1987 (age 32) Right-handed Right-arm medium
88 Miles Hammond  England (1996-01-11) 11 January 1996 (age 23) Left-handed Right-arm off break
All-rounders
12 Graeme van Buuren  South Africa (1990-08-22) 22 August 1990 (age 29) Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox UK passport
13 Benny Howell  England (1988-10-05) 5 October 1988 (age 31) Right-handed Right-arm medium
29 Ryan Higgins  England (1995-01-06) 6 January 1995 (age 24) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium
64 Ben Charlesworth  England (2000-11-19) 19 November 2000 (age 18) Left-handed Right-arm fast-medium
George Scott  England (1995-11-06) 6 November 1995 (age 24) Right-handed Right-arm medium
Wicket-keepers
25 James Bracey  England (1997-05-03) 3 May 1997 (age 22) Left-handed
27 Gareth Roderick  South Africa (1991-08-28) 28 August 1991 (age 28) Right-handed Right-arm medium UK passport
Bowlers
5 Josh Shaw  England (1996-01-03) 3 January 1996 (age 23) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium
6 Tom Smith  England (1987-08-29) 29 August 1987 (age 32) Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox
14 David Payne  England (1991-02-15) 15 February 1991 (age 28) Left-handed Left-arm fast-medium
19 Stuart Whittingham double-dagger  Scotland (1994-02-10) 10 February 1994 (age 25) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium
20 George Drissell  England (1999-01-20) 20 January 1999 (age 20) Right-handed Right-arm off break
23 Chris Liddle  England (1984-02-01) 1 February 1984 (age 35) Right-handed Left-arm fast-medium
36 Matthew Taylor  England (1994-07-08) 8 July 1994 (age 25) Right-handed Left-arm fast-medium
Qais Ahmad double-dagger  Afghanistan (2000-08-15) 15 August 2000 (age 19) Right-handed Right-arm leg break Overseas player

Source: Cricinfo

International players

Among the international players who have represented Gloucestershire are:

Club captains

Records

Bristol County Ground before redevelopment

Team totals

  • Highest total for – 695–9 declared v. Middlesex, Archdeacon Meadow, Gloucester, 2004
  • Highest total against – 774–7 declared by the Australians, Bristol, 1948
  • Lowest total for – 17 v. the Australians, Cheltenham (Spa), 22 August 1896
  • Lowest total against – 12 by Northamptonshire, Gloucester, 1907

Batting

  • Highest score – 341 Craig Spearman v. Middlesex, Gloucester, 2004
  • Most runs in season – 2,860 W. R. Hammond,1933
  • Most hundreds in career – 113 W. R. Hammond, 1920–1951

Best partnership for each wicket

  • 1st – 395 D. M. Young & R. B. Nicholls v. Oxford University, Oxford, 1962
  • 2nd – 256 C. T. M. Pugh & T. W. Graveney v. Derbyshire, Chesterfield, 1960
  • 3rd – 392 A. P. R. Gidman & G. H. Roderick v. Leicestershire, Bristol, 2014
  • 4th – 321 W. R. Hammond & W. L. Neale v. Leicestershire, Gloucester, 1937
  • 5th – 261 W. G. Grace & WO Moberly v. Yorkshire, Cheltenham, 1876
  • 6th – 320 G. L. Jessop & J. H. Board v. Sussex, Hove, 1903
  • 7th – 248 W. G. Grace & E. L. Thomas v. Sussex, Hove, 1896
  • 8th – 239 W. R. Hammond & A. E. Wilson v. Lancashire, Bristol, 1938
  • 9th – 193 W. G. Grace & S. A. P. Kitcat v. Sussex, Bristol, 1896
  • 10th – 137 L. C. Norwell & C. N. Miles v. Worcestershire, Cheltenham, 2014[15]

Bowling

  • Best bowling – 10–40 E. G. Dennett v. Essex, Bristol, 1906
  • Best match bowling – 17–56 C. W. L. Parker v. Essex, Gloucester, 1925
  • Wickets in season – 222 T. W. J. Goddard, 1937 and 1947

Shirt sponsors

One-day / T20 cricket

Season Kit supplier Kit sponsor
FC LA T20
2000 Avec Merchant Investors n/a
2001 GM
2002
2003 Surridge Acorn Recruitment
2004 Marston's
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009 Gray-Nicolls
2010
2011 Total Sitec
2012
2013
2014
2015 Surridge Amlin
2016 D&B Scaffolding D&B Scaffolding
2017 Amber Energy Brightside
2018 Samurai Bluepoppy.co.uk
2019 Hunter Selection

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Reliving Gloucestershire's limited-overs glory days". Espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. ^ An unofficial seasonal title sometimes proclaimed by consensus of media and historians prior to December 1889 when the official County Championship was constituted. Although there are ante-dated claims prior to 1873, when residence qualifications were introduced, it is only since that ruling that any quasi-official status can be ascribed.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rae, p.89.
  4. ^ CricketArchive – match scorecard. Retrieved on 24 November 2008.
  5. ^ Andrew Miller (2 June 2006). "Swinging onto centre stage". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  6. ^ Andrew McGlashan (4 August 2007). "Kent take Twenty20 in thrilling final". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  7. ^ Pete Orchard (20 March 2014). "Talking Point: Should Gloucestershire County Cricket Club change their name?". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 October 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ a b "First-Class Matches played on Knowle Cricket Club Ground, Bristol (3)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b "First-Class Matches played on Imperial Athletic Ground, Bristol (9)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  11. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Gloucestershire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  12. ^ "First-Class Matches played on Durdham Down, Clifton (1)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Plans unveiled for 2015 Brewin Dolphin Cheltenham Cricket Festival". Bristol Post. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  14. ^ "Gloucestershire's future in doubt". ESPNcricinfo. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Scorecard - Gloucestershire CCC vs Worcestershire CCC, 21-24 July 2014". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 July 2014.

Bibliography

  • H S Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1962
  • Derek Birley, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum, 1999
  • Rowland Bowen, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970
  • Simon Rae, W G Grace, Faber & Faber, 1998
  • J R Webber, The Chronicle Of W.G., The Association Of Cricket Statisticians and Historians, 1998
  • Roy Webber, The Playfair Book of Cricket Records, Playfair Books, 1951
  • Playfair Cricket Annual – various editions
  • Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – various editions

External links


This page was last updated at 2019-11-12 09:17 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari