Gloucestershire County Cricket Club League in 2000. 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. In the early 1840s, Dr Henry Grace and his
W. G. Grace in the 1878 English cricket season touring team. A furious altercation between Grace and members of the Australian party took place in front of bystanders outside The Oval, but Grace got his way and Midwinter played for Gloucestershire. The season was notable for the MCC v Australians match at Lord's in May. Grace played for MCC in the match that, completed in a single day, is considered a milestone in cricket history. In July, Gloucestershire made their first visit to Old Trafford to play Lancashire and the match was immortalised by Francis Thompson in his idyllic poem "At Lord's". On a personal level, Grace was still