18 June 1859
Ayr v Kilmarnock Morning
The extract below is taken from the centenary book Ayr Cricket Club 1859-1959 about the above game which was the first game played by the club.
Eleven men first walked on to the green turf to represent Ayr Cricket Club in match against an opposing eleven on Saturday, June 18, 1859. Cricket had been played in the town before that but there is no word of any regular or organised play until that day when Kilmarnock Morning Cricket Club came to the Low Green in 1959.
Notice of the game had been made in the Ayr Advertiser with a single sentence, 'we believe that a match of cricket will come off next Saturday'. And so it did, with a large number of spectators on a fine afternoon. The Green was described as lush and colourful and two marquees gave it the touch of a festival. The crowd was interested and appreciative and very ready to give encouragement by applauding a good stroke or a catch.
Kilmarnock were far from making a match of it and most of their runs came from byes and wides as the ball bumped from the lumpy pitch. Ayr had been able to get in very little practice but made a very promising start. The batting was very good they said, though the fielding could have been a lot better and the general impression was it would be an excellent thing if more of the young men of the town would join the club and give their efforts 'to maintain and promote this healthy and invigorating game'.
Matches at this time usually began at noon and continued until the time fixed for close of play. Wickets were poor and liable to speedy dismissal so that scores were not large nor innings prolonged and it was not unusual for both sides to complete their innings well before the close of play. The first side to bat went in again and if time were permitted their opponents would also have a second innings. If both sides could not complete two innings the match was decided on the first innings and a side sixty behind onfirst innings would follow on. different from today there were for balls to the over and the batt was still slightly curved. The bowlers had to deliver the ball from below the shoulder. On most grounds the runs had to be all run; where there was a boundary marked three was the usual allowance and four for a ball hit out of the ground.
Ayr v Kilmarnock Morning
The extract below is taken from the centenary book Ayr Cricket Club 1859-1959 about the above game which was the first game played by the club.
Eleven men first walked on to the green turf to represent Ayr Cricket Club in match against an opposing eleven on Saturday, June 18, 1859. Cricket had been played in the town before that but there is no word of any regular or organised play until that day when Kilmarnock Morning Cricket Club came to the Low Green in 1959.
Notice of the game had been made in the Ayr Advertiser with a single sentence, 'we believe that a match of cricket will come off next Saturday'. And so it did, with a large number of spectators on a fine afternoon. The Green was described as lush and colourful and two marquees gave it the touch of a festival. The crowd was interested and appreciative and very ready to give encouragement by applauding a good stroke or a catch.
Kilmarnock were far from making a match of it and most of their runs came from byes and wides as the ball bumped from the lumpy pitch. Ayr had been able to get in very little practice but made a very promising start. The batting was very good they said, though the fielding could have been a lot better and the general impression was it would be an excellent thing if more of the young men of the town would join the club and give their efforts 'to maintain and promote this healthy and invigorating game'.
Matches at this time usually began at noon and continued until the time fixed for close of play. Wickets were poor and liable to speedy dismissal so that scores were not large nor innings prolonged and it was not unusual for both sides to complete their innings well before the close of play. The first side to bat went in again and if time were permitted their opponents would also have a second innings. If both sides could not complete two innings the match was decided on the first innings and a side sixty behind onfirst innings would follow on. different from today there were for balls to the over and the batt was still slightly curved. The bowlers had to deliver the ball from below the shoulder. On most grounds the runs had to be all run; where there was a boundary marked three was the usual allowance and four for a ball hit out of the ground.
