The County Championship

1864-1889

In the period between 1864 to 1889, before the start of the formal County Championship, the sporting press had selected the season's champions. In the mid 1870's the press instigated some sort of merit table, but there was not much consistency in the method used for calculating the champions or even in which matches to include.

Usually, the team with fewest defeats was awarded the Championship, but by the mid 1880s a points system was being used - usually one point for a win and half point for a draw.

The table gives the Champions as quoted by different sources. It shows that although mostly there was general, if not universal agreement, sometimes there was a confusing diversity of views.

(RB) - Rowland Bowen, cricket historian
(W) - Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
(CC) - John Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion (incorporating Frederick Lillywhite's Guide to Cricketers)
(CA) - James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual
(WG) - W.G.Grace
(RH) - Rev R.S.Holmes, cricket historian
(Ba) - Baily's Magazine
(Cr) - Cricket Magazine

1864     Surrey                            (RB, WG)
1865     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, CC, WG)
1866     Middlesex                         (RB, CC, WG)
1867     Yorkshire                         (RB, CC, WG)
1868     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, Ba)
         Yorkshire                         (WG)
1869     Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire         (RB, CC, Ba)
         Nottinghamshire                   (WG)
1870     Yorkshire                         (RB, W, WG)
         Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire         (Ba)
1871     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CC, CA, WG)
         Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire         (Ba)
1872     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, CC, CA)
         Surrey                            (WG)
         Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire         (Ba)
1873     Gloucestershire/Nottinghamshire   (RB, CA, WG, RH)
         Nottinghamshire                   (W)
         Gloucestershire                   (CC)
1874     Gloucestershire                   (RB, CC, CA. WG)
         Derbyshire                        (RH)
1875     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CC, CA, WG, RH)
1876     Gloucestershire                   (RB, CC, CA, WG, RH)
1877     Gloucestershire                   (RB, CC, CA, WG, RH)
1878     Nottinghamshire                   (WG)
         Middlesex                         (RH)
1879     Lancashire/Nottinghamshire        (RH, CC, CA, WG, RH)
         Nottinghamshire                   (W)
1880     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CC, CA, WG, RH)
1881     Lancashire                        (RB, W, CC, CA, WG, RH)
1882     Lancashire/Nottinghamshire        (RB, W, CC, CA, WG, RH)
         Lancashire                        (Cr)
1883     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, CC, CA, RH)
         Yorkshire                         (W, WG)
         Nottinghamshire/Yorkshire         (Cr)
1884     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CC, CA, Cr, WG, RH)
1885     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CA, Cr, WG, RH)
1886     Nottinghamshire                   (RB, W, CA, WG, RH)
         Surrey                            (Cr)
1887     Surrey                            (RB, W, CA, Cr, WG, RH)
1888     Surrey                            (RB, W, CA, Cr, WG, RH)
1889     Lancashire/Nottinghamshire/Surrey (RB, W, CA, Cr, WG, RH)