This short extract is from The Centenary of Durham Senior Cricket by Ray Pallister. Published 2002. Just google his article; you will read some interesting notes about past times as well as cricket.
This year marked the start of competitive cricket in the North East. The County Cricket Club convened a meeting on November 28th 1887 to launch the Durham County Challenge Cup Competition. This began in season 1888, initially with two divisions (North and South): clubs involved were Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Consett, Coundon, Crook, Darlington, Durham City, Hendon, Hetton Lyons, Jarrow, Medomsley, Norton, North Durham, Philadelphia, Ryhope, Sedgefield, Shildon, Stockton, Sunderland, Ushaw Moor, West Hartlepool and Whitburn.
The competition was aimed at encouraging cricket in the county, but it led to endless disputes and protests. The differences in the strength of the club sides led to some farcical games, and meetings of the committee organising the competition were held every week and sometimes twice a week in order to resolve the many disputes. Travel itself was a large problem, despite the network of railways. To get to Coundon or Consett from Norton or South Shields could, in those times, require a day’s journey.
WB
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