Forfarshire Cricket Club

The club was formed officially in June 1879, although no matches were played in that season. George M. Cox, a member of the Cox family which owned Camperdown Works, gathered enough support and funds totalling £300 to form the first cricket club in Dundee or the surrounding area (as Broughty Ferry was a separate burgh at the time) which was to have its own ground. Suitable land was leased on the then-outskirts of Broughty Ferry. A pavilion was built for the opening of the new ground and debut match in 1880. Forfarshire took its name from the official name of the county of Angus at the time. Cox, who played for Marchbanks CC in Lochee as well as Perthshire before the creation of the new club, wanted to emulate the success of the Perth-based team in his home town.

In the first few years of its existence, Forfarshire fielded a poorer team than its neighbours in Perth or Aberdeen. The early professionals brought to the club were highly-regarded players, but not of the calibre required to drive the team to successfully challenge the other county sides.

The arrival of new professional Pat Higgins from Guiseley in Yorkshire, in 1883 was seen as a step forward. Although he considered his performances poor in his first season at the club, suffering from a bad illness the previous winter and admitting to having underestimated the quality of Scottish cricket, he was offered the opportunity to return as professional for the 1884 season. The Irish-born player's association with the club would last a total of 33 years. In 1885, Dundee-born W. R. Sharp was appointed captain. His leadership skills, along with his excellent ability as an all-rounder, allowed the team to flourish under his stewardship. The partnership of Sharp and Higgins over the next quarter of a century became one of the most successful and enduring in the history of Scottish cricket. In the years since cricket was first played competitively in Scotland, no rivalry has been more fierce than that of Forfarshire and Perthshire. The relatively close proximity of the clubs drew large away crowds to the new fixtures. Perthshire was over 50 years older and had a much more established side but Forfarshire soon became competitive. Of the 22 matches played between 1880 and 1890, both teams had won seven, with eight other matches ending as a draw. The development of the rivalry meant matches between the two clubs became some of the most anticipated ties on the Scottish cricket calendar.