Today in Kimberley's History
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Kimberley wins Champion Bat in January 1888, having played their last game on 31 December 1887
The Champion Bat Tournament was a cricket tournament played in the late 1800s in present-day South Africa. Rather than a cup, the winner of the tournament was presented with the "Champion Bat" – a cricket bat emblazoned with a silver crest.
Contested approximately every three to four years, it was first held in 1876 in Port Elizabeth, between teams representing the major settlements of the Cape Colony. Although the exact composition varied, the town-based format continued until the tournament's final edition during the 1890–91 season, which was played between Eastern Province, Griqualand West, and Western Province (teams which still compete in South African domestic cricket). The tournament was played five times before being superseded by the Currie Cup as the premier South African cricket tournament. Only the last edition of the Champion Bat was accorded first-class status.
The inaugural tournament was played in Port Elizabeth from 6–12 January 1876, with the tournament's prize, the Champion Bat, donated by the town's mayor, Henry William Pearson (later an MP), on behalf of the Port Elizabeth Town Council. Four teams competed in the 1876 tournament, representing Cape Town, Grahamstown, King William's Town, and Port Elizabeth, with all matches played at St George's Park. Matches were played over two innings, invariably lasting only one day each owing to their low-scoring nature. Each team was to play each other once (a "round-robin"), for a total of six matches.
The second tournament was held in King William's Town from 14–22 January 1880, and included a team from Queenstown for the first time. A final was played, with King William's Town easily defeating Port Elizabeth to win the tournament for the first time.
The third tournament was held in Port Elizabeth for a second time, from 22–31 December 1884. The tournament was reduced to four teams, with the teams from Grahamstown and Queenstown replaced by a team from the far inland town of Kimberley, in Griqualand West. Port Elizabeth won the tournament for the first time.
The fourth tournament was held at Grahamstown's Albany Sports Club from 26 December 1887 to 3 January 1888. Cape Town was replaced by Grahamstown, the host. Kimberley won the tournament for the first time. Although the tournament continued until 3 January 1888, Kimberley had played their last game on 31 December 1887 and already won the Champion Bat.
The tournament belonged to Kimberley off spin bowler Irvine Grimmer who was devastating on the matting wicket, introducing over-arm off spin for the first time in South Africa. Against Grahamstown he took seven wickets in the match, and against Port Elizabeth eight wickets in the match.
Against King Williamstown Grimmer took six wickets for 18 runs in the first innings and four wickets for nine runs in the second innings. A hard hitter in the mould of the future South African all-rounders Adrian Kuiper and Lance Klusener, Grimmer’s top score was 37 against Grahamstown.
The fifth and final tournament was held at Cape Town's Newlands ground from 26 December 1890 to 3 January 1891. Eastern Province, Griqualand West, and Western Province fielded sides, and the three matches played were accorded first-class status.
(Courtesy of the FaceBook page Kimberley Calls...and Recalls, with text mostly from Wikipedia and MW Luckin’s The History of South African Cricket).
The Champion Bat Tournament was a cricket tournament played in the late 1800s in present-day South Africa. Rather than a cup, the winner of the tournament was presented with the "Champion Bat" – a cricket bat emblazoned with a silver crest.
Contested approximately every three to four years, it was first held in 1876 in Port Elizabeth, between teams representing the major settlements of the Cape Colony. Although the exact composition varied, the town-based format continued until the tournament's final edition during the 1890–91 season, which was played between Eastern Province, Griqualand West, and Western Province (teams which still compete in South African domestic cricket). The tournament was played five times before being superseded by the Currie Cup as the premier South African cricket tournament. Only the last edition of the Champion Bat was accorded first-class status.
The inaugural tournament was played in Port Elizabeth from 6–12 January 1876, with the tournament's prize, the Champion Bat, donated by the town's mayor, Henry William Pearson (later an MP), on behalf of the Port Elizabeth Town Council. Four teams competed in the 1876 tournament, representing Cape Town, Grahamstown, King William's Town, and Port Elizabeth, with all matches played at St George's Park. Matches were played over two innings, invariably lasting only one day each owing to their low-scoring nature. Each team was to play each other once (a "round-robin"), for a total of six matches.
The second tournament was held in King William's Town from 14–22 January 1880, and included a team from Queenstown for the first time. A final was played, with King William's Town easily defeating Port Elizabeth to win the tournament for the first time.
The third tournament was held in Port Elizabeth for a second time, from 22–31 December 1884. The tournament was reduced to four teams, with the teams from Grahamstown and Queenstown replaced by a team from the far inland town of Kimberley, in Griqualand West. Port Elizabeth won the tournament for the first time.
The fourth tournament was held at Grahamstown's Albany Sports Club from 26 December 1887 to 3 January 1888. Cape Town was replaced by Grahamstown, the host. Kimberley won the tournament for the first time. Although the tournament continued until 3 January 1888, Kimberley had played their last game on 31 December 1887 and already won the Champion Bat.
The tournament belonged to Kimberley off spin bowler Irvine Grimmer who was devastating on the matting wicket, introducing over-arm off spin for the first time in South Africa. Against Grahamstown he took seven wickets in the match, and against Port Elizabeth eight wickets in the match.
Against King Williamstown Grimmer took six wickets for 18 runs in the first innings and four wickets for nine runs in the second innings. A hard hitter in the mould of the future South African all-rounders Adrian Kuiper and Lance Klusener, Grimmer’s top score was 37 against Grahamstown.
The fifth and final tournament was held at Cape Town's Newlands ground from 26 December 1890 to 3 January 1891. Eastern Province, Griqualand West, and Western Province fielded sides, and the three matches played were accorded first-class status.
(Courtesy of the FaceBook page Kimberley Calls...and Recalls, with text mostly from Wikipedia and MW Luckin’s The History of South African Cricket).
77 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1899
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Reggie and I went to Church this morning, and in the afternoon paid end of the year visits. The usual regret for the loss of the Old Year that one generally hears, is today, quite reversed; and everyone, on the contrary, seems to feel a burden beginning to slip away from them which the New Year will soon effectively remove.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
Reggie and I went to Church this morning, and in the afternoon paid end of the year visits. The usual regret for the loss of the Old Year that one generally hears, is today, quite reversed; and everyone, on the contrary, seems to feel a burden beginning to slip away from them which the New Year will soon effectively remove.