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The History of Cricket: 1731 – 1740 | The History of Cricket: 1746 – 1750 | Biographies | Essays
The History of Cricket: 1741 – 1745
1741 | 1742 | 1743 | 1744 | 1745
28 July. Death of Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741), Italian composer who is famous for The Four Seasons.
A season notable for the first appearance in recorded matches of the famous Slindon club.
Surrey v London
Charlwood, Surrey
Mon 1 June 1741
Surrey won (CS)
London v Surrey
Mon 15 June 1741
result unknown (CS)
The second match was announced in the report of the first.
Slindon v Portsmouth
Stansted Park, Rowlands Castle, near Havant, Hampshire
Mon 15 June 1741
Slindon won by 9 wickets (TJM)
This is the earliest report of a match involving Slindon, though the club must have been playing for some time beforehand. The Duke of Richmond in a letter said that above 5000 people were present. In a second letter, he gives the result.
Kent v London
Chislehurst Common, Chislehurst, Kent
c. Fri 26 June 1741
rained off (CS)
An interesting comment about the Kent team was that it was eleven out of three parishes for the county. Expectations were high but the whole day was ruined by the rain.
London v Chislehurst
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Fri 3 July 1741
Chislehurst by 60 runs (DC)
One of the best matches that has been played these many years. However, Chislehurst seem to have won it easily enough by quite a large margin.
Thu 9 July. In a letter to her husband, the Duchess of Richmond mentioned a conversation with John Newland re a Slindon v East Dean match at Long Down, near Eartham, a week earlier. This seems to be the first recorded mention of any of the Newland family.
Surrey v London
Richmond Green, Richmond, Surrey
Wed 22 July 1741
tied (CS)
This is the earliest known instance of a game being tied. Unfortunately the scores are not recorded but the bets (were) drawn on both sides!
Tues 28 July. In two subsequent letters to the Duke of Newcastle, the Duke of Richmond spoke about a game on this date which resulted in a brawl with hearty blows and broken heads! The game was at Portslade between Slindon and unnamed opponents. Apparently, Slindon won the battle but the result of the match is unknown!
London v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
c. Fri 31 July 1741
result unknown (CS)
Interest in this match must have been high after the previous one was tied but surprisingly there is no report.
Mon 10 August. There was a match at Woburn Park between a Bedfordshire XI and a combined Northants and Huntingdonshire XI (CS). Woburn Cricket Club under the leadership of the Duke of Bedford was on the point of becoming a well known club (see 1742).
Tues 18 August. A match played on the Cow Meadow near Northampton between two teams of amateurs from Northants and Bucks is the earliest known instance of cricket in Northamptonshire (GB18)
Surrey v Slindon
Merrow Down, Guildford, Surrey
Mon 7 September 1741
Slindon almost in 1 innings (TJM)
The Duke of Richmond in a letter to Newcastle before the game spoke of poor little Slyndon against almost your whole county of Surrey. Next day he wrote again, saying that wee (sic) have beat Surrey almost in one innings.
Richmond's wife wrote to him on Wed 9 September and said she wish'd..... that the Sussex mobb (sic) had thrash'd the Surrey mob. She had a grudge to those fellows ever since they mob'd you (apparently a reference to the Richmond Green fiasco in August 1731). She then said she wished the Duke had won more of their moneys. She wasn't a big fan of Surrey, then?
London v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 14 September 1741
result unknown (DC)
Wickets to pitched at half an hour past 11 o'clock.
2 February. Sir Robert Walpole resigned from office after a split developed in the Whig party over conduct of the war with
February. Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington (1673 – 1743; Whig): prime minister (to his death on 2 July 1743). After Walpole's resignation, Wilmington was a compromise between John Carteret and the Duke of Newcastle. He was a favourite of George II.
The story continues across a decade that should be dedicated to F S Ashley-Cooper; he is our main source for the years 1742 to 1751 via his marvellous series of articles titled At the Sign of the Wicket (i.e., ASW where source) which appeared in Cricket Magazine during 1900.
A schoolteacher in New Romney made the earliest known use of the word cricketer when completing a diary entry. He bestowed the accolade upon one William Pullen of Cranbrook but it was in connection with Pullen's death. He had just been hanged on Penenden Heath near Maidstone for stealing a sheep and five bushels of wheat!
Thu 27 May. The poet Thomas Gray (1716 – 1771) wrote a letter to Mr Richard West and said: There is my Lords ** and ***, they are Statesmen; Do not you remember them dirty boys playing at cricket? The two noble lords are believed to have been the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Sandwich.
Mr Waghorn in CS has London v Woburn at the Artillery Ground on Sun 13 June but he has the year wrong. The match was played on Mon 13 June 1743 (see below) and the return match which he says was scheduled for 1 August 1742 was also in 1743. Correct information about both games is in ASW.
Similar errors were made re the Chislehurst & Bromley v London games on Fri 24 June 1743 and Mon 28 June 1743, Mr Waghorn in CS noting the year as 1742. As before, see ASW for correct versions.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 14 June 1742
tied (ASW)
This is the second known instance of a tied match, following the Surrey v London game at Richmond Green on Wed 22 July 1741.
ASW = At the Sign of the Wicket (Cricket Magazine 1900) by FS Ashley-Cooper.
London v Richmond
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 7 July 1742
result unknown (ASW)
This was played for a considerable sum. Wickets were pitched at one o'clock.
London v Croydon
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 26 July 1742
result unknown (ASW)
This was played for a considerable sum. Wickets were pitched at one o'clock.
Kent/Surrey/Sussex v London
Duppas Hill, Croydon, Surrey
Mon 2 August 1742
result unknown (TJM)
The counties team is described as the Gentlemen of Kent and Surry (sic) and the Sussex Man from Slending (sic).
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 9 August 1742
result unknown (ASW)
This was played for a considerable sum. Wickets were pitched at twelve o'clock.
London/Surrey v Kent/Croydon/Slindon
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 16 August 1742
result unknown (ASW/TJM)
We know that two Kent players and the noted bowler from Slendon (sic) assisted Croydon; while two Surrey players were given men to London. Played for a considerable sum of money with the ground to be roped round. This was clearly a replay of the game on Monday 2 August (see above).
Surrey v All-England
Moulsey Hurst, near Molesey, Surrey
Mon 23 August 1742
Surrey won (ASW)
Mr Ashley-Cooper mentioned that the Moulsey Hurst ground was in 1900 held by the Hurst Park Racing Club.
London v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Thurs 2 September 1742
result unknown (ASW)
We know that a Kent player from Bromley assisted London as a given man. The match was originally scheduled for 6 September and was rearranged because of the visit of Slindon to London on that date.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 6 September 1742
London won with great difficulty (ASW)
ASW states: "London won with great difficulty. The wickets were pitched at twelve o'clock on the forfeit of 100 guineas. During the last innings of the match, the betting was as much as 20 to 1 in favour of Slindon so much praise must be given to London for winning. Before the match, the Slindon men had played forty-three games and lost but one (my italics). Several wagers were laid that one Slindon batsman, almost certainly Richard Newland, would obtain forty runs from his own bat – a feat he failed to perform. Had the match not been completed on the Monday play would have resumed on the Wednesday".
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Fri 10 September 1742
London by 184 runs (TJM)
ASW states: The wickets were pitched at eleven o'clock on the forfeit of 100 guineas. This match was to have been played on Wed 8 Sept, but was postponed to above date on account of rain. At the conclusion of the above match Slindon offered to play another match against London either at Guildford or on the South Downs for £100, but the challenge was not accepted.
There has been confusion about the dates of the two London v Slindon matches and the margin of victory in the second, due to Mr Waghorn's use of ambiguous reports in the London Evening Post dated 9 to 11 September. In TJM, the references to the second match make it clear that 6th and 10th are the correct dates for the two matches. Mr McCann has The Daily Advertiser of Sat 11 September 1742 reporting the margin in the second match as 184 notches and that it was played yesterday.
In July, the Whig politician Henry Pelham (1696 – 1754) became prime minister till his death on 6 March 1754.
A significant development this year was the rise of a very strong club at Woburn who beat London 2-1 in a tri-series played in May and June.
The heavy modern-type ball with wound core and thick leather cover may have come into use about this time for ASW records that Mr Clout was by then active in Sevenoaks as the first cricket ball maker of any pretention.
The well known painting The Cricket Match by Francis Hayman (1708 – 1786) dates from this year. It now hangs at Lord's. It apparently depicts a game at the Artillery Ground and shows a tall two stump wicket. The batsman has a bat that is distinctly hockey shaped; the ball has been trundled but appears to be off the ground so perhaps it was a quicker skimmed delivery; and in the foreground is a scorer notching the tally.
From the same year comes An Exact Representation of the Game of Cricket by Louis Philippe Boitard (c.1733 – c. 1767). This now hangs in the Tate Gallery.
Kent v London, Middlesex & Surrey
Bromley Common, Bromley, Kent
Mon 16 May 1743
LM&S won (Kent forfeited) (ASW)
Scores at eight o'clock pm: LM&S 97 & 112-3; Kent 69. Play was due to continue next day but Kent gave it up. The LM&S team was also described as Lord Montford's XI. Lord Montford was a noted patron of the game. The Kent side was organised by Lord John Philip Sackville.
Woburn v London
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Fri 27 May 1743
London won (ASW)
Woburn was the seat of the Duke of Bedford who was another noted patron.
Woburn v London
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Sat 28 May 1743
Woburn won (ASW)
This must have been arranged as soon as the previous game finished. The further game on 13 June may have been intended to be a decider.
Mon 6 June. ASW reports a game between Shacklewell and Westminster played at The Cock in Shacklewell, near Stoke Newington. This is evidence of the involvement of the brewing industry in the sport; a number of grounds, ranging from Broadhalfpenny Down to Trent Bridge, were established on fields adjacent to inns and taverns.
Greenwich & Deptford v London
The Heath, Blackheath, Kent
Thurs 9 June 1743
G&D won (DC)
Played for a considerable sum.
London v Woburn
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 13 June 1743
Woburn won by 54 runs (ASW)
Note that Mr Waghorn refers to this game in CS but he has the year wrong: it was played in 1743, not 1742 as he has it. For correct information, see ASW. ASW reports that London were ante-post 11 to 8 favourites. The match may have been a decider following the two at Woburn on 27 and 28 May (see above).
Mr Waghorn includes a line in DC that the same two elevens were to play again at Rochester on Thurs 23 June. This is an extremely dubious entry given the location and the dating errors already observed. No other report of such a match has been found.
Thurs 16 June. ASW reports a game on Walworth Common in which Bermondsey defeated Deptford & King's Yard by an innings and 27 runs. Clearly a minor fixture but Mr Ashley-Cooper helpfully explains that Walworth Common was situated where Westmoreland Road, Faraday Street and Mann Street stood in 1900. The ground was about three quarters of a mile from where the Bee Hive Ground afterwards existed. At the end of the 18th century, Walworth was the home of the Montpelier Club who played on Aram's New Ground.
Chislehurst & Bromley v London
Bromley Common, Bromley, Kent
Fri 24 June 1743
C&B won with difficulty (ASW)
Note that Mr Waghorn refers to this game in CS but he has the year wrong: it was played in 1743, not 1742 as he has it. For correct information, see ASW.
It was specified beforehand that the game is to be played out, presumably to emphasise a main clause in the articles which were drawn up to define the terms of the wager. In any case, it was completed on the first day of play.
London v Chislehurst & Bromley
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 27 June 1743
result unknown (ASW)
Note that Mr Waghorn refers to this game in CS but he has the year wrong: it was played in 1743, not 1742 as he has it. For correct information, see ASW.
Richmond & Kingston v London
Richmond Green, Richmond, Surrey
Mon 4 July 1743
London won (ASW)
Robert Colchin of Bromley played for London as a given man.
Mon 11 July. A three-a-side game was played at the Artillery Ground and the six players were stated to be the best in England. They were William Hodsoll (Dartford), John Cutbush (Maidstone) and Val Romney (Sevenoaks) playing as Three of Kent; and Richard Newland (Slindon), William Sawyer (Richmond) and John Bryant (Bromley) playing as Three of All-England. Hodsoll and Newland were captains. Kent won by 2 runs. The London Evening Post says the crowd was computed (sic) to be 10,000. A return match was arranged at Sevenoaks Vine on Wed 27 July but it did not come off.
In GB18, Mr Buckley quotes the Daily Advertiser of Thurs 7 July saying that Ridgeway was to play alongside Hodsoll and Romney. Then, on Fri 8 July, John Cutbush, known to have been a clockmaker from Maidstone, was named instead of Ridgeway.
London v Richmond, Kingston & Egham
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 18 July 1743
London won by 67 runs (DC)
Scores are known: London 57 & 117; Richmond &c 55 & 52.
This was a return to the match at Richmond Green on 4 July (see above). Robert Colchin of Bromley again played for London as a given man.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 25 July 1743
Addington by an innings & 4 runs (ASW)
Scores are known: London 32 & 74; Addington 110
Robert Colchin of Bromley and Tom Peake of Chelsfield played for Addington as given men. William Sawyer of Richmond played for London as a given man.
Addington is about 3 miles south-east of Croydon and this was the club's first game in London. They had a very strong eleven for some years at this time and the club immediately accepted the Slindon challenge, in 1744, to play against any parish in England.
Woburn v London
Woburn, Bedfordshire
Mon 1 August 1743
London won by 3 runs (ASW)
Scores are known: London 46 & 60; Woburn 72 & 31.
Note that Mr Waghorn refers to this game in CS but he has the year wrong: it was played in 1743, not 1742 as he has it. For correct information, see ASW.
Lewes v Pevensey
The Downs, near Lewes, Sussex
Wed 3 August 1743
result unknown (ASW)
The venue was described as on Lewes Down, near the Horse-Course.
London v Woburn
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 8 August 1743
London won by 1 wicket (ASW)
Scores are known: Woburn 104 & 36; London 93 & 48-9.
Tues 16 August. ASW records a five a side game on Richmond Green between Five of Richmond and Five of London. Wickets were pitched at one o'clock on forfeiture of fifty pounds.
Sevenoaks v London
The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent
Tues 23 – Wed 24 August 1743
London won 6 runs (ASW)
Scores are known: London 41 & 54; Sevenoaks 49 & 40. Sevenoaks had been 24-6 in the second innings at close of play on the Tuesday, still needing 23 to win.
London v Sevenoaks
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 29 August 1743
London won (DC)
The match report states that London won with great difficulty. The standards of journalism and editing at the time are self-evident when you read that: the match played on Sevenoaks Vine, being won with great difficulty by London, has caused several considerable bets to be laid, between the noblemen and gentlemen then present; 'tis desired all persons will keep the utmost extent of the line.
Mon 29 August. ASW records a five a side game at the Artillery Ground between Five of London and Five of Richmond. Wickets were pitched at two o'clock and the prize was a considerable sum.
London v Horsmonden & Weald
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 5 – Tues 6 September 1743
London won by 1 wicket (DC)
Three runs were still required when the last man went in.
London v Horsmonden & Weald
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 12 September 1743
London won (DC)
No details were reported of this return match which London won perhaps without difficulty.
London v Sevenoaks
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 14 September 1743
result unknown (DC)
Pre-announced as the third great match of cricket between the two sides. It followed the games on 23 & 20 August (see above). As London won the first two, the series as such was already decided. No report of the outcome of the third match could be found.
London v Middlesex, Bucks & Berks
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 19 September 1743
London won by 53 runs (DC)
Scores are known: London 70 & 97; MB&B 71 & 43
It was announced beforehand that: The days being short, it is ordered that the wickets be pitched at 10 o'clock. This will be the last great match of the season.
While war continued in Europe and India, yet another Anglo-French conflict erupted in North America. This was King George's War (1744 – 1748), the third North American war fought between 1689 and 1763. It focused on the French fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, which fell to the British in June 1745. Thereafter, France concentrated its efforts on retaking it but failed to do so.
Mon 23 April. Death of Sir William Gage (1695 – 1744) who was one of the greatest of cricket's early patrons, especially in his native Sussex.
The first known issue of the The Laws of Cricket can be traced, possibly an upgrade of an earlier code. The Laws were drawn up by the noblemen and gentlemen members of the London Cricket Club, which was based at the Artillery Ground, although the printed version in 1755 states that several cricket clubs were involved. The intention must have been to establish a universal codification. A general set of rules was in place subject to local variations but, apart from cases where Articles of Agreement were drawn up, as in Richmond v Brodrick in 1727, the laws as such were agreed orally. By and large, the same rules had existed since time immemorial.
The 1744 Laws of Cricket make fascinating reading. A summary of the main points:
there is reference to the toss of a coin and the pitch dimensions;
the stumps must be 22 inches high with a six inch bail;
the ball must weigh between five and six ounces;
overs last four balls;
the no ball is the penalty for overstepping, which means the hind foot going in front of the bowling crease (i.e., in direct line of the wicket);
the popping crease is exactly 3 feet ten inches before the bowling crease;
various means of it's out are included;
it is interesting that hitting the ball twice and obstructing the field are emphatically out, given experiences in the 17th century;
the wicket keeper is required to be still and quiet until the ball is bowled;
umpires must allow two minutes for a new batsman to arrive and ten minutes between innings (meal and rain breaks presumably excepted);
the umpire cannot give a batsman out if the fielders do not appeal;
the umpire is allowed a certain amount of discretion and it is made clear that the umpire is the sole judge and that his determination shall be absolute, existant facts that need to be spelled out to 21st century players and video replay apologists.
Interestingly, the Laws do not say the bowler must roll (or skim) the ball and there is no mention of prescribed arm action so, in theory, a pitched delivery would have been legal, though perhaps controversial. Equally, there is nothing to specify or even recommend the shape or size of the bat. As we shall see, the introduction of pitched deliveries brought about a revolution in batmaking and this foreshadowed controversy that later Laws were forced to address.
Also interesting is the consistent use of the plural when speaking of the wicket-keeper(s). This may indicate that the fielders close to the stumps were thought of as keepers and certainly they would have been subject to the same rules about noise, movement and encroachment.
Surrey v All-England
Moulsey Hurst, near Molesey, Surrey
Mon 14 May 1744
Surrey won by 4 runs (ASW)
The Prince of Wales was involved in the promotion of this match and arranged the next match the following Monday at the Artillery Ground.
All-England v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 21 May 1744
result unknown (ASW)
All we know is that it started at 11 o'clock and was completed in one day.
London &c. v Slindon &c.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Sat 2 June 1744
Slindon won by 55 runs (TJM)
Slindon &c.102 & 102-6d (Harris 47); London &c.79 & 70
The Daily Advertiser carried various notices from Thursday 31 May until Sunday 3 June which announced that two untitled sides would play in the Artillery Ground on Saturday 2 June. On 31 May, the paper said that the teams would consist of four gentlemen from Slindon, one from Eastbourne, two from Hamilton(sic)) in Sussex, one from Addington and three from Lingfield in Surrey against four gentlemen of London, one from Richmond, one from Reigate, three from Addington in Surrey, one from Bray Wick in Berkshire and one from Arundel in Sussex. This was followed by the usual reminder about no dogs and the need to obtain a pass ticket if leaving the ground during play.
There is no such place as Hamilton in Sussex and it is possible that the reporter was referring to Hambledon, which is close to the Sussex border. If so, this may be the earliest reference to Hambledon in terms of major matches.
The Daily Advertiser changed its notice on Friday 1 June through 2 and 3 June by confusingly announcing the names of the players on each side. However, the names in the paper are not the same as those on the scorecard kept by the Duke of Richmond. The same (i.e., incorrect) names were also reported on 3 June, the day after the match. The paper announced that the two teams would consist of: Cuddy (i.e., Edward Aburrow senior), Richard Newland, Adam Newland, John Newland, Ridgeway, Green (all of Sussex); William Sawyer, Stevens, Stevens, Collins (all of Surrey); and Norris of London versus Stephen Dingate, John Harris, Joseph Harris, Tom Faulkner, George Jackson, Maynard (all of Surrey); ? Bryant (Bromley), George Smith, ? Bennett, Howlett (all of London); and the famous Thomas Waymark, now of Berkshire. No titles were given to the teams.
The inclusion in the former team of two players named Stevens from Surrey would suggest that the famous Edward Lumpy Stevens had forebears in the sport. Lumpy's career must have begun in the 1750s.
According to the Duke of Richmond's papers, which are now in the possession of the West Sussex Records Office, including the recorded scores of this match, the teams were somewhat different to those advertised. The scorecard is currently the earliest known in which individual and team scores are recorded but it lacks details of dismissal.
Slindon: Edward Aburrow senior (aka Cuddy), ? Bryant, Richard Newland, Adam Newland, – Ridgeway, Joseph Harris, George Jackson, John Harris, – Norris, – Andrews, George Smith.
London: – Howlett, Stephen Dingate, W Sawyer, – Maynard, ? Bennett, Tom Faulkner, Thomas Waymark, – Butler, – Green, – Hodder, – Collins.
There were two players called Bryant (James and John) and two called Bennett who were always referred to as Little and Tall. We do not know which player in each of these pairs took part. Note also that there were two Harrises, John and Joseph, who both played; and of course the three Newland brothers of whom John did not play. Edward Aburrow senior, alias Cuddy the notorious smuggler, was the father of the later Hambledon player of the same name.
Thomas Waymark was formerly employed by Slindon's benefactor the Duke of Richmond but he is here given as a Berkshire resident and playing for the London XI.
The match included a declaration by the Slindon team in their second innings at 102-6. They made 102 & 102-6d against London's scores of 79 & 70.
This was also the first game we know of at which tickets for readmission were issued to the spectators.
Mon 11 June. The Penny London Morning Advertiser announced a match on Walworth Common in Surrey between 11 gentlemen of the Borough of Southwark and 11 gentlemen of High Kent and Blackman; the wickets to be pitched at one o'clock. The announcement continued: The gentlemen who play this match have subscribed for a Holland smock of one guinea value, which will be run for by two jolly wenches, one known by the name of The Little Bit of Blue (the handsome Broom Girl) at the fag end of Kent Street, and the other Black Bess of the Mint. They are to run in drawers only and there is excellent sport expected. So much for the fun. Next comes the serious stuff: Captain Vinegar with a great many of his bruisers and bulldogs will attend to make a ring, that no civil spectators may be incommoded by the rabble.
If you are looking for a report that both illustrates and summarises the popular culture of Georgian times, this one is as good as any: you have sport, gentlemen, the rabble, jolly wenches and bruisers. Add some smugglers like Cuddy, alleged blackguards like Colchin, a few aristocrats like Richmond, a drop of alcohol (all right, a lot of alcohol), a regiment of redcoats, a gallows or two and, after making a suitable wager on the outcome, stir gently.....
Kent v All-England
The Heath, Coxheath, Kent
Fri 15 June 1744
result unknown (MW)
In his Index to Waghorn, Martin Wilson states that the famous match at the Artillery Ground on Mon 18 June (see below) was the return of a match played at Coxheath on Friday 15 June.
Kent v All-England
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 18 June 1744
Kent won by 1 wicket (SB1)
All-England 40 (R Newland 18*; W Hodsoll 4w) & 70 (R Newland 15; W Hodsoll 4w); Kent 53 & 58-9 (J Cutbush 7*, W Hodsoll 5*)
Kent: Lord John Philip Sackville, Robert Colchin, John Mills, William Hodsoll, John Cutbush, William Sawyer, Val Romney, Kipps (wk), ? Bartram, ? Danes, ? Mills.
All-England: Stephen Dingate, John Harris, Joseph Harris, Adam Newland, John Newland, Richard Newland, Edward Aburrow senior, J Bryant, Thomas Waymark, George Smith, ? Green. We do not know which of James or John Bryant was playing.
This is the first match for which a full scorecard including dismissals has survived and it is the opening entry in Scores & Biographies. It is a singularly famous game, which for a long time had the earliest known preserved score until publication of the score from the earlier trial match on 2 June 1744.
Arthur Haygarth says the score was taken from The Gentleman's Magazine but apparently for 1746 as he dated the match in that year. In fact, it took place on 18 June 1744 as shown above.
The game was arranged by Lord John Philip Sackville who challenged All-England to play against his county, Kent. The match was extremely close and must have had an exciting finish. It was low scoring and the two not out batsmen at the end scored 5 and 7, so Kent must have needed at least 5 to win when their 9th wicket fell.
Sackville himself is reported to have held a remarkable catch in the second innings to dismiss All-England's best player, Richard Newland of Slindon, and that may have been the defining moment of the match. Newland was the top scorer in the match with 18* and 15. The leading wicket taker was William Hodsoll who took 8 in the match, 4 in each innings, for Kent.
The game is a statistician's nightmare given the number of players sharing names and not being differentiated by the scorers, whom Haygarth denounced for their laziness. But the fact is that we are very lucky to have any details at all. It was not until 1772 that scorecards began to be kept on a regular basis.
The poet James Love (1722 – 1774) commemorated the above match in his Cricket: An Heroic Poem. There is a reference in GB18 (on p. 19, under 1745) to the first publication of this poem. As announced in the Daily Advertiser on 4 July 1745, it was priced 1/- and illustrated with critical observations of Scriblerus Maximus (!). A footnote says: Printed for W Bickerton at the Gazette in the Temple Exchange near the Inner Temple Gate, Fleet Street. Love was himself a cricketer and a member of Richmond Cricket Club in Surrey.
The Penny London Morning Advertiser on Wed 27 June advertised a match to be played next day on Woolwich Common between Woolwich and the Club in Long Lane, Southwark. (GB18)
The Daily Advertiser reported on Sat 30 June re the famous match on Mon 18 June:
It was observed by the noblemen and gentlemen there present that there was great disorder so that it was with difficulty the match was played out. It is ordered for the future that each person pay for going into the Ground sixpence, and there will be for the better conveniency (sic) of all gentlemen that favour me with their company, a ring of benches that will hold at least 800 persons. And it is further desired that no person whatever, except those appointed to keep order and the players engaged for the day, be admitted to walk within the ring. (GB18)
Two Elevens
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Thu 5 July 1744
result unknown (DC)
Described as a scratch match between 22 picked players from Kent, Sussex, Surrey and London and all the most-famed places in England. It was postponed from the previous day because of the weather (Daily Advertiser: Thurs 5 July).
The Penny London Morning Advertiser on Fri 6 July observed that: the small appearance of the company is a plain proof of the resentment of the Public to any imposition, for the price on going into the ground being raised from twopence to sixpence, it is thought there were not 200 persons present when before there used to be 7000 to 8000; which plainly verifies the old proverb – all cover, all loose (sic). (GB18)
Two Elevens
Moulsey Hurst/Artillery Ground
Fri 6 – Sat 7 July 1744
result unknown (ASW)
It is known that this was a return game to the one played on 5 July and that it was unfinished at Moulsey Hurst on Friday 6 July, so the players continued at the Artillery Ground on Saturday 7 July. The state of play on Friday night was that one side led by 31 runs with 2 second innings wickets standing. On the Saturday, price of admission was reduced to the as usual two pence.
London v Richmond
Kennington Common, Kennington, Surrey
Mon 9 July 1744
result unknown (GB18)
Advertised in the Daily Advertiser same morning but no match report was found.
Here, courtesy of Ian Maun, is another minute of the Honourable Artillery Company:
The Court being informed that Mr. Smith attended at the Door, it was moved that he should be called in, and the Question being put, it was carried, accordingly he was called in and informed by the Chairman that he was Ordered by the Court to tell him That the Company expected he should always Act according to the Tenures of his Lease. And also that the Court had appointed an Exercise on the Ground on Thursday next, the expected he should advertize the putting off of the Crickett Match before Advertized to be played that Day on account of the said Exercise. – Honourable Artillery Company, Minutes of the Court of Armory, Tuesday, July 17th 1744.
George Smith in his role of groundkeeper had a number of well-publicised problems over the years, especially around admission fees and security. It is possible that several planned matches were cancelled whenever the company demanded its ground back or, as above, simply took umbrage. We do not know how Smith had breached the terms of his lease on this occasion but it may have been a crowd control issue or perhaps to do with excessive gambling.
London v Woburn
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Sat 21 July 1744
result unknown (ASW)
This match was postponed from Thursday 19 July because the Hon. Artillery Company required the ground.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 30 July 1744
result unknown (ASW)
The wickets were pitched at one o'clock.
Mon 20 August. There was a single wicket match for a large sum between a Sevenoaks player (perhaps Val Romney) and a London player. No other details are known. (ASW)
Surrey v London
Moulsey Hurst, near Molesey, Surrey
Fri 24 August 1744
London won (ASW)
Robert Colchin of Bromley and Val Romney of Sevenoaks were given men for London. Played for £50 a side.
London v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 27 August 1744
London won (ASW)
Robert Colchin of Bromley and Val Romney of Sevenoaks were given men for London.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 3 September 1744
result unknown (ASW)
Bromley was a leading club at the time and later in the month was one of two (Addington being the other) to accept Slindon's challenge to play any parish in England.
London v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Fri 7 September 1744
result unknown (ASW)
Val Romney of Sevenoaks was a given man for London.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 10 & Tues 11 September 1744
Slindon won (ASW)
We know that the Newland brothers and Cuddy (Edward Aburrow senior) all played for Slindon. Play commenced at 12 noon on the first day but was affected by bad weather. Play on the Tuesday commenced at ten o'clock.
It was at the conclusion of this game that Slindon issued its famous challenge to play any parish in England. They received immediate acceptances from Addington and Bromley who played Slindon in the next two matches.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 12 & Thurs 13 September 1744
result unknown (TJM)
This was affected by bad weather on the 12th. At close of play each side had completed its first innings and Slindon had a lead of just two runs. Unfortunately, we do not know if this great match was completed on the 13th.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Fri 14 September 1744
result unknown (ASW)
As with the first challenge game, details of the result are unknown. Possibly it was rained off.
Mon 17 September. A big game between two threes at the Artillery Ground. Billed as Long Robin's Side v Richard Newland's Side, the teams were Robert Colchin (Bromley), Val Romney (Sevenoaks) and John Bryant (Bromley) against Richard Newland (Slindon), Edward Aburrow senior (Slindon) and Joseph Harris (Addington). Aburrow replaced John Mills of Horsmonden, the gamekeeper and famous Kent bowler who was originally chosen. The stake was two hundred guineas and the players involved were stated to be the best in England. Once again, despite this being a major fixture, the outcome is unknown. (ASW)
Two Elevens
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 19 September 1744
result unknown (ASW)
Described a scratch match but between 22 of the best players in England. No post-match reports were found.
Mon 1 October. Another threes game was played at the Artillery Ground for a considerable sum and again the outcome is unknown. The sides were Robert Colchin (Bromley), James Bryant (Bromley) and Joseph Harris (Addington) versus John Bryant (Bromley), Val Romney (Sevenoaks) and Thomas Waymark (Berkshire).
18 March. Death of Sir Robert Walpole (1676 – 1745), recognised as the first British Prime Minister, in
Great Britain's military involvement in Europe, India and North America presented an opportunity to the Jacobite faction that was dedicated to restoration of the Stuart dynasty to the British throne. The Jacobites recognised the claim of the exiled Prince James Francis Edward Stuart (1688 – 1766), known as the Old Pretender, who was the son of the deposed King James II and VII. In December 1743, Stuart named his son Charles Edward Stuart (1720 – 1788), known as the Young Pretender, as his Prince Regent and gave Charles full authority to act in his name. On Tues 23 July 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed with his companions on Eriskay in the Hebrides and set about raising an army in Scotland. On Mon 19 August, he raised his standard at Glenfinnan, which is at the head of Loch Shiel between Fort William and Mallaig, to begin the '45 Rebellion.
Kennington Common, Kennington, Surrey
Mon 6 May 1745
result unknown (PVC)
Reported in the Penny London Post dated Mon 6 May. Stakes were one guinea a man and the wickets were to be pitched by 1 pm.
Fri 10 May. The Ipswich Journal reported that: All lovers of Cricket are hereby desired to meet at Gray's Coffee House (in Norwich) on Friday 17th inst. at 6 pm to settle rules for that manly diversion. A version of the The Laws of Cricket having been published the previous year, was this a meeting of dissenters, perhaps? (PVC)
Addington Hill, near Croydon, Surrey
Thurs 23 May 1745
Addington won (ASW)
No details are known except the result.
Bromley Common, Bromley, Kent
Fri 24 May 1745
Bromley won (ASW)
The precise venue was behind the Bell Inn.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 27 May 1745
London won (ASW)
The return game to the one on 23 May. The matches were probably arranged as a pair in advance.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 10 June 1745
London won by 10 runs (ASW)
The return game to the one on 24 May. London scored 23 and 75; Bromley scored 52 and 36.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 17 June 1745
London won by 7 wickets (DC)
Probably arranged after 10 June as a decider. The prize was 200 guineas. Bromley scored 65 and 29; London scored 48 and then got the match and had only three hands out.
Mon 24 June. A game between two threes in the Artillery Ground. The teams were William Hodsoll (Dartford), Val Romney (Sevenoaks) and Richard Newland (Slindon) versus Robert Colchin (Bromley), J Harris (Addington) and John Bryant (Bromley). We do not know which of John or Joseph Harris was playing. Hodsoll's side won by 7 runs.
Long Robin's XI v R Newland's XI
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 26 June 1745
Long Robin's XI won by over 70 runs (ASW)
The teams are known but no details of the scores.
Long Robin's XI: Robert Colchin, Tom Faulkner, James Bryant, Joseph Harris, — Broad , — Hodge, Val Romney, George Jackson, Robert Lascoe, John Harris, John Bowra.
R Newland's XI: Richard Newland, John Bryant, — Norton, Jacob Mann, Little Bennett, — Martin, — Howlett, Tall Bennett, William Anderson, — Norris, — Howard.
The match was arranged by the noblemen and gentlemen of the London Club. Wickets were pitched at noon but play did not commence until one o'clock.
Long Robin's XI v R Newland's XI
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Fri 5 July 1745
Long Robin's XI won by 5 wickets (ASW)
Effectively the same fixture as the previous one but it was advertised rather wordily as Sevenoaks, Bromley & Addington versus Slindon, Horsmonden, Chislehurst & London! As before, the match was arranged by the noblemen and gentlemen of the London Club.
Kent v All-England
Bromley Common, Bromley, Kent
Fri 12 July 1745
Kent won (ASW)
Played for a thousand guineas.
Trial Match
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Sat 13 July 1745
unknown (ASW)
Advertised simply as a trial match, those cricketers participating who were down to play in the Kent v All-England match on the following Monday.
All-England v Kent
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 15 & Tues 16 July 1745
All-England won by 119 runs (ASW)
Played for a thousand guineas. Richard Newland made 88 for All-England but we do not know if this was in one innings or if it was his match total. It was certainly a very high score either way given pitch conditions at the time.
Addington & Lingfield v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 22 July 1745
unknown (ASW)
John Bryant and Little Bennett played for Surrey as given men.
Croydon v Lambeth
Kennington Common, Kennington, Surrey
Tues 23 July 1745
unknown (ASW)
Played for a great sum.
It was on Tuesday 23 July that Charles Edward Stuart and his companions landed on Eriskay in the Hebrides with the intention of raising an army to overthrow the House of Hanover.
Kingston v Lambeth
Kennington Common, Kennington, Surrey
Wed 24 July 1745
unknown (ASW)
Played for a large sum.
Fri 26 July. A ladies match took place on Gosden Common, near Guildford, between XI Maids of Bramley and XI Maids of Hambleton. They all dressed in white but the Hambledon lasses wore red ribbons on their heads and the Bramley lasses wore blue. This is Hambledon near Godalming in Surrey, incidentally. Bramley is another Surrey village, also close to Godalming. The report is in CS and ASW. A further report in GB18 says the ladies played a return match at Hambledon, Surrey on Tues 6 August.
Addington v Lingfield
Addington Hill, near Croydon, Surrey
Sat 3 August 1745
unknown (ASW)
No details of the match are known but a report states that there was a cold Collation and the best of Liquours at George Williams' Red Cap Tent.
London v Kingston
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Wed 7 August 1745
unknown (ASW)
No details reported.
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 12 August 1745
unknown (ASW)
The report simply says that this was third match played this season between Addington and London.
Surrey v Sussex
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 19 August 1745
Surrey won by several notches (GB18/TJM)
Reported in the St James Evening Post on the same and the next day. Richard Newland played for Sussex.
It was on Monday 19 August that Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard at Glenfinnan to formally begin the '45 Rebellion.
Surrey v Sussex
Moulsey Hurst, near Molesey, Surrey
Wed 21 August 1745
unknown (TJM)
The Daily Advertiser on Wed 21 August announced: The Streatham Captain (i.e., George Williams), with his Flying Squadron of Red Caps, will attend at his grand Tent, to entertain Gentlemen with a cold Collation, the best French Wines, and other Liquours.
Sussex v Surrey
Berry Hill, Arundel, Sussex
Mon 26 August 1745
Surrey won? (TJM)
Berry Hill was also called Bury Hill.
It would seem that Surrey won the game in view of a comment made by Lord J P Sackville in a letter dated Sat 14 September to the Duke of Richmond, Sussex's patron: I wish you had let Ridgeway play instead of your stopper behind it might have turned the match in our favour.
Addington & Lingfield v Surrey
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Mon 16 September 1745
tbc (ASW)
John Bryant and Little Bennett played for Surrey as given men.
Saturday 21 September. The first battle of the '45 rebellion was fought at Prestonpans in Lothian. The Jacobite army defeated the only government force in Scotland. It is believed about 2500 soldiers fought on each side. The government commander, General Sir John Cope (1690 – 1760), had been left by the foreign wars with an inexperienced force. The Jacobites attacked at dawn by staging a Highland Charge and the Hanoverian troops broke at once and fled. Over 300 deaths were recorded.
Hills of Kent v Dales of Kent
Artillery Ground, Bunhill Fields, Finsbury, London
Sat 28 September 1745
tbc (ASW)
This match was originally arranged for Mon 23 September and it was stated to have been the third between these sides, each having previously won once. In one report, the venue was given as Mr Smith's, a reference to George Smith who was the keeper of the Artillery Ground.
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