The 20 over match will decide the winners of the Beamish Colliery Cricket Tournament 2013 and is a great opportunity to see, free of charge, a recreation of a heritage cricket match in a world class setting.
To celebrate the Investec Ashes coming to Chester-le-street in August for the first time in the history of the Ground, Beamish Museum held its first ever Colliery Cricket Tournament.
Belmont Cricket Club, Knights Cricket Club, Littletown Cricket Club and the Beamish XI, all dressed in Edwardian cricketing costume, made an appearance during the early stages of the tournament on the Beamish Events Field. Belmont and Knights won their matches and made it through to the Grand Final.
Colliery cricket has a long history in the North East, with many villages having local cricket teams. Cricket was a popular pastime with miners, particularly after The Royal Commission for Coal established a Miners’ Welfare Fund in 1919 to provide amenities for pitmen to take part in sports and other pastimes.
Colliery cricket teams from across the region played each other in a number of leagues from the late 19th century onwards. The legacy of colliery cricket is plain to see across the region, with many teams from the early days still thriving today.
The match will begin (weather permitting) at 3pm on Friday, 4th October.