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 1896 Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1896 Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1896 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for twenty five years. It was their second season in the County Championship and they came seventh. Derbyshire played 16 games in the County Championship, one match against MCC and one against the touring Australians. They won five matches in the County Championship and six matches altogether. Brewer's son Sydney Evershed was in his sixth season as captain. William Storer was top scorer, as well as keeping wicket and bowling to take 15 wickets. John Hulme