On the morning of October 2nd, 1811, the first ball was bowled in the earliest-recorded county cricket match contested by two teams of women. A large crowd gathered in north London to drink beer, munch gingerbread, and watch the ladies of Hampshire and Surrey, aged between fourteen and sixty, battle it out in their bright team colours.

Day one was marred by bad weather, but day two saw some lively play. Rest days over Friday and the weekend did nothing to dampen enthusiasm, and the following Monday a large crowd saw Hampshire win, and then crown their victory by winning a single-wicket competition too — after which everyone went off in high spirits to the pub.

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