 The East Melbourne Cricket Club was formed by former Scotch College boys in about 1857 as the Abbotsford Cricket Club, but changed its name to East Melbourne Cricket Club a few years later as part of a successful bid to play at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground.Prior to 1921, the EMCG was, without doubt, the most successful cricket club in the colony/state, winning more than half the premierships competed for during that time.When their ground was resumed, they amalgamated with the Hawthorn Cricket Club to form the Hawthorn-East Melbourne Cricket Club and matches were played at the Glenferrie Oval.