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CHAPTER X.
COUNTY CRICKET.
THE MARYLEBONE CRICKET CLUB.
The M.C.C. is acknowledged to be the great cricket authority throughout the world. Like many famous institutions, its success has been at times checkered. In the latter part of the last century Thomas Lord, a cricketer of some weight in his day, was in the habit of frequenting the Artillery-Field at Finsbury. This was the oldest ground of which we have the scores preserved of the early matches. On one occasion Lord there met the Earl of Winchilsea and the Hon. Colonel Lennox, both of whom were great supporters of the game. These promised Lord their patronage if he would find a suitable ground. In 1787 he selected the spot where Dorset Square now stands, and from that year "Lord's" and the M.C.C. became accomplished facts. The first match of note was June 20, 21, 22, 1787, between England and the White Conduit Club, with six given men, when England won by 239 runs. On June 27, 1788, M.C.C. played the White Conduit Club, and amongst the players who participated for the M.C.C. were Lord Winchilsea, Lord Strathavon, Sir Peter Burrell (of Sussex), and the Hon. A. Fitzroy, the M.C.C. winning by 83 runs. Subsequently Lord, owing to a dispute with his landlord, Mr Portman, about an addition to the rent, gave up this site and took another ground at North Bank, Regent's Park, in the year 1810. This ground was only in existence for a period of three years, for when the Regent's Canal was planned the course was taken through the cricket-ground. Lord was, however, by no means discouraged, for in 1814 the present site in St John's Wood Road was secured, and it is a singular fact, though often overlooked by chroniclers, that the cricketers of the present day
