The Kendall Cup

In mid October 1861 an intrepid team of cricketers made their way south from the city of Oporto in northern Portugal to the nation's capital Lisbon. Some travelled by sea down the coastline whilst others made their way by horse-drawn carriage along the 320 kilometres of dusty bumpy roads. On arrival they congregated at the Lisbon Sports Club and there, on 17th & 18th October participated in an historic 2-day cricket match with their Lisbon hosts. 140 years later, this annual fixture still dominates the Portuguese cricketing calendar and now every year in early July the two sides from Oporto & Lisbon lock horns to contest the possession of the Kendall Cup.

Only on twenty five occasions in 140 years has the fixture failed to take place with wars, revolution, epidemics & floods being cited as sufficient reason to still the sound of leather on willow on Portuguese soil. Incredibly, of the 112 games for which there exist records of results, the scales are finely balanced with both sides having notched up exactly 51 victories each. There has been one tied match and only 9 drawn games. The reason for this somewhat unusually low number of draws is because prior to 1975 (when the local rules were changed by mutual consent), the result was decided on first innings scores in the event of a match not being decisively completed over 4 innings.

The Kendall Cup was presented in 1920 by a Mr Clarence Kendall in memory of his cousin, Douglas Rawes, a celebrated local cricketer who lost his life in the horror of Ypres in 1916.

Full records of all matches played for the Kendall Cup (since 1920) are available here

Results of the matches played between 1861 & 1919 are summarised as follows:
Oporto won 24;
Lisbon won 12;
Results unknown: 4
Not played: 19

The Lisbon XI who regained the Kendall Cup in Oporto in July 2001 after a 7 year dominance by their northern rivals.

Click here to read of the 2000 Kendall Cup season.

Click here to read of the 2001 Kendall Cup season.