The 1798 English cricket season was marked by numerous matches involving town clubs rather than county teams.
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| Date | Match Title | Venue | Source | Result |
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| 2 & 3 May (W–Th) | F Beauclerk v J Tufton | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB230 | Beauclerk's XI won by 19 runs |
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The above was excluded from a previous classification but the players are recognised so this a major fixture. However, the return game between Beauclerk and Tufton on 24 Aug was nine a side with weak teams (SB245). |
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| 9–10 May (W–Th) | MCC v London | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB231 | MCC won by 5 wkts |
| 28–29 May (M–Tu) | MCC v Montpelier ^ | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB232 | Montpelier won by 55 runs |
| 6–8 June (W–Th) | All-England v Surrey | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB233 | All-England won by 128 runs |
| 13–14 June (W–Th) | Montpelier v MCC ^ | Montpelier Gardens | SB234 | MCC won by 175 runs |
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^ As in 1797, Montpelier had a fairly strong team, especially with given men, so their two games v MCC were good quality. The majority of players are recognised and these are major fixtures. |
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| 20–21 Jun (W–Th) | MCC v Middlesex | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB235 | Middlesex won by 10 wkts |
| 26–27 June (Tu–W) | MCC v All-England | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB235 | MCC won by 17 runs |
| 11–13 July (W–F) | MCC v All-England | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB238 | MCC won by 7 wkts |
| 13–14 July (F–S) | F Beauclerk v R Whitehead | Lord’s (Dorset Square) | SB238 | Whitehead's XI won by 7 wkts |
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The Beauclerk v Whitehead game on 13–14 July (SB238) was single innings, whether this was intentional or not, and the names of four Whitehead players are unknown. All things considered, this is a marginal fixture needing further analysis. |
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| 26–28 July (Th–S) | Hampshire v MCC | Stoke Down | SB240 | MCC won by 78 runs |
| 2–3 Aug (Th–F) | MCC v Hampshire | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB241 | Hampshire won by 102 runs |
| 13–15 Aug (M–W) | All-England v Surrey | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB243 | All-England won by innings & 12 runs |
| 16–17 Aug (Th–F) | All-England v Surrey | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB244 | All-England won by 13 runs |
| 16–17 Aug (Th–F) | Woolwich v Croydon # | Barrack Field, Woolwich | brit | Woolwich won by 88 runs |
| 29 Aug (W) | Croydon v Woolwich # | Duppas Hill, Croydon | brit | Woolwich won by innings & 25 runs |
| 5–6 Sept (W–Th) | Middlesex v Hertfordshire | Lord's (Dorset Square) | SB247 | Middlesex won by 93 runs |
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Herts had a weak team here and was not a major team unless with given men. |
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| 26 Sept (W) | Montpelier v Woolwich &c. | Montpelier Gardens | FLPV | Montpelier won by 138 runs |
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This was a single innings game and the teams were local club standard only. Woolwich &c. in full is Woolwich, Crayford & Dartford (also on 8–9 October below). |
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| 1–2 Oct (M–Tu) | Yorkshire Militia v Nottingham Militia | Wetherby | FLPV | NM won by 58 runs |
| 8–9 Oct (M–Tu) | Woolwich &c. v Montpelier # | Barrack Field, Woolwich | brit | drawn |
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# These three matches were unknown till Britcher’s scores came to light recently. They are minor matches involving local clubs only. |
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Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so it is impossible to provide a complete analysis of batting performances: e.g., the missing not outs prevent computation of batting averages. The "runs scored" are in fact the runs known.
Fewer matches were played in 1798 than in previous years, a trend that continued as the effects of the Napoleonic War were felt, and so fewer runs were scored. The batsmen who scored over 100 runs were:
Note that the wickets credited to an 18th century bowler were only those where he bowled the batsman out. The bowler was not credited with the wickets of batsmen who were caught out, even if it was "caught and bowled". In addition, the runs conceded by each bowler were not recorded so no analyses or averages can be computed.
Thomas Boxall just led the bowlers with 42 wickets, beating Lord Frederick Beauclerk who took 40
Other leading bowlers were John Wells 30; William Fennex 23; Tom Walker 16; David Harris 15; Thomas Lord 15
Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so the totals are of the known catches and stumpings only. Stumpings were not always recorded as such and sometimes the name of the wicket-keeper was not given. Generally, a catch was given the same status as "bowled" with credit being awarded to the fielder only and not the bowler. There is never a record of "caught and bowled": the bowler would be credited with the catch, not with the wicket.
John Hammond with 9ct, 9st and John Wells with 10 ct, 8 st were the joint leading fielders in 1798
Lord Frederick Beauclerk took the most catches with 14, followed by William Fennex 11; Andrew Freemantle 8ct, 2 st; William Beldham 7 ct, 1 st; Thomas Ray 7 ct
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