8 6 4 ▁but ▁teams ▁representing ▁the ▁county ▁have ▁played ▁top - class ▁cr icket ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁and ▁the ▁club ▁has ▁always ▁held ▁first - class ▁status . ▁M idd les ex ▁have ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁Championship ▁since ▁the ▁official ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁and ▁have ▁played ▁in ▁every ▁top - level ▁domestic ▁cr icket ▁competition ▁in ▁England . ▁ ▁The ▁club ▁plays ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁home ▁games ▁at ▁Lord ' s ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound , ▁which ▁is ▁owned ▁by ▁Mary le bone ▁Cr icket ▁Club , ▁in ▁St ▁John ' s ▁Wood . ▁The ▁club ▁also ▁plays ▁some ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁U x bridge ▁Cr icket ▁Club ▁Gr ound ▁( histor ically ▁M idd les ex ) ▁and ▁the ▁Old ▁De er ▁Park ▁in ▁Richmond ▁( histor ically ▁Sur rey ). ▁Until ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁club ▁played ▁limited ▁o vers ▁cr icket ▁as ▁the ▁M idd les ex ▁Pan thers , ▁having ▁changed ▁from ▁M idd les ex ▁Cr us aders ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁following ▁compla ints ▁from ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Jews . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁club ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁use ▁the ▁name ▁M idd les ex ▁County ▁Cr icket ▁Club ▁in ▁all ▁forms ▁of ▁the ▁sport ▁with ▁immediate ▁effect . ▁Limited - o vers ▁k it ▁colours ▁are ▁dark ▁blue ▁and ▁p ink ▁qu arters ▁and ▁from ▁ 2