County cricket being played in 1709, though an official County Championship was not instituted until 1890. Having already been badly hit by the Seven Years' War, county cricket ceased altogether during the Napoleonic Wars and there was a period from 1797 to 1824 during which no inter-county matches took place. Inter-county cricket was popular throughout the 18th century, although the best team, such as Kent in the 1740s or Hampshire in the days of the famous Hambledon Club, was usually acknowledged as such by being matched against All-England. The most successful county teams were Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. There was,
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1966 most wickets. Peter Gibbs joined the side from Oxford University, and Maurice Hill joined from Nottinghamshire. Alan Ward made his debut with Derbyshire during the season. All three saw further years service with Derbyshire. Bob Taylor Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1966 Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1966 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety-five years. In the County Championship, they won eight matches to finish ninth in their sixty-second season in the Championship. They were eliminated in round 2 of the Gillette Cup. Derbyshire played 28 games in the County Championship, one