Cambridge University Cricket Club

Cambridge University
Captain: England Alisdair Pollock
Coach: England Chris Scott
Founded: 1820 (1820)
Home ground: Fenner's
First-class debut: Cambridge Town Club
in 1817 (1817)
at Parker's Piece, Cambridge
Official website: cucc.net

Cambridge University Cricket Club (CUCC), which represents the University of Cambridge, has had major status from 1817: i.e., classified as an unofficial first-class team by substantial sources from 1817 to 1894;[1][2] classified as an official first-class team from 1895 by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the County Championship clubs;[3] and classified as a List A team in 1973 only.[4]

Home fixtures are played at Fenner's. CUCC has two men's teams (the Blues and the Crusaders) and one women's team. The inaugural University Match between CUCC and Oxford University Cricket Club (OUCC) was played in 1827 and is now the club's sole first-class fixture each season. Apart from this annual game, played in late June or early July, CUCC operates as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE), which includes Anglia Ruskin University. The UCCE was rebranded as Cambridge MCC University (MCCU) prior to the 2010 season. The University Match is the only one in which a true CUCC team takes part: i.e., composed entirely of current Cambridge students.

The earliest reference to cricket at Cambridge University is in 1710. A Cambridge University team played against an Eton team in 1754 and 1755, although those were minor matches. It is not known if the Eton teams were present or past pupils.

Cambridge University began an annual series against Cambridge Town Club, which evolved into the original Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club, on 30 May 1817.[5] It is with this game that both teams acquired major status.

Both play an annual Varsity Match against Oxford as well as other matches throughout the University Easter term. The first team four-day Varsity match retains its first class status and alternates between being held at Fenner's and at The Parks. The one-day match is played at Lord's.

Cricket at Cambridge University

The cricket team of 1899.

Cricketers who represent Cambridge University strive to be awarded a cricketing 'Blue', the University wide mark of sporting achievement. A 'Blue' is currently awarded to those representing the First XI at Lords' in the Varsity 1-day Fixture, or in the 4-Day First-Class fixture (Oxford University only awards a Blue for the First-Class Fixture). Those representing the Second XI (the Crusaders) are eligible for a 'Colour' if they represent the Crusaders in the Second XI Varsity against Oxford's 'Tics. Despite having a large winter training squad, and many players representing the University over the summer months (up to 50 players from the training squad and College level) rarely are more than a total of 12 Blues and 12 Colours awarded across a season.

Old Blues are eligible to join the 'Quidnuncs'. The Quidnuncs join for a 5-yearly dinner in the Long Room at Lords, the next of which will be in 2015.

Recent history

In recent Oxford/Cambridge Varsity matches (other than the notable whitewash in 2011) the honours have been fairly even between the two Universities. In 2009 Cambridge won the 4-day Fixture, but lost the 1-day Fixture. In 2010 the Cambridge Blues played Oxford in 3 'Varsity' Matches for the first time - the Twenty20, 4-Day First-Class Fixture and the 1-Day Fixture at Lords. Cambridge won the 1-Day fixture at Lords to prevent an Oxford clean sweep chasing down 270 to win. In 2011 the Cambridge Blues won all three Varsity matches against Oxford, and as a result were the Hawks' Club team of the year. In the heavily rain affected 2012 season they won the 1-day fixture at Lords for the third year in a row, but were defeated in the Twenty20 at the Parks. The 4 day match ended in a draw. 2013 saw a reinvigorated Oxford team claim victory at Lord's and in the 4-Day Varsity.

The Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (CUCCE) team played 27 first-class matches from 2001 to 2009. As Cambridge Marylebone Cricket Club University, the team has played fourteen first-class matches from 2010 to 2015.

Grounds

The three grounds that Cambridge University have used for home first-class and List A matches since 1821 are listed below, with statistics complete through to the end of the 2014 season. Only the first-class and List A matches played at the ground by Cambridge University are recorded in the table.

Name Location First Last Matches First Last Matches Refs
First-class List A
University Ground Barnwell 24 May 1821
v Cambridge Town Club 		30 May 1830
v Cambridge Town Club 		8 – – 0 [6][7]
Parker's Piece
 Cambridge 27 May 1835
v Marylebone Cricket Club 		13 May 1847
v Marylebone Cricket Club 		13 – – 0 [8][9]
Fenner's
 Cambridge 18 May 1848
v Marylebone Cricket Club 		2 July 2013
v Oxford University 		838 6 May 1972
v Worcestershire 		11 May 1974
v Essex 		4 [10][11][12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ACS (1981). A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863. Nottingham: ACS.
  2. ↑ ACS (1982). A Guide to First-Class Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles. Nottingham: ACS.
  3. ↑ Birley, p. 145.
  4. ↑ "List A events played by Cambridge University". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  5. ↑ Cambridge Town Club v Cambridge University 1817
  6. ↑ "University Ground, Barnwell, Cambridge". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  7. ↑ "First-Class Matches played on University Ground, Barnwell, Cambridge (8)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  8. ↑ "Parker's Piece, Cambridge". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  9. ↑ "First-Class Matches played on Parker's Piece, Cambridge (13)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  10. ↑ "FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  11. ↑ "First-Class Matches played on FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge (838)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  12. ↑ "List A Matches played on FP Fenner's Ground, Cambridge (4)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2015-02-11.

External links

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