Memory Lane: the three Fs of county cricket – in pictures

Life doesn't get much better for these three, who are enjoying the sun and the opening of the cricket season on 22 April 1976 Photograph: Guardian picture library

The weather wasn't as kind to these three watching M.C.C v Worcestershire at Lord's the previous April Photograph: Kenneth Saunders/Guardian

The Yorkshire county cricket team, featured on a vintage postcard, circa 1905. Players: George Hirst, William Ringrose, Henry Wilkinson, Charles Henry Grimshaw, Lord Hawke, Wilfred Rhodes, John Tunnicliffe, Hubert Myers, James William Rothery, Schofield Haigh, David Denton, and David Hunter Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

A panoramic view of the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury during the match between Kent and Nottinghamshire on 4th August 1937 Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

Bouncing back into action at Carnegie College, Leeds, on 26 March 1979 is Yorkshire's England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott, who has reported back for training with his county team mates, after being deposed as Yorkshire captain the previous autumn Photograph: PA Archive

The Lancashire team coming out to field at the opening of the match against Yorkshire on 25 May 1931 Photograph: Guardian

Leicestershire and England captain David Gower being given instruction in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation by Red Cross area supervisor Mrs Doris Smith at Grace Road in Leicester, circa 1985. The First Aid sessions were arranged by Leicestershire County Cricket Club after several serious head injuries were sustained by batsmen which were caused by short pitched fast bowling Photograph: David Munden/Popperfoto/Getty Images

A estimated crowd of 12,000 people watched the Gillette Cup quarter-final between Kent and Leicestershire at the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury, 31 July 1974. Kent won by 66 runs Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images

February 1969 finds Fred Trueman at the Club Fiesta, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, where he was stepping out into the footlights as a £400-a-week cabaret artist. A year after retiring from first-class cricket Trueman hoped to make a big hit in his new career as an entertainer Photograph: PA Archive

In scenes more akin to a concert by a popular beat combo of the day than at Lord's, police try to control the jubilant Gloucestershire supporters after their side's 40 run Gillette Cup Final victory over Sussex on 1st September 1973 Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images

Sir Jack Hobbs, left, testing a cricket bat in March 1922. He was a good choice to test bats as he was pretty handy with one – making 5410 runs in 61 Test matches (average 56.94), and a record number of 197 centuries and 61,167 runs in first-class cricket Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Somerset supporters at the Gillette Cup Final between Somerset and Northamptonshire at Lord's on 8th September 1979. Somerset won by 45 runs Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images

It was back to the good old days at Sussex's ground in Hove on 25 July 1947. The rules and costumes were those of Regency days with the scorer notching the runs on a score stick Photograph: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Three months earlier at Hove John Langridge was giving a coaching lesson to nine-year-old John Seymour and 10-year-old Christopher Kemp, right, who are Sussex County Cricket Club members' children Photograph: J. A. Hampton/Getty Images

Celebrations for (left-right) Brian Rose, Ian Botham and Derek Taylor of Somerset after their victory over Essex in the Gillette Cup semi-final at Taunton, 16 August 1978. With the scores tied on 287 at the end of 60 overs, Somerset won by virtue of losing fewer wickets Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images

Setting a new record partnership for the first wicket, Surrey's opening batsmen Bobby Abel and William Brockwell scored 379 runs against Hampshire, before Abel was dismissed for 173 at the Kennington Oval on 9th August 1897. Brockwell went on to score 225. Surrey won by an innings and 303 runs. In this photograph the two batsmen are posing beneath the scoreboard at the Oval. The photographer, wearing a blazer, is the Surrey captain Mr Kingsmill James Key Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

An example of what children spent their free-time doing in the days before video games. This young Worcestershire fan has put a lot of effort getting ready to support his side at the Gillette Cup semi-final against Gloucestershire at New Road in Worcester on 15 August 1973. It's unknown whether the sign was still in one piece at the end of the day as Gloucestershire won by 5 runs Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images