Canterbury Cricket Week is the oldest cricket festival week in England[1] and involves a series of consecutive Kent home matches, traditionally held in the first week in August.[2] It was founded in 1842, although a similar festival week was first held in 1839 by the Beverley Cricket Club, the predecessor of Kent County Cricket Club.[3][4] Since 1847 it has taken place at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury,[5] before that it was held at the Beverley Ground in the same city. In addition to hosting cricket matches, it also includes several other events and ceremonies. As of 2018, there have been 167 Canterbury Cricket Weeks held.[6] The week continued through the Second World War with cricket being held on the ground each season.[7]
Poster for the Kent XI v England XI game that opened the 1842 Week.Kent v Hampshire in 2008 Cricket Week
The politician and journalist Bill Deedes wrote in 2000: "while the Second World War was on, I consoled myself by thinking that Canterbury Cricket Week, founded in 1842 with its tents and famous lime tree, unchanging in a changing world, was the sort of thing I was in business to preserve."[8]
Traditionally Canterbury Cricket Week included a Ladies Day, with prizes being awarded for the best hat on the day,[4][1][9][10] though in recent years this has been discontinued in line with changing social attitudes and the need to keep cricket relevant to a modern audience. The Kent Supporters Club lays a wreath each year, commemorating those who played for the county and died during the First and Second World Wars.[1][11]
The Old Stagers amateur theatre group has close links with Canterbury Cricket Week, originally being formed to perform at the festival.[4][8]
ImpactEdit
Canterbury Cricket Week usually has Kent's highest attendance at the St. Lawrence Ground. It was once considered a major commercial and cricketing highlight of the year.[12] There were concerns that it could be eclipsed by the growth in popularity of Twenty20 but is still considered unique in cricket and is not expected to change.[12]
2012Edit
In 2012, the 161st Canterbury Cricket Week was scheduled to clash with the second week of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London leading to fears of a reduced attendance at the Cricket Week. However, Kent Chief Executive Jamie Clifford stated that he believed that it would bring in larger crowds, mainly from people who didn't have tickets to the Olympics.[13]
canterbury, cricket, week, oldest, cricket, festival, week, england, involves, series, consecutive, kent, home, matches, traditionally, held, first, week, august, founded, 1842, although, similar, festival, week, first, held, 1839, beverley, cricket, club, pre. Canterbury Cricket Week is the oldest cricket festival week in England 1 and involves a series of consecutive Kent home matches traditionally held in the first week in August 2 It was founded in 1842 although a similar festival week was first held in 1839 by the Beverley Cricket Club the predecessor of Kent County Cricket Club 3 4 Since 1847 it has taken place at the St Lawrence Ground Canterbury 5 before that it was held at the Beverley Ground in the same city In addition to hosting cricket matches it also includes several other events and ceremonies As of 2018 there have been 167 Canterbury Cricket Weeks held 6 The week continued through the Second World War with cricket being held on the ground each season 7 Poster for the Kent XI v England XI game that opened the 1842 Week Kent v Hampshire in 2008 Cricket WeekThe politician and journalist Bill Deedes wrote in 2000 while the Second World War was on I consoled myself by thinking that Canterbury Cricket Week founded in 1842 with its tents and famous lime tree unchanging in a changing world was the sort of thing I was in business to preserve 8 Contents 1 Traditions 2 Impact 3 2012 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingTraditions EditTraditionally Canterbury Cricket Week included a Ladies Day with prizes being awarded for the best hat on the day 4 1 9 10 though in recent years this has been discontinued in line with changing social attitudes and the need to keep cricket relevant to a modern audience The Kent Supporters Club lays a wreath each year commemorating those who played for the county and died during the First and Second World Wars 1 11 The Old Stagers amateur theatre group has close links with Canterbury Cricket Week originally being formed to perform at the festival 4 8 Impact EditCanterbury Cricket Week usually has Kent s highest attendance at the St Lawrence Ground It was once considered a major commercial and cricketing highlight of the year 12 There were concerns that it could be eclipsed by the growth in popularity of Twenty20 but is still considered unique in cricket and is not expected to change 12 2012 EditIn 2012 the 161st Canterbury Cricket Week was scheduled to clash with the second week of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London leading to fears of a reduced attendance at the Cricket Week However Kent Chief Executive Jamie Clifford stated that he believed that it would bring in larger crowds mainly from people who didn t have tickets to the Olympics 13 See also EditTunbridge Wells Cricket WeekReferences Edit a b c Canterbury hosts festival week ECB 2008 07 28 Retrieved 2012 02 08 Archived from the original 2016 11 14 Arthur Fagg 14 December 2010 Kent s 2011 cricket fixtures released Kent Online Retrieved 8 February 2012 Barclay s World of Cricket 2nd Edition 1980 Collins Publishers ISBN 0 00 216349 7 p387 a b c Charles Taylor and Canterbury Cricket Week Kent Cricket Heritage Trust 2018 08 27 Retrieved 2018 12 13 Barclay s World of Cricket 2nd Edition 1980 Collins Publishers ISBN 0 00 216349 7 p500 Arafat returns to haunt Kent ECB 10 August 2011 Archived from the original on 3 February 2016 Retrieved 8 February 2012 Cricket Canterbury Week The Times 1944 08 04 p 6 a b Simon Heffer 2015 12 02 Old Stagers knew how to take cricket to the people The Daily Telegraph page 13 Retrieved 2016 01 27 Fleming MV 1998 Canterbury and Headingley CricInfo 1998 08 08 Retrieved 2017 04 25 Collins P 2011 Fascinating It s Ladies Day in Wisden Cricketers Almanack 2011 Retrieved 2017 11 12 Canterbury ready for Kent cricket showpiece Kent Online 2004 08 02 Retrieved 2018 03 28 a b Canterbury cricket festival BBC News 30 July 2008 Retrieved 8 February 2012 Kent chief executive not concerned at Olympic clash BBC Sport 30 November 2011 Retrieved 8 February 2012 Further reading EditCanterbury Cricket Week An Authentic Narrative of the Origin and Career of the Institution Vol I 1839 1851 Canterbury William Davy 1865 Small E M The Canterbury Cricket Week Its Origin Career and Jubilee 1842 91 Canterbury 1891 Hough G Canterbury Week Centenary 1842 1948 Canterbury Jennings 1948 Warner H W The Story of Canterbury Cricket Week Canterbury J A Jennings 1960 Richard Ritchie The Old Stagers Canterbury Cricket and Theatricals An Official History OS Publishing 2015 ISBN 978 0993446108 51 16 3 N 1 5 30 E 51 26750 N 1 09167 E 51 26750 1 09167 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Canterbury Cricket Week amp oldid 1123727817, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
