▁within ▁the ▁domestic ▁cr icket ▁structure ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁Wales . ▁It ▁represents ▁the ▁historic ▁county ▁of ▁North am pt ons hire . ▁Its ▁limited ▁o vers ▁team ▁is ▁called ▁the ▁North ants ▁Ste el back s ▁– ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁North am pt ons hire ▁Regiment ▁which ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁The ▁name ▁was ▁supposed ly ▁a ▁t ribute ▁to ▁the ▁soldiers ' ▁apparent ▁ind ifference ▁to ▁the ▁har sh ▁discipline ▁im posed ▁by ▁their ▁officers . ▁F ounded ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁North am pt ons hire ▁( N orth ants ) ▁held ▁minor ▁status ▁at ▁first ▁but ▁was ▁a ▁prominent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁Minor ▁Count ies ▁Championship ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁the ▁club ▁joined ▁the ▁County ▁Championship ▁and ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁first - class ▁status , ▁since ▁when ▁the ▁team ▁have ▁played ▁in ▁every ▁top - level ▁domestic ▁cr icket ▁competition ▁in ▁England . ▁ ▁The ▁club ▁plays ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁its ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁County ▁Cr icket ▁Gr ound , ▁North am pton , ▁but ▁has ▁used ▁out lier ▁grounds ▁at ▁K etter ing , ▁Well ing borough ▁and ▁Peter borough ▁( former ly ▁part ▁of ▁North am pt ons hire , ▁but ▁now ▁in ▁Camb rid ges hire ) ▁in ▁the ▁past . ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁used ▁grounds ▁outside ▁the ▁county ▁for ▁one - day ▁games : ▁for ▁example , ▁at ▁L ut on ,