▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁Walker ▁family ▁of ▁South gate , ▁which ▁included ▁several ▁notable ▁players ▁including ▁the ▁famous ▁V . ▁E . ▁Walker , ▁who ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁to ▁take ▁ 1 0 ▁w ick ets ▁in ▁an ▁inn ings ▁and ▁score ▁a ▁century ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁match . ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁M idd les ex ▁C CC ▁played ▁its ▁initial ▁first - class ▁match ▁versus ▁Sus sex ▁C CC ▁at ▁Is ling ton ▁on ▁ 6 ▁& ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁season , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁a ▁cont ender ▁for ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁" Ch ampion ▁County ". ▁M idd les ex ▁played ▁at ▁L ill ie ▁Bridge ▁Gr ounds ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁before ▁leaving ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁poor ▁quality ▁of ▁the ▁tur f . ▁The ▁club ▁nearly ▁fol ded ▁at ▁this ▁time , ▁a ▁vote ▁for ▁continu ing ▁being ▁won ▁ 7 – 6 . ▁They ▁played ▁at ▁Prince ' s ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 6 , ▁and ▁began ▁using ▁Lord ' s ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁The ▁Club ▁has ▁produced ▁several ▁noted ▁players , ▁particularly ▁the ▁great ▁b ats men ▁P ats y ▁Hend ren , ▁Bill ▁Ed rich ▁and ▁Den is ▁Com pton . ▁ ▁Bill ▁Ed rich ▁scored ▁ 1 ,