[5][6] The Marlborough Cricket Association was formed in October 1886 by five clubs from Blenheim, Picton, Spring Creek, Wairau and Havelock.
[8] Marlborough competed for the Hawke Cup for the first time in 1912–13, the third season of the competition, when the title was decided in a final match after preliminary rounds.
Marlborough's first player in the Central Districts team was Fen Cresswell, who played in their inaugural Plunket Shield match.
His brother and Marlborough teammate Arthur joined him in the team for the second match, when they opened the bowling together and took 12 wickets in Central Districts’ first victory.
[15] The Test player Gary Bartlett captained Marlborough, and scored more runs and took more wickets than anyone else in the match.