Derbyshire (cricket)

Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first-class county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic structure. The club represents the historic county of Derbyshire. Its limited overs team is called the Derbyshire Falcons.

The club plays most of its home games at its County Ground in Nottingham Road, Derby, which it has used since the foundation of the club on 4 November 1870. The ground had been in use for cricket since 1863 and the inaugural first-class match played there was Derbyshire v Lancashire in August 1871. Other grounds in frequent use have been Queen's Park Cricket Ground, Chesterfield, since 1898; Rutland Recreation Ground, Ilkeston, from 1925 to 1994; and Park Road Cricket Ground, Buxton, from 1923 to 1986.

Derbyshire has won the official County Championship once, in 1936, having been third and 2nd in the two previous seasons. Derbyshire at that time was led by Arthur Richardson and owed much to a strong bowling attack consisting of Bill Copson, Alf Pope, Tommy Mitchell and Les Townsend. Noted batsmen included opening batsman Denis Smith and England all-rounders Townsend and Stan Worthington. The wicket-keeper was another England player Harry Elliott. Other noted players at the club have been the pace bowler Les Jackson and seamers Cliff Gladwin and Billy Bestwick.

Honours

First XI

• County Championship (1) – 1936
  • Division Two (0) –
• ECB Knockout Trophy (1) – 1981
• ECB National League (1) – 1990
  • Division Two (0) –
• Twenty20 Cup (0) –
• Benson & Hedges Cup (1) – 1993

Second XI

• Second XI Championship (0) –
• Second XI Trophy (0) –
• Minor Counties Championship (0) –