Greatest Cricket Moments

Kent's Pre-War Dominance — Three Championships in Five Years, 1910-1913

1913-09-01KentKent's championship-winning seasons 1910 and 19131 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Kent won the County Championship in 1909, 1910 and 1913 — three titles in five seasons, built on the bowling of Colin Blythe and Arthur Fielder, the batting of Frank Woolley and Ken Hutchings, and the wicket-keeping of Fred Huish. The pre-war Kent side is widely regarded as the strongest in the county's history.

Background

Kent had been a strong second-tier county through the late Victorian era. The arrival of Blythe in 1899 and the maturity of Woolley by 1908 transformed them.

Build-Up

The 1913 season was Kent's strongest. Blythe took 167 first-class wickets, Woolley scored 1,800 runs.

What Happened

Kent's golden age began with their first championship in 1906 and ran through to 1913. The bowling pair of Blythe (slow left-arm) and Fielder (fast-medium) was unmatched in any other county. Woolley and Hutchings provided the batting style, with Wally Hardinge as the more conservative anchor. Fred Huish behind the stumps was the leading wicketkeeper of the era. The 1913 title was the pinnacle: Kent won 20 of their 28 matches and the championship was effectively decided by the end of August. Within twelve months the war had begun. Hutchings was killed at Ginchy in 1916; Blythe at Passchendaele in 1917. Of the 1913 championship side, three were dead by 1918. Kent would not win another championship until 1970.

Key Moments

1

1906: First Kent championship

2

1909: Second title

3

1910: Third title

4

1913: Fourth title

5

1916: Hutchings killed at Ginchy

6

1917: Blythe killed at Passchendaele

Timeline

1906

First Kent championship

1909, 1910, 1913

Three more titles in five years

1914

Last pre-war season

1917

Blythe killed; Kent's bowling heart gone

Notable Quotes

“Kent before the war were a side complete in every department.”

— Lord Harris

Aftermath

Kent's 1919 side was a shadow of the pre-war team. They would not win another title for 57 years.

⚖️ The Verdict

Three championships in five seasons by a side that would be torn apart by the war — the high point of Kent cricket.

Legacy & Impact

The pre-war Kent of 1906-1913 remains the most successful sustained period in the county's history. The St Lawrence ground at Canterbury still has the Blythe memorial dedicated in 1919.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many championships did Kent win 1906-1913?▾
Four — 1906, 1909, 1910 and 1913.
When did Kent next win the championship?▾
Not until 1970, more than half a century later.

Tags

#kent#county-championship#1910#1913#blythe#woolley#fielder#huish

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