A CRICKET club formed out of the meeting that gave birth to the Yorkshire county side is also celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

While much attention has focused on the Tykes’ sesquicentennial birthday celebrations, the Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club is also marking a century and a half of life.

A series of events, the highlight of which will be a ‘battle of the blazers’ game against the MCC in August, will mark the occasion over the next 11 months.

The club play their matches in Escrick, in the shadow of Queen Margaret’s School, and they are looking for sponsors as they seek to fittingly celebrate.

“At the meeting at the Crown Hotel in Leeds (in 1863), where the county cricket club was formed, Lord Wenlock stood up and said ‘that’s okay for the players but what about the gentlemen?’” said honorary secretary Dick Brewster on the formation of the club.

“It was agreed a meeting would be held ‘seven days hence at Harkers Hotel in York’ to form the Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club.

“There were a lot of ties between the county and the gents for many years.”

The Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club plays ‘traditional cricket’ with limited overs games forbidden.

Supporting a fixture card of some 36 all-day games, opponents regularly include the likes of Durham University, Ampleforth College and St Peter’s School.

On the MCC game, Brewster added: “We have our own original stripey blazers like the MCC but ours are quite sedate by comparison.”

He continued: “This year is huge for us. It shows that there is longevity at the club and we are looking forward to a very good year. We stand alongside other clubs that have reached this mark – such as the MCC and Yorkshire itself.

“Not too many clubs have reached 150 years and we are very pleased, but really humbled as well. We just hope we can do the club justice.

“We are looking for sponsors at various levels – from the match-ball upwards. We do not have hoardings around the outfield but there are opportunities to be mentioned in a book celebrating the 150th – edited by Chris Jones of the Evening Standard – and also through the website.”

To sponsor the club, or to get more information, contact the Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club through their www.ygcc.co.uk website.


Yorkshire Gentlemen’s Cricket Club Sesquicentennial Calendar 

April 9: Launch of the 150th anniversary at Queen Margaret’s School, Escrick

June 14: Yorkshire CCC 150th anniversary service of thanksgiving at York Minster

August 3: Eve of Festival summer ball at York Racecourse

August 4: v Free Foresters CC – day 1

August 5: v Free Foresters CC – day 2

August 6: v Leicestershire Gentlemen’s CC

August 7: v MCC

August 8: v Yorkshire County Cricket Club XI

August 9: v Harrow Wanderers

August 10: v Great British Organ Transplant XI

August 11: v Cryptics Cricket Club

September 19: Yorkshire CCC 150th anniversary dinner at Headingley

September 30: Anniversary party at Harkers Bar, York

November 14: Sportsman’s dinner at The Parsonage Hotel, Escrick