History
The earliest record of cricket being played by Durham University was in 1842, at Sunderland on 17 June 1842, with the university taking a 58 run victory.[2] The earliest recorded home match was in 1843, against a Sunderland team at The Racecourse, which has remained the university's home ground ever since and is the oldest university ground in England.[a] Durham University Cricket Club was formed in 1846.[3] In 1981, Durham became the first university other than Oxford or Cambridge to play against a county side, with a three day match against Nottinghamshire at The Racecourse.[4]
The Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence was established as a training centre by Graeme Fowler in 1996; he would continue as Durham's head coach until stepping down in protest at changes introduced by the MCC in 2015.[5][6] He was succeeded by Essex coach Paul Grayson.[1]
The UCCE model was adopted nationally by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2000, with the establishment of five other UCCEs at Cambridge, Cardiff, Oxford, Leeds/Bradford and Loughborough. With the exception of Loughborough, these were all multi-institution centres. The scheme transferred to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2004, with the UCCEs becoming MCC Universities from 2010.[7] As Durham MCC University, the coaching centre was largely funded by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).[8] In 2020, the universities programme returned to the ECB.[9]
From 2001, Durham joined Oxford and Cambridge in having matches against first-class counties considered as first-class matches, playing their first first-class match against Durham County Cricket Club at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on 16 April 2021. Their first home first-class match was played at The Racecourse against Lancashire on 13 June 2001.[10] This would eventually expand to include Loughborough UCCE from 2003 and all of the MCCUs from 2012.[11][12] In 2012, Durham MCCU were dismissed for 18 against Durham County Cricket Club,[13] the lowest first-class innings total since 1983.[14] First class status was removed from all university matches after 2020, with the final first-class matches in 2020 being cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.[15]
After obtaining first-class status in 2001, the university produced a large number of cricketers who obtained professional county contracts, while others such as James Foster went on to play international cricket. Prior to first-class status, players such as Andrew Strauss and Nasser Hussain played for the university's cricket club.[16]
As Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence, the team played 27 first-class matches from 2001 to 2009.[10] As Durham Marylebone Cricket Club University, the team played 21 first-class matches (not including one abandoned and two cancelled) from 2010 to 2020.[7]
An expansion of the university's Maiden Castle sports centre in 2019 included the construction of an indoor cricket hall.[17] This allowed Durham to host indoor cricket matches, which had previously been played at the Riverside Ground's indoor facility.
