First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officially adjudged to be worthy of the status by virtue of the standard of the competing teams. Matches must allow for the teams to play two innings each, although in practice a team might play only one innings or none at all.
William Gilbert Grace was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest players. He was nominally amateur as a cricketer, but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional cricketer. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and moneymaking.
James Charles Laker was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1946 to 1959 and represented England in 46 Test matches. He was born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, and died in Wimbledon, London.
Sir John Berry Hobbs was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches between 1908 and 1930. Known as "The Master", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century-maker in first-class cricket, with 61,760 runs and 199 centuries. A right-handed batsman and an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler, Hobbs also excelled as a fielder, particularly in the position of cover point. Hobbs was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century alongside Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Shane Warne, and Sir Viv Richards.
Frederick Sewards Trueman, was an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. He had professional status and later became an author and broadcaster.
Leslie Thomas John Arlott, was an English journalist, author and cricket commentator for the BBC's Test Match Special. He was also a poet and wine connoisseur. With his poetic phraseology, he became a cricket commentator noted for his "wonderful gift for evoking cricketing moments" by the BBC.
Peter Barker Howard May was an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club, Cambridge University and England. Already a cricketing prodigy during his school days, May played his entire cricket career as an amateur, and was regarded by many players and fans as England's finest batsman in the post-war era.
The Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World is an annual cricket award selected by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. It was established in 2004, to select the best cricketer based upon their performances anywhere in the world in the previous calendar year. A notional list of previous winners, spanning from 1900 to 2002, was published in the 2007 edition of Wisden.
Frederick Edward Rumsey is an English former cricketer who founded the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) in 1967. He played five Test matches for England against Australia, South Africa & New Zealand in the mid-1960s. Rumsey played county cricket for Worcestershire, Somerset and Derbyshire.
The Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year is an annual cricket award, presented to the young player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English county cricket. The award has been presented since the 1950 season and the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the Cricket Writers' Club. Only players that are qualified to represent the England cricket team, and are aged under 23 on 1 May of the awarding year, are eligible for the prize. With the exception of 1986, when a joint award was made, the accolade has been presented to one individual each season. The award has been described by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as "prestigious". Although not a firm rule, once a player has won the award, they are considered ineligible to receive it in the future.
Stephen Chalke is an English author and publisher, particularly of books on cricket and cricketers.
The Professional Cricketers' Association is the representative body of past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales, founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey. In the 1970s, the PCA arranged a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers in first-class cricket in England and Wales. In 1995 it helped create a pension scheme for cricketers, and in 2002 launched the magazine All Out Cricket, as well as the ACE UK Educational Programme
Cricketer of Year may refer to:
Anya Shrubsole is an English former cricketer who played as a right-arm medium pace bowler and right-handed lower-order batter. She played for England between 2008 and 2022, and played domestic cricket for Somerset, Berkshire, Western Storm, Southern Vipers, Southern Brave and Perth Scorchers. She made her England debut in 2008, and was Player of the Match in the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup Final. In 2018, she became the first woman to appear on the cover of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. In April 2022, Shrubsole announced her retirement from international cricket. In June 2023, she announced her intention to retire from all forms of cricket after the 2023 season of The Hundred.
Amy Ellen Jones is an English cricketer who plays as a wicket-keeper and right-handed batter for Warwickshire, Birmingham Phoenix, Perth Scorchers and England. She made her England debut in 2013 and is a holder of an ECB central contract.
Natalie Ruth Sciver-Brunt is an English cricketer who represents England in all formats. She was the first cricketer for England to take a hat-trick in a Women's Twenty20 International match. The "Natmeg" shot is named after Sciver-Brunt, from when she has hit a cricket ball through her legs during a game.
The 2014 English cricket season was the 115th in which the County Championship had been an official competition. It began on 1 April with a round of university matches, continued until the conclusion of a round of County Championship matches on 23 September. Three major domestic competitions were contested: the 2014 County Championship, the 2014 Royal London One-Day Cup and the 2014 NatWest t20 Blast. The Royal London One-Day Cup and the NatWest t20 Blast were newly created competitions as from the 2014 season, replacing the Clydesdale Bank 40 and the Friends Life t20.
Alan Hill was a prominent English biographer of cricketers.
The Cricket Writers' Club County Championship Player of the Year is an annual cricket award, presented to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in the County Championship, England's first-class cricket competition. The award has been presented since the 2012 season and the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the Cricket Writers' Club, an association open to "recognised correspondents of newspapers and periodicals and on radio and television". Any male player competing in the County Championship is eligible.
