North v South

This article is about the English cricket fixture. For the 2015 film, see North v South (film). For the New Zealand Rugby fixture, see North vs South rugby union match.

The North of England and South of England cricket teams appeared in first-class matches between the 1836 and 1961 seasons, most often playing against each other but also individually in games against touring teams, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and others. Until international cricket became firmly established towards the end of the 19th century, the North v South match was one of the major fixtures in the cricketing calendar along with Gentlemen v Players. Indeed, North v South was really the major fixture because it could potentially showcase the best 22 players in the country, whereas Gentlemen teams in the other match were often very weak.

In all, there were 155 North v South matches in first-class cricket. The South won 62; the North won 55; 37 were drawn, and one match in 1889 was abandoned.

Early matches – 1836 to 1838

Cricket in the 18th century had been predominantly a southern game, played especially in London and the southeastern counties. It had spread to the northern counties by the 1770s and noted clubs were formed at Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield which eventually became the basis of county cricket in the north. In the 1820s, a number of northern players such as Sam Redgate, Tom Marsden, Thomas Barker and James Dearman established reputations which made cricket promoters aware of commercial possibilities in a North v South fixture.

The inaugural North v South match was held at Lord's Cricket Ground on 11 and 12 July 1836 and the North won by 6 wickets to confirm their capability and potential. Barker took ten wickets in the match and scored the most runs with 25 and 12 not out. The North's victory caused a sensation and a return match was quickly organised. This took place at Barker's Ground in Leicester and the South won by 218 runs. Redgate for the North and William Lillywhite for the South took twelve and eleven wickets in the match respectively, but the outstanding performance was an innings of 125 not out by Alfred Mynn despite a serious leg injury sustained in practice. His condition worsened as the match went on and he had to withdraw. With insufficient medical resources locally, Mynn was lifted onto the roof of a stagecoach and secured there to be taken to London, where he was admitted to St Bartholomew's Hospital. The surgeon considered amputation but decided against it and Mynn was able to resume his cricket career in July 1838. Mynn's injury raised the issue of leg guards which were generally frowned upon at the time, but the legalisation of roundarm bowling in 1835 meant that bowling was much faster than formerly and, gradually, pads were introduced.

The next two North v South games took place in 1837 and 1838 and were won convincingly by the South. Interest faded and the fixture disappeared for eleven years until it was resurrected in the 1849 season. In the meantime (1840–48), the North played annual matches against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). A feature of North v South from the beginning was that players could represent either team depending on current residency or being "borderline", thus a player living in the Midlands might well change sides often. In the first four games alone, no less than six players represented both sides. The total appearances by players in the 1836 to 1838 matches were:

• 4 – Ned Wenman, Fuller Pilch, George Jarvis, George Millyard, James Cobbett, Sam Redgate, Thomas Barker, Tom Marsden
• 3 – Emmanuel Vincent, William Lillywhite, James Dearman, James Taylor, Thomas Beagley, Thomas Box, William Clifford, William Garrat
• 2 – Alfred Mynn, Bartholomew Good, Charles Creswell, Francis Fenner, George Rothera, Jem Broadbridge, Richard Mills, Tom Adams, William Hillyer
• 1 – Arthur Rich, Daniel Hayward, Edward Grimston, Frederick Ponsonby, Henry Hall, John Bayley, John Gibson, Joe Guy, John Wenman, Thomas Heath, William Clarke, William Dorrinton, William Ward, Will Caldecourt

An annual event

From 1849, the match became virtually an annual fixture and was often contested two or three times in the same season. It was played four times in 1878. The revival was at Lord's on 16 and 17 July 1849 when the North won by 243 runs after William Clarke and John Wisden dismissed the South for 48 and 67.

There was a change to the fixture's naming convention between 1866 and 1868 when the River Thames became the dividing line and the teams were called North of the Thames and South of the Thames. This effectively restricted the South's catchment to the counties of Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

The match at Lord's on 27–29 May 1889 had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to bad weather. Cricket magazine pointed out that three Lord's fixtures were abandoned during that month. Despite the loss of that match, the fixture was played another five times in 1889 at The Oval, Chichester, Old Trafford, Scarborough and Hastings. North v South continued annually through to 1897 but was not held in either 1898 or 1899. It was revived in September 1900 when two matches were played, both at southern venues.

United Elevens

During the 1870s the fixture received competition in the shape of matches between the equivalent professional touring teams, the United North of England Eleven and the United South of England Eleven. There were 11 games involving the United sides and then one (the last) in 1880 when the United South played against the official North. Other variations featured teams called Gentlemen of the North, Gentlemen of the South, Players of the North and Players of the South who played against each other on several occasions.

20th century

The fixture's popularity waned as international cricket expanded and it was played less frequently in the 20th century. Following the two games in September 1900, there were only eight instances between then and September 1920, all of them in the 1904 to 1908 period. Between the two world wars, there were eleven matches. The fixture was resurrected in 1946 after the end of the Second World War and, except for 1953, was played annually, sometimes more than once a season, through to 1958. Then there was a three-year hiatus until the final first-class match took place 6 to 8 September 1961 at Stanley Park, Blackpool, the South winning by two wickets. The fixture was finally ended by the advent of limited overs cricket, which left no space for it in an already crowded calendar.

Revival

The last North v South contest of the 20th century was a one-day 50 over match at Trent Bridge in the 1971 season, which the South won by 9 runs. There was a temporary revival in March 2017 when a three-match series, under one-day 50 overs rules, was staged in the United Arab Emirates. In March 2018, a similar series was played in Barbados as part of the English county cricket pre-season schedule.

Early matches – 1836 to 1838

Cricket in the 18th century had been predominantly a southern game, played especially in London and the southeastern counties. It had spread to the northern counties by the 1770s and noted clubs were formed at Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield which eventually became the basis of county cricket in the north. In the 1820s, a number of northern players such as Sam Redgate, Tom Marsden, Thomas Barker and James Dearman established reputations which made cricket promoters aware of commercial possibilities in a North v South fixture.

The inaugural North v South match was held at Lord's Cricket Ground on 11 and 12 July 1836 and the North won by 6 wickets to confirm their capability and potential. Barker took ten wickets in the match and scored the most runs with 25 and 12 not out. The North's victory caused a sensation and a return match was quickly organised. This took place at Barker's Ground in Leicester and the South won by 218 runs. Redgate for the North and William Lillywhite for the South took twelve and eleven wickets in the match respectively, but the outstanding performance was an innings of 125 not out by Alfred Mynn despite a serious leg injury sustained in practice. His condition worsened as the match went on and he had to withdraw. With insufficient medical resources locally, Mynn was lifted onto the roof of a stagecoach and secured there to be taken to London, where he was admitted to St Bartholomew's Hospital. The surgeon considered amputation but decided against it and Mynn was able to resume his cricket career in July 1838. Mynn's injury raised the issue of leg guards which were generally frowned upon at the time, but the legalisation of roundarm bowling in 1835 meant that bowling was much faster than formerly and, gradually, pads were introduced.

The next two North v South games took place in 1837 and 1838 and were won convincingly by the South. Interest faded and the fixture disappeared for eleven years until it was resurrected in the 1849 season. In the meantime (1840–48), the North played annual matches against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). A feature of North v South from the beginning was that players could represent either team depending on current residency or being "borderline", thus a player living in the Midlands might well change sides often. In the first four games alone, no less than six players represented both sides. The total appearances by players in the 1836 to 1838 matches were:

• 4 – Ned Wenman, Fuller Pilch, George Jarvis, George Millyard, James Cobbett, Sam Redgate, Thomas Barker, Tom Marsden
• 3 – Emmanuel Vincent, William Lillywhite, James Dearman, James Taylor, Thomas Beagley, Thomas Box, William Clifford, William Garrat
• 2 – Alfred Mynn, Bartholomew Good, Charles Creswell, Francis Fenner, George Rothera, Jem Broadbridge, Richard Mills, Tom Adams, William Hillyer
• 1 – Arthur Rich, Daniel Hayward, Edward Grimston, Frederick Ponsonby, Henry Hall, John Bayley, John Gibson, Joe Guy, John Wenman, Thomas Heath, William Clarke, William Dorrinton, William Ward, Will Caldecourt

An annual event

From 1849, the match became virtually an annual fixture and was often contested two or three times in the same season. It was played four times in 1878. The revival was at Lord's on 16 and 17 July 1849 when the North won by 243 runs after William Clarke and John Wisden dismissed the South for 48 and 67.

There was a change to the fixture's naming convention between 1866 and 1868 when the River Thames became the dividing line and the teams were called North of the Thames and South of the Thames. This effectively restricted the South's catchment to the counties of Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

The match at Lord's on 27–29 May 1889 had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to bad weather. Cricket magazine pointed out that three Lord's fixtures were abandoned during that month. Despite the loss of that match, the fixture was played another five times in 1889 at The Oval, Chichester, Old Trafford, Scarborough and Hastings. North v South continued annually through to 1897 but was not held in either 1898 or 1899. It was revived in September 1900 when two matches were played, both at southern venues.

United Elevens

During the 1870s the fixture received competition in the shape of matches between the equivalent professional touring teams, the United North of England Eleven and the United South of England Eleven. There were 11 games involving the United sides and then one (the last) in 1880 when the United South played against the official North. Other variations featured teams called Gentlemen of the North, Gentlemen of the South, Players of the North and Players of the South who played against each other on several occasions.

20th century

The fixture's popularity waned as international cricket expanded and it was played less frequently in the 20th century. Following the two games in September 1900, there were only eight instances between then and September 1920, all of them in the 1904 to 1908 period. Between the two world wars, there were eleven matches. The fixture was resurrected in 1946 after the end of the Second World War and, except for 1953, was played annually, sometimes more than once a season, through to 1958. Then there was a three-year hiatus until the final first-class match took place 6 to 8 September 1961 at Stanley Park, Blackpool, the South winning by two wickets. The fixture was finally ended by the advent of limited overs cricket, which left no space for it in an already crowded calendar.

Revival

The last North v South contest of the 20th century was a one-day 50 over match at Trent Bridge in the 1971 season, which the South won by 9 runs. There was a temporary revival in March 2017 when a three-match series, under one-day 50 overs rules, was staged in the United Arab Emirates. In March 2018, a similar series was played in Barbados as part of the English county cricket pre-season schedule.

List of first-class North v South matches

List of first-class North v South matches
#	Date	Venue	Winners	Winning margin	Ref
1	11 July 1836	Lord's, St John's Wood, London	North	6 wickets
2	22 August 1836	Barker's Ground, Leicester	South	218 runs
3	10 July 1837	Lord's	South	5 wickets
4	25 June 1838	Lord's	South	8 wickets
5	16 July 1849	Lord's	North	243 runs
6	30 August 1849	Parr and Wisden's Ground, Leamington Spa	North	9 wickets
7	15 July 1850	Lord's	North	innings and 19 runs
8	8 August 1850	Leamington Spa	North	innings and 118 runs
9	3 July 1851	The Oval, Kennington, London	North	60 runs
10	14 July 1851	Lord's	North	12 runs
11	1 July 1852	The Oval	North	innings and 8 runs
12	7 July 1853	The Oval	South	70 runs
13	27 July 1854	Higher Common Ground, Tunbridge Wells	South	2 wickets
14	28 May 1855	Lord's	North	18 runs
15	9 August 1855	Tunbridge Wells	South	innings and 39 runs
16	30 June 1856	Lord's	South	6 wickets
17	7 August 1856	Broughton Cricket Club Ground, Salford	Drawn
18	20 July 1857	Lord's	South	14 runs
19	13 August 1857	Tunbridge Wells	North	8 wickets
20	7 September 1857	Trent Bridge, Nottingham	Drawn
21	12 July 1858	Lord's	North	4 wickets
22	27 June 1859	Lord's	South	10 wickets
23	15 August 1859	St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury	North	90 runs
24	30 August 1860	Merefield Ground, Rochdale	Drawn
25	17 September 1860	London Road, Sleaford	North	53 runs
26	15 July 1861	Lord's	South	4 wickets
27	5 September 1861	Aston Park, Aston, Birmingham	South	43 runs
28	29 May 1862	Old Trafford, Manchester	Drawn
29	21 July 1862	Lord's	North	innings and 10 runs
30	21 May 1863	Old Trafford	North	10 wickets
31	20 July 1863	Lord's	North	29 runs
32	27 August 1863	Wavertree Road Ground, Liverpool	North	84 runs
33	27 June 1864	London Road, Sleaford	Drawn
34	11 August 1864	Old Trafford	North	9 wickets
35	5 September 1864	Cattle Market Ground, Islington	South	innings and 29 runs
36	12 June 1865	Lord's	South	52 runs
37	7 August 1865	Canterbury	South	27 runs
38	2 July 1866	Lord's	South	innings and 43 runs
39	3 June 1869	The Oval	North	9 wickets
40	26 July 1869	Bramall Lane, Sheffield	South	66 runs
41	9 August 1869	Canterbury	South	8 wickets
42	6 June 1870	Lord's	North	6 wickets
43	8 August 1870	Canterbury	Drawn
44	5 September 1870	Dewsbury and Savile Ground, Dewsbury	North	innings and 154 runs
45	29 May 1871	Lord's	South	innings and 49 runs
46	31 July 1871	The Oval	Drawn
47	7 August 1871	Canterbury	South	100 runs
48	29 April 1872	Wavertree Road Ground, Liverpool	South	innings and 20 runs
49	16 May 1872	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	Drawn
50	20 May 1872	Lord's	South	52 runs
51	25 July 1872	The Oval	South	8 wickets
52	5 August 1872	Canterbury	North	innings and 46 runs
53	15 May 1873	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	Drawn
54	2 June 1873	Lord's	North	84 runs
55	24 July 1873	The Oval	South	innings and 58 runs
56	4 August 1873	Canterbury	South	7 wickets
57	25 May 1874	Lord's	South	8 wickets
58	4 June 1874	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	North	3 runs
59	17 May 1875	Lord's	South	10 wickets
60	27 May 1875	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	South	5 wickets
61	28 June 1875	Trent Bridge	Drawn
62	15 July 1875	Fartown Ground, Huddersfield	Drawn
63	19 August 1875	Tunbridge Wells	North	innings and 58 runs
64	2 September 1875	Argyle Street, Kingston upon Hull	South	23 runs
65	6 September 1875	Tyler's Ground, Loughborough	North	125 runs
66	1 June 1876	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	South	153 runs
67	5 June 1876	Lord's	South	85 runs
68	17 July 1876	Trent Bridge	South	8 wickets
69	20 July 1876	The Oval	Drawn
70	7 September 1876	Milnrow Road, Rochdale	Drawn
71	21 May 1877	Lord's	South	3 wickets
72	31 May 1877	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	South	innings and 162 runs
73	21 June 1877	The Oval	South	1 wicket
74	23 July 1877	Argyle Street, Kingston upon Hull	North	innings and 14 runs
75	6 June 1878	Prince's Cricket Ground, Chelsea, London	Drawn
76	10 June 1878	Lord's	North	3 wickets
77	27 June 1878	Trent Bridge	South	10 wickets
78	19 September 1878	The Oval	North	innings and 123 runs
79	2 June 1879	Lord's	North	49 runs
80	17 July 1879	The Oval	North	9 wickets
81	14 July 1881	The Oval	North	innings and 91 runs
82	14 May 1883	Lord's	North	170 runs
83	21 June 1883	The Oval	North	22 runs
84	30 August 1883	Tunbridge Wells	North	innings and 38 runs
85	2 June 1884	Lord's	South	66 runs
86	25 May 1885	Lord's	South	9 wickets
87	25 June 1885	The Oval	North	8 wickets
88	9 July 1885	Old Trafford	Drawn
89	14 June 1886	Lord's	North	9 wickets
90	30 May 1887	Lord's	North	6 wickets
91	5 September 1887	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
92	8 September 1887	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	North	27 runs
93	13 September 1888	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	47 runs
94	16 May 1889	The Oval	North	innings and 25 runs
95	27 May 1889	Lord's	Abandoned
96	3 June 1889	Priory Park, Chichester	South	8 wickets
97	11 July 1889	Old Trafford	Drawn
98	5 September 1889	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
99	12 September 1889	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	North	152 runs
100	19 May 1890	Lord's	South	135 runs
101	11 September 1890	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	9 runs
102	11 May 1891	Lord's	South	34 runs
103	29 June 1891	Edgbaston, Birmingham	Drawn
104	31 August 1891	North Marine Road, Scarborough	South	6 runs
105	10 September 1891	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	Drawn
106	30 June 1892	Edgbaston, Birmingham	North	6 wickets
107	8 September 1892	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	innings and 10 runs
108	11 September 1893	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	North	25 runs
109	2 August 1894	The Oval	Drawn
110	30 August 1894	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
111	6 September 1894	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	Drawn
112	2 September 1895	North Marine Road, Scarborough	North	8 wickets
113	5 September 1895	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	109 runs
114	7 September 1896	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	5 wickets
115	2 September 1897	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
116	9 September 1897	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	North	8 wickets
117	6 September 1900	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	Drawn
118	13 September 1900	Lord's	Drawn
119	5 September 1904	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
120	8 September 1904	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	North	10 wickets
121	28 August 1905	Whitegate Park, Blackpool	North	8 wickets
122	4 September 1905	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
123	3 September 1906	North Marine Road, Scarborough	North	innings and 71 runs
124	5 September 1907	North Marine Road, Scarborough	North	7 wickets
125	7 September 1908	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	5 wickets
126	10 September 1908	The Oval	South	innings and 54 runs
127	2 September 1920	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	52 runs
128	20 September 1922	The Saffrons, Eastbourne	North	7 wickets
129	23 June 1923	Old Trafford	South	38 runs
130	9 September 1925	Stanley Park, Blackpool	South	96 runs
131	25 June 1927 (Test Trial)	Bramall Lane, Sheffield	Drawn
132	3 September 1927	Cheriton Road, Folkestone	Drawn
133	8 September 1928	Dean Park Cricket Ground, Bournemouth	South	4 wickets
134	18 June 1932	Old Trafford	Drawn
135	13 June 1936	Lord's	Drawn
136	22 May 1937	Lord's	South	6 wickets
137	11 September 1946	North Marine Road, Scarborough	North	130 runs
138	27 August 1947	St George's Road, Harrogate	North	86 runs
139	3 September 1947	Leyland Motors Ground, Kingston upon Thames	South	4 wickets
140	6 September 1947	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
141	4 September 1948	Central Recreation Ground, Hastings	South	5 wickets
142	4 September 1948	Leyland Motors Ground, Kingston upon Thames	Drawn
143	1 June 1949 (Test trial)	Edgbaston, Birmingham	Drawn
144	3 September 1949	North Marine Road, Scarborough	Drawn
145	7 September 1949	Hawker's Sports Ground, Kingston upon Thames	North	4 wickets
146	2 September 1950	Hawker's Sports Ground, Kingston upon Thames	North	8 wickets
147	6 September 1950	North Marine Road, Scarborough	South	3 wickets
148	1 September 1951	Hawker's Sports Ground, Kingston upon Thames	North	4 wickets
149	6 September 1952	Hawker's Sports Ground, Kingston upon Thames	South	innings and 79 runs
150	4 September 1954	Recreation Ground, Torquay	South	61 runs
151	3 September 1955	Recreation Ground, Torquay	South	109 runs
152	1 September 1956	Recreation Ground, Torquay	Drawn
153	7 September 1957	Recreation Ground, Torquay	South	1 wicket
154	6 September 1958	Recreation Ground, Torquay	South	38 runs
155	6 September 1961	Stanley Park, Blackpool	South	2 wickets

Bibliography

• Birley, Derek (1999). A Social History of English Cricket. Aurum.
• Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. Eyre & Spottiswoode.
• Haygarth, Arthur (1862). Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1827–1840). Lillywhite.