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 1931 match against the touring New Zealanders. Denis Smith was top scorer with two centuries. Veteran Archibald Slater, in his last season, took 106 wickets closely followed by Tommy Mitchell on 105. The only new arrival in the Derbyshire side in 1931 was Alan Skinner who was to see many years service with the club. H Elliott Catches 43 Stumping 28 Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1931 Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1931 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty years. It was their thirty-third season in the County Championship and they won seven