▁in ▁the ▁present - day ▁County ▁Championship . ▁The ▁club ▁came ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁in ▁the ▁Minor ▁Count ies ▁Championship ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁as , ▁between ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁the ▁bow ling ▁of ▁George ▁Thompson ▁and ▁William ▁East ▁was ▁much ▁too ▁good ▁for ▁almost ▁all ▁b ats men ▁at ▁that ▁level . ▁The ▁county ▁applied ▁for ▁first - class ▁status ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁when ▁it ▁joined ▁the ▁County ▁Championship . ▁They ▁played ▁its ▁inaug ural ▁first - class ▁match ▁versus ▁Ham pshire ▁C CC ▁at ▁South am pton ▁on ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 ▁& ▁ 2 0 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁when ▁making ▁its ▁County ▁Championship ▁debut . ▁ ▁Ste pping ▁up ▁to ▁first - class ▁Although ▁Thompson ▁and ▁East ▁proved ▁themselves ▁to ▁be ▁bow lers ▁of ▁high ▁class , ▁a ▁weak ▁batt ing ▁line - up ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁team ▁remained ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁championship ▁table ▁until ▁Sydney ▁Smith ▁arrived ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁After ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁table , ▁North ants ▁surprising ly ▁improved ▁to ▁finish ▁second ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁and ▁fourth ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 . ▁Thompson , ▁Smith ▁and ▁William ▁" B um per " ▁Well s ▁formed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁strong est ▁attacks ▁in ▁county ▁cr icket ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁whilst ▁Smith ▁and