The History of Cricket: 1776 – 1780 | 1787 – Lord's and the MCC | Biographies | Essays

The History of Cricket: 1781 – 1786

1781 | 1782 | 1783 | 1784 | 1785 | 1786

1781

the history

On 19 October, the surrender of British troops under General Cornwallis ended the battle of Yorktown and decided the American War of Revolution in favour of the Americans.

the cricket

A year which saw the end of Broadhalfpenny Down and the beginning of cricket in Lancashire.

DC includes information about three more Maidenhead matches but there are no surviving scorecards.

Hampshire v All-England

Itchin Stoke Down, near Alresford, Hampshire

Wed 6 – Sat 9 June 1781

Hampshire won by 8 wickets (SB47)

All-England 101 (J Aylward 25; Lamborn 7w, N Mann 3w) & 232 (J Aylward 73, R Clifford 48, B Rimmington 31; N Mann 4w, R Nyren 2w)

Hampshire 206 (T Sueter 66, John Small 47; E Stevens 2w) & 128-2 (N Mann 73, W Bedster 49)

A match also called Hampshire v Kent but S&B calls it Hampshire v All-England with a note that most of the All-England players were Kent men. However, as S&B calls the 30 July game Hampshire v Kent with William Bedster, it seems the intention on 6 June was to field an All-England team: it included Lumpy and William Yalden of Surrey and there is some doubt about the identity of the three Rimmingtons who may have been from Essex.

Duke of Dorset's XI v Sir Horace Mann's XI

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Wed 20 – Thurs 21 June 1781

Duke of Dorset's XI won by 10 wickets (SB47)

Sir Horace Mann's XI 136 (R Clifford 32, J Miller 29; E Stevens 2w, W Bedster 2w) & 84 (Mr R Hosmer 37*)

Duke of Dorset's XI 158 (T Pattenden 50*, T Sueter 34; R Clifford 4w, Lamborn 3w) & 63-0 (N Mann 37*, W Bullen 26*)

Odiham v Maidenhead

Odiham Down, near Odiham, Hampshire

Mon 2 – Tues 3 July 1781

Odiham won by 31 runs (DC)

Odiham scored 135 & 95; Maidenhead replied with 118 & 81.

Kent v Hampshire

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Wed 18 – Fri 20 July 1781

Kent won by 150 runs (SB48)

Kent 181 (J Miller 29, J Aylward 29, R Clifford 26; Lamborn 3w, R Nyren 2w) & 186 (R Clifford 57, J Aylward 25; J Freemantle 2w)

Hampshire 59 (E Stevens 2w, R Clifford 2w) & 158 (G Leer 53, R A Veck 26; E Stevens 4w)

Maidenhead v Odiham

probably at Oldfield Bray near Maidenhead, Berkshire

Mon 23 July 1781

Odiham won by 10 wickets (DC)

Maidenhead scored 60 & 49; Odiham 73 and 37-0.

Hampshire v Kent

Broadhalfpenny Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire

Mon 30 July – Wed 1 August 1781

Kent won by 38 runs (SB49)

Kent 218 (R Clifford 66, J Miller 45, W Bowra 29; R Nyren 4w, R Purchase 3w, Lamborn 2w) & 188 (W Bullen 54, W Bowra 42*, J Aylward 28)

Hampshire 185 (N Mann 49, T Taylor 34, R A Veck 26; W Bullen 6w) & 183 (R A Veck 44, N Mann 41*, John Small 34, T Taylor 23; R Clifford 2w)

An outstanding all-round performance by William Bullen. Richard Purchase's name had not appeared in a match since 1774.

The end of an era. This match marked the end of Broadhalfpenny Down as a big match venue. The Hambledon Club began using Windmill Down next year.

Leicester v Melton Mowbray

Barrowcliffe Meadow, Leicester

Thurs 2 August 1781

Melton Mowbray won by 16 runs (GB18)

Reported in the Leicester Journal on Sat 4 August.

Duke of Dorset's XI v Sir Horace Mann's XI

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Wed 8 – Sat 11 August 1781

Duke of Dorset's XI won by 106 runs (SB49)

Duke of Dorset's XI 170 (T Sueter 58, T Pattenden 26*; R Clifford 3w, Lamborn 2w) & 184 (T Sueter 56, W Bullen 36; Lamborn 3w, R Clifford 3w)

Sir Horace Mann's XI 147 (J Aylward 36, J Miller 31, R Clifford 24; E Stevens 4w) & 101 (J Aylward 44, John Small 28; E Stevens 4w)

A very impressive performance by Tom Sueter scoring two fifties in the game, which would be like scoring two centuries in a match now. Lumpy with at least 8 wickets also played his part.

Maidenhead v Bucks

venue unknown

Mon 27 – Tues 28 August 1781

Maidenhead won by 124 runs (DC)

No other details are known, including the venue.

Kent v Hampshire

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Mon 27 – Tues 28 August 1781

Hampshire won by 8 runs (SB50)

Hampshire 60 (R Clifford 3w) & 106 (R Purchase 24; R Clifford 2w, W Bowra 2w)

Kent 88 (J Aylward 32; Lamborn 4w, R Nyren 2w) & 70 (R Nyren 3w, Lamborn 2w)

A match on Brinnington Moor in August is the earliest known reference about cricket being played in Lancashire. Reported in the Manchester Journal on Sat 1 September (see PVC).

Leicester v Nottingham

Loughborough, Leicestershire

Mon 17 – Tues 18 September 1781

incomplete due to dispute (GB18)

Reported in the Leicester Journal on Sat 22 September.

Nottingham scored 50 & 73; Leicester had scored 73 & 9-2 when the game ended prematurely because of a dispute about wide deliveries. The repercussions dragged on and the dispute remained unresolved a year later (see 1782).

Oxfordshire v Berkshire

Benson Common, Oxfordshire

Mon 24 September 1781

result unknown (GB18)

Advertised in the Reading Mercury on Mon 17 September.

1782

the history

In March, Lord North resigned following the catastrophic defeat at Yorktown. He was succeeded by his main opponent Rockingham, whose second term was short and ended with his death in July of the same year. Rockingham was sympathetic to the American colonies and was trying to negotiate a peace treaty when he died.

William Petty-Fitzmaurice, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (1737 – 1805) became prime minister till 1783. A supporter of Rockingham, he continued to work for peace with the Americans.

In India, the Treaty of Salbai ended the war between the British and the Marathas. The Raj grew ever larger.

the cricket

Alresford & Odiham v Hampshire County

Odiham Down, near Odiham, Hampshire

Mon 27 May 1782

result unknown (DC)

The intended teams were announced beforehand.

Alresford & Odiham:
David Harris, George Boult, Noah Mann, Andrew Freemantle, R A Veck, Tom Taylor, Hawkins, Butler, Pragnell, T Skinner, W Hall.

Hampshire County:
Richard Nyren, John Small, Tom Sueter, George Leer, Edward "Curry" Aburrow, Stewart, John Hammond, Brett, Richard Purchase, J Paddick, Newland.

It is believed that Stewart and Brett are perhaps younger members of those families and not the two famous players of those names, who had already retired.

Andrew Freemantle and John Hammond became great players in the years after Lord's was founded in 1787.

Tues 18 June . The Hampshire Chronicle reported the first meeting on Windmill Down, referring to the ground as a field called the New Broad Halfpenny adjoining to the Town of Hambledon. See GB18, p.94.

Hampshire v Alresford & Odiham

venue unknown

Tues 25 June 1782

result unknown (GB18)

Hampshire is described in the Hampshire Chronicle advert as the County of Southampton.

Mon 1 July . The Salisbury Journal recorded Richard Nyren as returning thanks to the public for the many favours he has received in the last 20 years (GB18).

Kent v Hampshire

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Wed 3 – Fri 5 July 1782

Kent won by 5 wickets (SB51)

Hampshire 87 (D Harris 27; E Stevens 2w) & 140 (T Sueter 48, G Leer 25; R Clifford 3w)

Kent 102 (F Booker 29*, W Bedster 25; D Harris 2w) & 127-5 (W Bowra 48; N Mann 2w)

This game saw the first appearances in major matches by David Harris and Little Joey Ring.

Hampshire v Kent

Itchin Stoke Down, near Alresford, Hampshire

Thurs 11 – Mon 15 July 1782

Kent won by 142 runs (SB53)

Kent 257 (J Aylward 75, W Bedster 63, W Bowra 50, W Brazier 37; J Freemantle 3w) & 72 (W Bowra 21; R Purchase 2w)

Hampshire 121 (N Mann 33; E Stevens 2w, R Clifford 2w) & 66 (E Stevens 4w, R Clifford 4w)

GB18 confirms that the game was finished on Mon 15 July owing to bad weather with play on the Saturday having been washed out.

All-England v Hampshire

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Thurs 25 – Fri 26 July 1782

Hampshire won by 9 runs (SB53)

Hampshire 88 (R Purchase 33; R Clifford 7w, W Bullen 2w) & 128 (E Aburrow 32, G Leer 23; W Bullen 2w)

All-England 108 (R Clifford 28, W Brazier 26; E Stevens 4w) & 99 (R Clifford 46, W Brazier 23; R Nyren 4w)

Hampshire v All-England

Windmill Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire

Thurs 8 – Sat 10 August 1782

All-England won by 147 runs (SB54)

All-England 115 (W Yalden 24*, R Francis 21; E Stevens 2w, R Nyren 2w) & 189 (W Brazier 39, R Clifford 31, W Bullen 28, J Miller 25; E Stevens 3w, R Nyren 2w)

Hampshire 64 (E Aburrow 21*; R Clifford 3w, W Bullen 3w) & 93 (N Mann 44, R Purchase 23; R Clifford 3w, W Bullen 2w)

This is the first recorded match which the Hambledon Club organised on Windmill Down.

Odiham v Farnham

Odiham Down, near Odiham, Hampshire

Tues 13 August 1782

Farnham won by 3 wickets (DC)

In this game reported with scores in DC, Farnham included one J Wells and two players called Beldum (sic), one of which was G Beldum while the other has no initial given. If the latter was William Beldham, as seems likely, he must have been 16 at the time and so this is his first known match. There were two Wells brothers: James was an occasional player in major matches while John was one of the greats. We cannot tell which of them played in this game.

Farnham v Odiham

venue unknown

Sat 17 August 1782

Odiham won by an innings & 4 runs (DC)

This was the second game between these clubs but the teams and scores this time are unknown.

Hampshire v Sussex

Windmill Down, Hambledon, Hampshire

Thurs 5 September 1782

result unknown (PVSC)

This was advertised in the Hampshire Chronicle on Mon 26 August with a further notice in the Hambledon Club minutes on the day of the game.

George Leer was due to play for Sussex. John Small, Richard Nyren, Tom Sueter, R A Veck, Edward Aburrow, Tom Taylor and Noah Mann were all expected to play for Hampshire.

Chertsey v Maidenhead

Laleham Burway Ground, Chertsey, Surrey

Thurs 5 – Fri 6 September 1782

Maidenhead won by 6 wickets (DC)

Mr Waghorn has made one of his dating errors with this one. He says it was played on Thurs 8 Sept but 8 September was a Sunday. So it might have been on Thurs 5 September.

David Harris again guested for Maidenhead (it appears he did not play for Hampshire v Sussex so this would not rule out Thurs 5 September as the date). William Bedster and two players called Woods were given men for Chertsey.

A return game was arranged for Mon 16 September at Oldfield Bray but was not played. Chertsey had to pay forfeit to the Berkshire Club, presumably for failing to arrive.

Berkshire v Odiham

Oldfield Bray, Berkshire

Thurs 3 October 1782

result unknown (DC

Odiham v Berkshire

Odiham Down, Hampshire

Mon 7 October 1782

Odiham won (DC)

These games were pre-announced and it is interesting that the Oldfield/Maidenhead club is referred to as the Berkshire Club, which supports the view that the club based at Oldfield Bray was a county club.

The Odiham team for the first match was to be: Hawkins, Wells, David Harris, T Harris, Thumswood, Paddick, Butler, Beldham, Crate, Hart, Cordery.

The Berkshire team was to be: Bedborough, Slater, Spriggs, Goldswain, George T Boult, A Boult, William Bedster, Bolton, Bunch, Polden, Lawrence.

The second match seems to have been postponed incomplete and then concluded next season (see same fixture on Tues 20 May 1783).

Meanwhile, the Nottingham v Leicester saga had dragged on and was still unresolved by the end of the 1782 season. GB18 has recorded these excerpts from various issues of the Leicester Journal:

A Card – The members of the Leicester Cricket Club present their compliments to the Nottingham Cricket Players, who have given a public challenge in the Nottingham Journal of the 22nd inst., and inform them that they are ready to meet them on any ground either in friendship or for any sum of money, provided they pay that small debt of honour which they left at Loughborough last year—upon any other condition they apprehend no Society of Credit can play with them. (L.J. Sat 29 June)

Nottingham suggested that Leicester were only too glad of an excuse for not playing the match. (L.J. Sat 19 October)

How long the standoff lasted is unclear but they were playing each other again by 1789!

1783

the history

On 1 April, Shelbourne, who had played a major part in the preparation of the American peace treaty, was forced to resign when his ministry was outvoted by a coalition under Lord North and Charles James Fox (1749 – 1806) on the issue of public service reform. He was succeeded by William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738 – 1809; Whig) whose first term as prime minister was to 19 December 1783. Portland was chosen by North and Fox as the figurehead of a regime that they controlled: Fox was foreign secretary and North was home secretary. It sounds like Yorkshire in the 1920s when a succession of amateur captains were chosen for a team controlled by Wilfred and Emmott!

But it didn't last long. On 19 December, Portland's government was forced to resign after the House of Lords, under pressure from the King, rejected Fox's reform bill for India.

This brought to the centre of affairs a major figure: William Pitt the Younger (1759 – 1806; Tory) whose first and longest term as prime minister was until 3 February 1801.

Earlier, on 3 September, the Treaty of Paris was ratified between Britain and America. Britain recognised the independence of the 13 American colonies. Britain also ceded Florida back to Spain (having taken control in 1763); and ceded Senegal and Tobago to France. Apart from being kicked out of France at the end of the Hundred Years War, this is the only time England or Great Britain has known the humiliation of a major military defeat. But revenge was forthcoming.

Over in the new nation, at a meeting of Congress in Philadelphia, it was decided that a permanent capital was needed. Deliberations continued for several years until the site of Washington was agreed upon. The British burned it in 1814, destroying the White House and numerous other public buildings and forcing President Madison to flee to Virginia.

The first successful hot-air balloon was developed by the Montgolfier brothers in Paris but manned flight was still a long, long way from Kittyhawk.

the cricket

Aristocrats and gentlemen like Richmond, Dorset and Sir Horace Mann you would expect. But Lumpy? Yes, indeed. If anyone deserved to have his portrait painted it was the master bowler himself and apparently this was the year it was done. The great bowler's portrait is at Knole, seat of the Duke of Dorset in Sevenoaks.

Odiham v Maidenhead

Odiham Down, near Odiham, Hampshire

Tues 20 – Wed 21 May 1783

Odiham won (GB18)

Apparently this match was preceded by the conclusion of one left over from last season and that must have been the one due to start at Odiham Down on Mon 7 October 1782.

Duke of Dorset's XI v Sir Horace Mann's XI

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Wed 25 – Thurs 26 June 1783

Sir Horace Mann's XI won by 2 wickets (SB56)

Duke of Dorset's XI 97 (W Bowra 28, Mr G Louch 24; – Martin 5w) & 135 (W Bedster 43, W Bullen 31; – Martin 2w, R Clifford 2w)

Sir Horace Mann's XI 147 (T Pattenden 52, J Aylward 26; J Boorman 2w) & 86-8 (J Aylward 25; W Bullen 3w)

Mr Haygarth recorded that: Stevens was not to bowl, by agreement. This being the case, he could not have been much use as a given man, as he was no batsman.

The Duke of Dorset's team included six players whose name began with B.

The Whitehall Evening Post reported on Tues 8 July that the 3rd Duke of Dorset's cricketing establishment, exclusive of any betting or consequential entertainment, is said to exceed £1000 a year. It goes on to say the Duke is the most extraordinary accomplished nobleman we have. See PVC.

Hampshire v Kent

Windmill Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire

Tues 8 – Wed 9 July 1783

Match tied (SB57)

Hampshire 140 (T Taylor 51, T Sueter 42; W Bullen 4w) & 62 (W Bullen 2w)

Kent 111 (W Brazier 27; E Stevens 2w, D Harris 2w, R Francis 2w) & 91 (J Aylward 27; E Stevens 2w)

This is the first tied match for which a detailed scorecard has survived. There are earlier tied matches of which we have few details.

According to Arthur Haygarth:

Kent actually won the match. It was discovered afterwards that Pratt, the scorer, whose method (which was the usual one at that time) was to cut a notch on a stick for every run, and to cut every tenth notch longer, in order to count the whole more expeditiously, had, by mistake, marked in one place the eleventh notch instead of the tenth. The stick was afterwards produced; but the other scorer could not or would not produce his. The play was excellent on both sides, and the game was saved by Clifford's attention. Both sides were alternatively the favourites, and high odds laid.

Mr Haygarth found a lot of conflicting information in his sources and we can safely say that the scorers were responsible for the confusion on this occasion.

Maidenhead v Odiham

Oldfield Bray, near Maidenhaed, Berkshire

Thurs 17 July 1783

Odiham won by 9 wickets (GB18)

Reported by the Reading Mercury on Mon 21 July. DC also has this match but incorrectly dates it as Thurs 31 July.

Kent v Hampshire

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Wed 6 – Sat 9 August 1783

Hampshire won by 85 runs (SB58)

Hampshire 160 (John Small 52, J Bayley 25; W Bullen 3w, R Clifford 3w) & 192 (T Taylor 66, T Sueter 36, R A Veck 31, R Nyren 25; W Bullen 2w)

Kent 204 (J Ring 82, W Bedster 61; E Stevens 5w) & 63 (W Bullen 23; D Harris 2w)

All-England v Hampshire

Windmill Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire

Tues 26 – Fri 29 August 1783

Match drawn (rain) (SB59)

All-England 218 (W Brazier 79, F Booker 25, W Yalden 22; E Stevens 3w, D Harris 2w) & 133 (J Ring 27; D Harris 2w)

Hampshire 217 (John Small 78, T Sueter 53, R Nyren 22; W Brazier 3w, W Bullen 2w) & 63-5 (N Mann 32, R A Veck 24; W Brazier 2w)

This is the first instance among matches with recorded scores of a draw. Hardly surprisingly, it was due to persistent rain! Arthur Haygarth says: This match was put off, on account of bad weather, and never resumed.

Mon 1 September. The scorecard for the Melton Mowbray v Nottingham game is bizarre. All 11 players in the Melton first innings were out! In the Nottingham second innings, six are shown as out including one who was out of ground (so presumably stumped given that run out is used elsewhere in the card) but there is only one shown as last man and he didn't score!

Chertsey v Berkshire

Laleham Burway Ground, Chertsey, Surrey

Fri 5 – Sat 6 September 1783

Berkshire won by 10 wickets (DC)

Chertsey 145 (W Bedster 44, H Attfield 41, W Yalden 23) & 62 (H Attfield 18)

Berkshire 179 (T Taylor 93, Mr G T Boult 31) & 30-0

This was reported as: A match of cricket, between the Berkshire Club, with Taylor of Hampshire, and Chertsey, with Bedster and Lambert, which was decided in favour of the Berkshire Club, by 2 runs and 10 wickets to go down.

Thurs 11 September. The Nottingham Journal mentions a Close near Trent Bridge as the venue for the return match between Melton Mowbray and Nottingham. This was over 60 years before William Clarke opened the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground! The report goes on to say that the Nottingham players uniformly dressed in green jackets and the Melton players in white jackets.

The Nottingham games against Melton Mowbray are historically interesting reports of the old Nottingham Club that ultimately evolved into Nottinghamshire CCC.

1784

the history

The India Act was passed, creating a department of the British government to exercise political, military and financial control over the Indian affairs of the East India Company. During the next half century British control was extended over most of the sub-continent.

the cricket

The 1784 season was significant for the appearance in major matches of the White Conduit Club, although the surviving references this year are merely around two great matches played on White Conduit Fields. The club was a reincarnation of the long-standing noblemen's and gentlemen's club that had frequented the Star & Garter and other establishments for most of the 18th century. As well as drafting the The Laws of Cricket, the same people were involved in the organisation of prizefighting and horse racing. In the latter context, it was they who formed the Jockey Club in 1752.

These gentlemen had been the mainstay of the old London Club which played at the Artillery Ground. When that fell into disrepute and the Hambledon glory days began, many of the members joined the Hambledon Club, but still hankered for a suitable base in London. White Conduit Fields had been used for cricket matches since the beginning of the century and perhaps earlier. It was ideal in many respects except, as we shall see, that it did not afford sufficient privacy for the honourable gentlemen.

The prime movers in this shift back to London, which marked the end of the Hambledon Era, were George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, and the Hon. Colonel Charles Lennox, grandson of the 2nd Duke of Richmond. Along with many of their friends, they were both enthusiastic players whose names occur frequently in scorecards for the next two decades.

Berkshire v Bucks

Little Marlow, Berkshire

Tues 18 May 1784

Berkshire won by an innings & 21 runs (DC)

Bucks has never had a top-class county team and Berkshire clearly won this with ease.

A Great Cricket Match

White Conduit Fields, Islington, Middlesex

Sat 22 May 1784

result unknown (PVC)

A Great Cricket Match

White Conduit Fields, Islington, Middlesex

Thurs 27 May 1784

result unknown (PVC)

It is almost certain that these matches involved the White Conduit Club but few details are known. The Earl of Winchilsea was noted as the best bat in the first game; a few players in the second game were named including Dorset, Winchilsea, Talbot and Lennox.

All-England v Hampshire

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Tues 1 & Wed 2 June 1784

All-England won by 7 wickets (SB61)

Hampshire 70 (T Sueter 35*; W Bullen 6w, R Clifford 2w) & 116 (John Small 38; W Bullen 2w, R Clifford 2w)

All-England 124 (J Aylward 37, R Clifford 31; R Francis 4w) & 63-3 (J Ring 28*)

This was the only top-class match recorded in 1784. Mr Haygarth says in S&B that his original source was the Hampshire Chronicle, as the game was not inserted in the old book of scores.

The match included the first recorded appearance by John (Jack) Small junior.

Another debutant was the professional player Davidson, possibly of Hythe, about whom little is known. He was occasionally recorded in matches over the next few years, his name sometimes spelled Davison.

Bucks v Berkshire

Datchet Common, Datchet, Bucks

Wed 9 June 1784

result unknown (DC)

This was a return of the game on Tues 18 May above. It was pre-announced with the result of the first one but was not itself reported.

Chertsey v Coulsdon

Laleham Burway Ground, Chertsey, Surrey

Tues 22 – Wed 23 June 1784

Chertsey won by 313 runs (DC)

Chertsey 219 (Mr G T Boult 52*, – Hart 52) & 186 (T Taylor 44, W Bedster 31)

Coulsdon 63 & 29

No bowling or fielding details known.

Mr Waghorn recorded: A match between the Chertsey and Coulsdon clubs, for £50 a side, which was won by the former by 313 runs. This match does not state how out.

This match is sometimes found in lists of top-class games as these were both strong clubs for most of the 18th century. But Coulsdon was a shadow of its former self by 1784 and lost the game heavily by 313 runs. Apart from the occasional Surrey players Muggeridge and Quiddington, none of the Coulsdon team is recognised, whereas the majority of Chertsey players are. Personally, I do not regard this as a major or top-class match and it is included here for its historical interest only.

Thurs 15 – Fri 16 July. Hambledon Parish v Petworth is recorded in GB18 but it seems to have been a minor match between two parish teams only, although a handful of regulars did play for the Hambledon team. The scorecard has been preserved. Petworth won by 52 runs.

Fri 30 July . Farnham v Odiham & Alton was played at Holt Pound in Farnham and the teams are known but no details of the play. The Wells and Beldham brothers all played for Farnham. Odiham's team included David Harris and Thomas Scott, who became a noted Hampshire player in the 1790s.

Mon 2 August. The introduction of the mail coach system in England. Mail to that time was still carried by postboys on foot or horseback. Whereas a stagecoach on the London-Bath-Bristol route took 17 hours, the post was taking more than twice as long.

1785

the history

1 January. The first issue of the ''Daily Universal Register'', later known as ''The Times'', was published in London.

the cricket

S&B bemoans the lack of fixtures in this season (though there were no less than in the previous few seasons) but there is a historical significance in that state of affairs because it reflected the decline of Hambledon's influence while the emergence of WCC foreshadowed a shift in focus to London.

Cricket by now was approaching that first great watershed.

Middlesex v Essex

Kennington Common, Kennington, Surrey

Mon 30 & Tues 31 May 1785

Essex won by 6 wickets (DC)

The match was played for £500 a side. William Fennex and George T Boult were given men for Middlesex, who in one report are called London & Westminster.

Berkshire v Essex

Datchet Common, Datchet, Bucks

Thurs 9 – Fri 10 June 1785

Berkshire won by 148 runs (DC)

Berkshire 113 (Mr G T Boult 53) & 115 (Mr G T Boult 55, James Wells 37)

Essex 37 & 43 (Hon. G H Monson 20*)

No bowling or fielding details known.

The game was announced as: A match of cricket, for 100 guineas, the Berkshire club against the Hornchurch club, with Davidson and Rimmington. We do not know which of the three Rimmingtons was involved.

The Hornchurch club was the strongest in Essex and its team could claim to be representative of the county. The sources differ among themselves re whether the team should be called Essex or Hornchurch. Several of these Essex players appeared frequently in subsequent seasons.

Berkshire was becoming a top-class county at this time and their team in 1785 does include Beldham, Bedster, Boult, Fennex, Harris, James Wells and Yalden.

Essex v Middlesex

Langton Park, Hornchurch, Essex

Mon 13 June 1785

result unknown (GB18)

This match was pre-announced to be played out same day for 100 guineas. No report was found.

Gentlemen of Kent v White Conduit Club

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Mon 20 June 1785

Gentlemen of Kent won by 104 runs (DC)

Gentlemen of Kent 105 (Mr R Stanford 38) & 131 (Mr S Amherst 22, Mr R Whitehead 22)

White Conduit Club 46 & 86 (Hon. Col. C Lennox 25)

No bowling or fielding details known.

Announced in DC as: A grand match of cricket between 11 gentlemen of the White Conduit Club, London, against 11 gentlemen of Kent, which was won by the latter.

There were a number of significant debutants in this game, in the sense that this was their first recorded match, none more so than the Earl of Winchilsea and the Hon. Colonel Charles Lennox, who both played a major role in the organisation of cricket at Lord's from 1787.

Hornchurch v Windsor

Langton Park, Hornchurch, Essex

Mon 27 June 1785

Windsor won by 5 wickets (DC)

No individual details are known. GB18 records that the stake was £500. It is possibly that it was the equivalent of Essex v Berkshire.

White Conduit Club v Gentlemen of Kent

White Conduit Fields, Islington, Middlesex

Thurs 30 June & Fri 1 July 1785

White Conduit Club won by 304 runs (SB62)

White Conduit Club 170 (Hon. Col. C Lennox 42, Capt – Monson 29; Mr R Hosmer 4w) & 284 (Sir P Burrell 97, Mr R Newman 56; Mr R Hosmer 3w)

Gentlemen of Kent 122 (Mr R Stanford 59; Capt – Monson 5w) & 28 (Mr G East 4w)

Mon 4 July . DC has a full scorecard for Bucks and Herts but both of these were minor counties at the time, as they are now, and relied on given men to have any recognised players. Bucks won by 16 runs.

As well as Bucks and Herts, the sources include a number of matches involving town clubs like Farnham (in Surrey), Petworth (in Sussex) and Odiham (in Hampshire), but these are minor matches only. The standard of the teams is clearly indicated by the result on 22 August when Farnham, apparently the best of them, was able to take on Hambledon and was trounced. We do not know who played but it is likely that the Hambledon team for that game represented the parish rather than the county.

1786

the history

A year that saw publication of the famed Kilmarnock Edition of poems by the brilliant Robert Burns (1759 – 1796). It included several classics: The Twa Dogs; To A Mouse; The Jolly Beggars; Halloween; Holy Willie's Prayer; The Cotter's Saturday Night. A year later, Burns published the Scots Musical Museum, featuring songs by him and including A Red Red Rose and Auld Lang Syne.

Another genius, Mozart, produced his Symphony No. 38 (Prague) in 1786.

In France, the successive efforts to reform the ramshackle economy by finance ministers Neckar, Calonne, Brienne and Neckar again were all doomed to failure in a state ruled by a reactionary oligarchy of nobility and clergy. In August 1788, the fateful decision to recall the Estates-General was made and they convened at Versailles in May 1789 with truly cataclysmic consequences for all of mankind.

In America, the new nation put revolution behind it and got on with the job of building. The USA Constitution was drawn up and signed by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia at the end of 1787. By that time, slavery had been abolished in five northern states. Delaware on 7 December 1787 was the first state to ratify the constitution. The other twelve followed suit over the next couple of years. The Federal Constitution was adopted in 1789 with George Washington (1732 – 1799) becoming the first US President (to 1797).

the cricket

DC in 1786 has games involving the Farnham club of Surrey and the Warfield club of Berkshire. We know that David Harris played for Farnham and Lumpy for Warfield in the first one on Tues 16 May, but we have to assume (as in 1785) that these are parish matches only despite the guest stars. A similar assumption must be made re other matches involving the Guildford and Godalming clubs. The games are included in the season summary list.

The famous Walker brothers made their first appearances in major cricket.

White Conduit Club v Kent

White Conduit Fields, Islington, Middlesex

Thurs 22 – Sat 24 June 1786

White Conduit Club won by 5 runs (SB64)

White Conduit Club 103 (T Taylor 33; R Clifford 2w, W Bullen 2w) & 123 (John Small 49, Hon. G Monson 26; R Clifford 3w)

Kent 121 (W Bullen 26, Mr R Hosmer 26; E Stevens 2w) & 100 (Mr R Hosmer 25; E Stevens 4w)

Arthur Haygarth commented: Henry Bentley's 'correct' (sic) book of matches commences in 1786 and ends in 1825. Several matches in (S&B) are taken from that publication. The above match is not arranged in the order of going in. Many matches in the early part of (Bentley's) book have always the gentlemen placed first.

Kent v Hampshire

The Vine, Sevenoaks, Kent

Mon 26 – Wed 28 June 1786

Kent won by 4 wickets (SB65)

Hampshire 143 (T Walker 43, H Walker 39, R Purchase 25; R Clifford 3w, W Bullen 2w) & 89 (H Walker 24; W Bullen 3w, J Boorman 2w, R Clifford 2w)

Kent 123 (W Bowra 28, W Bullen 27; E Stevens 3w, R Purchase 2w) & 110-6 (J Ring 61*, J Aylward 27; E Stevens 3w)

Hampshire v Kent

Windmill Down, near Hambledon, Hampshire

Thurs 13 – Sat 15 July 1786

Hampshire won by 1 wicket (SB66)

Kent 83 (W Bullen 23; D Harris 4w) & 189 (F Booker 55*, J Aylward 53, W Bullen 29; R Purchase 4w, N Mann 2w)

Hampshire 163 (H Walker 66, T Walker 55; R Clifford 3w, W Bullen 2w) & 110-9 (T Walker 26, John Small 24; W Bullen 2w, R Clifford 2w)

Tom Sueter of Hampshire was given out for hitting the ball twice. This is the first recorded instance of this type of dismissal.

Re the Walker brothers, it cannot be confirmed but it is possible that this match included the first instance of a century partnership involving two brothers.

Arthur Haygarth says: In this match, 'hit wicket' is scored down only for the second time, the first being in 1773. Evidently (as in the case of leg before wicket and stumped out) it was written down as bowled merely for some years. In fact, there were other instances of hit wicket in scores recorded elsewhere.

Haygarth also comments that: In another account, the Hambledon Club is called England; but they are all belonging to the club, and therefore the above (i.e., Hambledon Club) is no doubt correct. But Hambledon and All England were much the same about this time.

Hampshire v Kent (ABC game)

Moulsey Hurst, Molesey, Surrey

Wed 2 – Sat 5 August 1786

Hampshire won by 35 runs (SB66)

Hampshire 116 (T Walker 56; R Clifford 3w) & 144 (Mr E Hussey 28, R Purchase 26; R Clifford 3w, W Brazier 2w)

Kent 143 (Mr S Amherst 33, F Booker 26; E Stevens 2w) & 82 (F Booker 39; E Stevens 3w)

Hampshire won after being behind on first innings. Tom Taylor, who was not a wicketkeeper, took six catches in the match.

Some interesting comments by Arthur Haygarth about this game and about team naming conventions. It may here be mentioned that the Earl of Winchilsea's or the Hambledon Eleven always played in silver laced hats. Knee breeches of course in use now by everyone. It is very curious that the above Kent Eleven consisted entirely of A, B, and C's, in fact in another account the two sides are called A, B, and C's v the Rest of the Alphabet. This match is in 'the Old Scores' called Earl of Winchilsea's v Sir Horace Mann's side, but it is decidedly a match between Hambledon Club (i.e., Hampshire) and Kent, and has been so altered by the Compiler of this work. Often in the old score books, the name of the principal patron or backer of each side is prefixed, instead of the proper name, which is very incorrect, and apt to mislead the reader.

Team names can be misleading but in fact none of the contemporary labels are incorrect. As we have seen, the same team could have several labels not just successively but also concurrently. The whole issue is a storm in a teacup and it is up to each writer to follow his own preference, which is precisely what Mr Haygarth himself did!

Kent v White Conduit Club

Bishopsbourne Paddock, Bourne, near Canterbury, Kent

Tues 8 – Sat 12 August 1786

White Conduit Club won by 164 runs (SB68)

White Conduit Club 183 (T Walker 95*, Mr G East 26; R Clifford 4w) & 296 (T Taylor 117, T Walker 102; W Bullen 4w)

Kent 218 (Mr R Stanford 73, Mr S Amherst 39, J Boorman 32; D Harris 3w) & 97 (R Clifford 41, – Collier 35; D Harris 3w, E Stevens 2w)

Tom Walker was very close to becoming the first batsman ever to score two centuries in a match. The centuries by Walker and Thomas Taylor are the first instance of two players scoring centuries in the same match, let alone the same innings. Although it cannot be confirmed, it is possible they shared a 200-plus partnership. These were the third and fourth centuries in recorded top-class cricket, following the previous hundreds by John Small and James Aylward who were both playing in this game.

Arthur Haygarth commented: There are only a few recorded matches of the White Conduit Club. The Marylebone Club was formed in 1787 from its members The date of the formation of the White Conduit could not be found.

Berkshire v Middlesex

New Ground, Hayley Green, Warfield, Berkshire

Mon 16 September 1786

result unknown (DC)

DC recorded that: a match of cricket will be played on the New Ground at Hayley Green, Warfield, Berks, the counties of Middlesex and Bucks, against Warfield, with G. East, Esq., Finch and Thompson. Wickets to be pitched at 10 o'clock.

Players for Warfield: G. East, Esq., Osmer (i.e., Mr R Hosmer), G. T. Boult, A. Boult, Z. Boult, Baker, Finch, Fouch (i.e., Mr G Louch), Lawrence, Simkins, and Thompson. (Not reported.)

The Warfield team here is effectively a Berkshire XI and their opponents are near enough a Middlesex XI, presumably with a couple from Bucks, so this is a major inter-county match. Many of these names will be familiar if you have studied matches in the 1790s.