Was a County vs Minor County match ever televised?

[Dazinho]

Evening - bit of a quirky/off the wall thread here, hope that's ok.

Back in 'the glory days' of the NatWest and B & H competitions being on terrestrial TV I remember the televised stages starting at the last 32 stage. Now the draw was seeded in such a way as the first class counties would play a minor if possible (usually with the minor county at home?) but as there were 18 first class sides after Durham joined the club in the early 90s, two all-first class ties would take place as well.

If I'm not mistaken it was one of these two games that always, always ended up on television. If someone can talk about an instance of a Cheshire, Devon or Hertfordshire playing live on BBC2 then please shoot.

As a regular viewer of ceefax and reader of cricket scores in the papers, I seem to remember that although minor county victories over the first class 'giants' of the game were extremely rare (only about half a dozen ever IIRC) it was far from unknown for the first-class side to end up in serious trouble via complacency or whatever, but drag it out of the fire at the death.

It's one of those strange things I miss and have posted previously that some way of giving the minors a way into the professional game through a restructure would be beneficial - just as automatic promotion from/relegation to the Conference in football was.

Accept that when push comes to shove that's unrealistic and cricket doesn't have the same depth of interest nationally, but would appreciate an answer to the original question. Thanks.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Bit before my era, but Durham were the first minor to beat a first-class county. In the Gillette Cup round one they beat Yorkshire in 1973; they repeated the trick in 1985, beating Derbyshire, round one again.

 

[Dazinho]

Bit before my era, but Durham were the first minor to beat a first-class county. In the Gillette Cup round one they beat Yorkshire in 1973; they repeated the trick in 1985, beating Derbyshire, round one again.

Before my era as well - when did they start televising what I always remember as the Nat West or B & H Cups?

Durham are a great example that if a county wants to step up to first class and can put the infrastructure in place then it should be possible (not easy but possible) for them to do so.

The reverse should also be possible, that goes without saying...

 

[AndrewB]

From a quick (but far from exhaustive) search at BBC Genome for "Gillette Cup" and "Natwest Trophy" it looks like you're right that when they were televising an early match in the competitions they'd pick an all-first-class tie (but they don't always say which match was being shown). Incidentally, the Gillette Cup (and the first couple of Natwest Trophies) had an unseeded draw so minor counties did meet in the first round sometimes.

Apparently there were 10 wins by minor counties over first-class counties in these matches.

FWIW the Benson & Hedges Cup had "Group" or "Zonal" stages rather than straight knock-out. Also I don't think that ever had individual minor county teams taking part (it had a "Minor Counties XI", or in the early days "Minor Counties North/South/East/West").

 

[S.Kennedy]

Before my era as well - when did they start televising what I always remember as the Nat West or B & H Cups?

Durham are a great example that if a county wants to step up to first class and can put the infrastructure in place then it should be possible (not easy but possible) for them to do so.

The reverse should also be possible, that goes without saying...

They were screening the final, or 50mins highlights, as early as 1973,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UvCqYWoIdc

There is a lot of this old county stuff on youtube. I keep meaning to watch more of it myself.

 

[Dazinho]

From a quick (but far from exhaustive) search at BBC Genome for "Gillette Cup" and "Natwest Trophy" it looks like you're right that when they were televising an early match in the competitions they'd pick an all-first-class tie (but they don't always say which match was being shown). Incidentally, the Gillette Cup (and the first couple of Natwest Trophies) had an unseeded draw so minor counties did meet in the first round sometimes.

Apparently there were 10 wins by minor counties over first-class counties in these matches.

FWIW the Benson & Hedges Cup had "Group" or "Zonal" stages rather than straight knock-out. Also I don't think that ever had individual minor county teams taking part (it had a "Minor Counties XI", or in the early days "Minor Counties North/South/East/West").

Thanks for all of that - I remember a competition later on with a group stage and Ireland/Scotland/Netherlands/Combined Minor Counties team entering (seem to remember one called the Unicorns springing an upset or have I hallucinated that?). This must be the incarnation of the B & H you're referring to.

Sure it was straight knockout for a period though?

 

[Dazinho]

They were screening the final, or 50mins highlights, as early as 1973,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UvCqYWoIdc

There is a lot of this old county stuff on youtube. I keep meaning to watch more of it myself.

Great stuff - thanks again.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Gillette Cup had the associates. It is confusing but there was,

Gillette Cup/Friends Provident etc (1963)

Sunday League/Pro40 etc (1969)

Benson & Hedges Cup (1972)

The B&H was abolished 2002 to make room for the Twenty20. The other two were amalgamated after 2009 into what is our present one-day domestic competition.

All three went through a number of changes in terms of the overs played, format and sponsorship names.

 

[AndrewB]

Thanks for all of that - I remember a competition later on with a group stage and Ireland/Scotland/Netherlands/Combined Minor Counties team entering (seem to remember one called the Unicorns springing an upset or have I hallucinated that?). This must be the incarnation of the B & H you're referring to.

Sure it was straight knockout for a period though?

The B&H Cup was a straight knock-out in 1993 and 1994, and as the "Benson and Hedges Super Cup" in 1999 when only 8 counties took part. In the other years (from 1972 to 2002) it started with a group stage.

The Gillette Cup/Natwest Trophy/C&G Trophy was a straight knock-out from 1963 to 2005.

 

[Dazinho]

The B&H Cup was a straight knock-out in 1993 and 1994, and as the "Benson and Hedges Super Cup" in 1999 when only 8 counties took part. In the other years (from 1972 to 2002) it started with a group stage.

The Gillette Cup/Natwest Trophy/C&G Trophy was a straight knock-out from 1963 to 2005.

Thanks for clarifying - appreciate that...