1727 English cricket season

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The 1727 English cricket season saw a number of matches promoted by wealthy landowners like the Duke of Richmond, Sir William Gage, Mr Alan Brodrick and Mr Edward Stead. Among the best of the professional players were the all-rounder Thomas Waymark, who was apparently a groom employed by Richmond; and Stephen Dingate, who may have been a barber.

[edit] Matches

There was a minor game at Warehorne Green, near Ashford, on Monday 5 June that was arranged by Thomas Hodges, Esq. and by George Baker, Esq. who is described as the General Receiver. The teams were Warehorne v Hawkshurst and they played 12 a side.

Of greater significance were these matches involving the 2nd Duke of Richmond.

Date	Match Title	Venue	Source	Result
date unknown	Duke of Richmond’s XI v Sir William Gage’s XI	venue unknown	PVSC	result unknown
date unknown	Sir William Gage’s XI v Duke of Richmond’s XI	venue unknown	PVSC	result unknown
? July	Mr Alan Brodrick’s XI v Duke of Richmond’s XI	Peper Harow ?	PVSC	result unknown
? August	Duke of Richmond’s XI v Mr Alan Brodrick’s XI	Godalming?	PVSC	result unknown

Sir William Gage, 7th Baronet was another of the cricket's early benefactors and his correspondence reveals a close rapport with his friend and rival the Duke of Richmond.

Peper Harow is about four miles from Godalming and was the home of the Brodrick family. See the excellent conjecture in John Marshall's excellent book "The Duke Who Was Cricket" that Peper Harow was the venue of the match in July 1727.

References to the games between the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick mention that they drew up Articles of Agreement between them to determine the rules that must apply in their contests. This may be the first time that rules were formally agreed, although rules as such definitely existed. In early times, the rules would be agreed orally and subject to local variations. This syndrome was also evident in football until the FA was founded, especially re the question of handling the ball.

PVSC = Pre-Victorian Sussex Cricket by HF & AP Squire.

See also: "The Duke Who Was Cricket" by John Marshall (1961).