Barnsley's Last Match at the other 'Lane
Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the city's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket clubs and originally had six clubs playing there, one of whom was the Wednesday Cricket Club, forerunner of Sheffield Wednesday.
Bramall Lane opened on 30 April 1855 as a cricket ground with a match between "The Eleven" and "The Twenty Two", The Eleven, despite being the senior team, lost by an innings and 28 runs.
A team representing Yorkshire played the first county match at the ground on 27 August 1855, against Sussex but lost by an innings and 117 runs.
Although the first county game had been played eight years earlier, the official Yorkshire County Cricket Club was not formed until 1863. The idea came from Ellison, who was using his own finances to support the club, in order to improve Bramall Lane's financial position as the county's headquarters. It was the club's headquarters until 1893, when they moved to Headingley in Leeds.
Sheffield United and Barnsley were close rivals for many years and the pictures show the two teams lining up before the last ever game between the two clubs at Bramall Lane in 1973, which was due to be redeveloped into a football only venue. Sheffield United moved to a new temporary home at Townhead Road, Dore before moving to their present ground on Bawtry Road.
Many famous faces to local cricket fans are present, including Arnie Sidebottom, Graham Stevenson, Eric Burgin, Jack Bethel, David Adams, Terry Foy, Trelford Mills, Bill Roberts, Bob Cummins and many more