1897 English cricket season
Encyclopedia
The 1897 English cricket season saw Lancashire
win the County Championship
title for the first time in the official running of the Championship, thanks mainly to only three losses in twenty-six matches. Surrey
won more games, and beat Lancashire twice, but one more loss than Lancashire meant that they would have to be content with second place. They could have taken the Championship home if they had beaten Sussex
in the last game at The County Ground, Hove, but after gaining a five-run lead on first innings, Surrey let Billy Murdoch
, C. B. Fry and George Bean
make half-centuries, and rain spoiled their chances of winning on the final day. In the bottom of the table, Derbyshire
strung together a run of 16 matches without victory, as they finished last in the table, and with the end of 1896
yielding three matches without a win, Derbyshire's streak read 19 matches without a win at the end of the season.
Points system:
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
win the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
title for the first time in the official running of the Championship, thanks mainly to only three losses in twenty-six matches. Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
won more games, and beat Lancashire twice, but one more loss than Lancashire meant that they would have to be content with second place. They could have taken the Championship home if they had beaten 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...
in the last game at The County Ground, Hove, but after gaining a five-run lead on first innings, Surrey let Billy Murdoch
Billy Murdoch
William Lloyd Murdoch was an Australian cricketer, who captained the Australian team on tours to England in 1880, 1882 , 1884 and 1890...
, C. B. Fry and George Bean
George Bean
.George Bean was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Sussex County Cricket Club between 1886 and 1898...
make half-centuries, and rain spoiled their chances of winning on the final day. In the bottom of the table, Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
strung together a run of 16 matches without victory, as they finished last in the table, and with the end of 1896
1896 English cricket season
The 1896 English cricket season saw Yorkshire win the County Championship title after only losing three of 26 games, setting a points percentage record with 68.42...
yielding three matches without a win, Derbyshire's streak read 19 matches without a win at the end of the season.
Honours
- County Championship - LancashireLancashire County Cricket ClubLancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
- Minor Counties Championship - Worcestershire
- Wisden - Frederick BullFrederick BullFrederick George Bull, born at Hackney, London on 2 April 1875 and found drowned at St Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, on 16 September 1910, was a cricketer who played for Essex....
, Willis CuttellWillis CuttellWillis Robert Cuttell was an English cricketer. Along with Albert Hallam, his support for Briggs and Mold gave Lancashire its first official County championship victory in 1897...
, Frank DruceFrank DruceNorman Frank Druce, known as Frank Druce was an England cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1897 to 1898. He is one of the very few Test cricketers to have made his claims for inclusion purely upon his performance for an Oxbridge university...
, Gilbert JessopGilbert JessopGilbert Laird Jessop was an English cricket player, often reckoned to have been the fastest run-scorer cricket has ever known, he was Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1898.Relations...
, Jack MasonJack MasonJohn Richard Mason was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests on A.E. Stoddart's 1897/98 tour of Australia. A right-hand bat and right-arm fast-medium pace bowler, Mason played county cricket for Kent between 1893 and 1919...
Final table
| County Championship 1897 - Final Standings | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | P | W | L | D | Pts | GC1 | Pts/GC (as %) | ||
| 1 | Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
26 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 68.42 | |
| 2 | Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
26 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 21 | 61.90 | |
| 3 | Essex 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... |
16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 55.56 | |
| 4 | Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 44.44 | |
| 5 | Gloucestershire Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Gloucestershire 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 Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators.... |
18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 16.67 | |
| 6 | 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... |
20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | ||||
| 11 | |||||||||
| 7 | Middlesex 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... |
16 | 3 | 4 | 9 | ||||
| 7 | |||||||||
| 7 | Warwickshire Warwickshire County Cricket Club Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor... |
18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| 7 | |||||||||
| 9 | Hampshire Hampshire County Cricket Club Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it... |
18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | -3 | 11 | -27.27 | |
| 10 | Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws... |
16 | 2 | 5 | 9 | ||||
| 7 | |||||||||
| 11 | 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... |
16 | 3 | 9 | 4 | ||||
| 12 | |||||||||
| 12 | Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... |
18 | 2 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| 12 | |||||||||
| 13 | Leicestershire Leicestershire County Cricket Club Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland.... |
14 | 1 | 10 | 3 | ||||
| 11 | -81.82 | ||||||||
| 14 | Derbyshire Derbyshire County Cricket Club Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire... |
16 | 0 | 9 | 7 | -9 | 9 | -100.00 | |
- 1 Games completed
Points system:
- 1 for a win
- 0 for a draw, a tie or an abandoned match
- -1 for a loss
Most runs in the County Championship
| 1897 County Championship - leading batsmen | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Bobby Abel Bobby Abel Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship... |
Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
26 | 1833 | 50.91 | 6 | 5 |
| Jack Brown | Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
22 | 1431 | 43.36 | 3 | 6 |
| Ted Wainwright Ted Wainwright Ted Wainwright was an English first-class cricketer, who played in 352 first-class matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1888 and 1902. An all-rounder, Wainwright helped to establish the county at the top under Lord Hawke's captaincy, during the early years of County Championship cricket... |
Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
25 | 1372 | 39.20 | 5 | 4 |
| David Denton David Denton David Denton was an English first-class cricketer. An attacking batsman, he had a long career with Yorkshire and played eleven Tests for England. His nickname of 'Lucky' came from his habit of surviving the numerous chances, that his attacking batting style naturally created for the opposition... |
Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
26 | 1328 | 34.05 | 2 | 8 |
| Ranjitsinhji | 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... |
19 | 1318 | 42.51 | 3 | 6 |
Most wickets in the County Championship
| 1897 County Championship - leading bowlers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Matches | Balls bowled | Wickets taken | Average |
| Tom Richardson Tom Richardson Tom Richardson was an English cricketer. A fast bowler, Richardson relied to a great extent on the break-back , a relatively long run-up and high arm which allowed him to gain sharp lift on fast pitches even from the full, straight length he always bowled... |
Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
26 | 6990 | 238 | 14.23 |
| Johnny Briggs Johnny Briggs (cricketer) Johnny Briggs was a left arm spin bowler for Lancashire County Cricket Club between 1879 and 1900 who still stands as the second-highest wicket-taker in the county's history after Brian Statham... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
26 | 5770 | 140 | 16.38 |
| Frederick Bull Frederick Bull Frederick George Bull, born at Hackney, London on 2 April 1875 and found drowned at St Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire, on 16 September 1910, was a cricketer who played for Essex.... |
Essex 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... |
16 | 4365 | 109 | 20.38 |
| Willis Cuttell Willis Cuttell Willis Robert Cuttell was an English cricketer. Along with Albert Hallam, his support for Briggs and Mold gave Lancashire its first official County championship victory in 1897... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
26 | 519 | 102 | 17.77 |
| John Hearne John Hearne John Hearne may be:* J. T. Hearne , British cricket bowler* J. W. Hearne , British cricket all-rounder* John Edgar Colwell Hearne , Jamaican-born Canadian writer & educator... |
Middlesex 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... |
16 | 5333 | 102 | 18.52 |
Leading batsmen
| 1897 English cricket season - leading batsmen | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team(s) | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| Bobby Abel Bobby Abel Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship... |
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... , South of England, Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
32 | 2099 | 44.65 | 6 | 7 |
| Ranjitsinhji | Gentlemen 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... , MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... , 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... |
26 | 1940 | 45.11 | 5 | 7 |
| Jack Brown | North of England, 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... , Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
29 | 1809 | 42.06 | 3 | 9 |
| George Brann George Brann George Brann was an English amateur cricketer and footballer who had a long career with Sussex County Cricket Club at the end of the 19th century, and played three matches for the England national football team.-Education:... |
Gentlemen 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... , South of England, 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... |
26 | 1626 | 36.95 | 3 | 12 |
| Ted Wainwright Ted Wainwright Ted Wainwright was an English first-class cricketer, who played in 352 first-class matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1888 and 1902. An all-rounder, Wainwright helped to establish the county at the top under Lord Hawke's captaincy, during the early years of County Championship cricket... |
North of England, 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... , Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
32 | 1612 | 35.82 | 5 | 6 |
Leading bowlers
| 1897 English cricket season - leading bowlers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team(s) | Matches | Balls bowled | Wickets taken | Average |
| Tom Richardson Tom Richardson Tom Richardson was an English cricketer. A fast bowler, Richardson relied to a great extent on the break-back , a relatively long run-up and high arm which allowed him to gain sharp lift on fast pitches even from the full, straight length he always bowled... |
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... , South of England, Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
30 | 8019 | 273 | 14.45 |
| John Hearne John Hearne John Hearne may be:* J. T. Hearne , British cricket bowler* J. W. Hearne , British cricket all-rounder* John Edgar Colwell Hearne , Jamaican-born Canadian writer & educator... |
MCC Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... , Middlesex 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... , 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... |
26 | 8113 | 173 | 17.72 |
| Johnny Briggs Johnny Briggs (cricketer) Johnny Briggs was a left arm spin bowler for Lancashire County Cricket Club between 1879 and 1900 who still stands as the second-highest wicket-taker in the county's history after Brian Statham... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
28 | 6465 | 155 | 16.51 |
| Cyril Bland | South of England, 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... |
26 | 5703 | 129 | 21.66 |
| Willis Cuttell Willis Cuttell Willis Robert Cuttell was an English cricketer. Along with Albert Hallam, his support for Briggs and Mold gave Lancashire its first official County championship victory in 1897... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... , North of England |
29 | 5609 | 120 | 16.45 |
Annual reviews
- James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual (Red Lilly), Lillywhite, 1898
- Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1898