Durham CCC was formed as a formal organisation on May 23, 1882, and the embryonic club had its first competitive match on June 12, 1882, at the Ashbrooke Ground in Sunderland, defeating Northumberland by 4 wickets. As a minor county, the club established an enviable record, including becoming the first minor county to defeat a first-class county in the Gillette Cup (defeating Yorkshire in round one in 1973 and then Derbyshire in the same round in 1985); winning the Minor Counties Championship a record-equaling seven times between 1901 and 1984; and putting together a record-equaling 65 matches without defeat between 1901 and 1984.