1819 English cricket season

In the 1819 English cricket season, the Gentlemen v Players match, previously played in 1806 only, was resurrected.

Honours

7 September — death of Lumpy Stevens, arguably the greatest bowler of the 18th century
According to James Pycroft in The Cricket Field, the size of the wickets was increased in 1817 to 27 inches (690 mm) by 8 inches (200 mm), but it seems more likely that the rule was introduced in 1819.
With cricket still recovering from the effects of the Napoleonic War, a total of only 6 first-class matches were recorded in 1819:
- 24 May — Cambridge Town Club v Cambridge University @ Parker's Piece, Cambridge
- 7–9 June — All-England XII v Hampshire XII @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[2]^[3]
- 21 June — Cambridge Town Club v Cambridge University @ Parker's Piece, Cambridge
- 29–30 June — All-England v Hampshire @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[4]
- 7–9 July — Gentlemen v Players @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[5]
- 25–26 August — Epsom v Hampshire @ Epsom Downs^[6]

1819 debutants included:

^ ^a ^b Note that scorecards created in the first quarter of the 19th century are not necessarily accurate or complete; therefore any summary of runs, wickets or catches can only represent the known totals and computation of averages is ineffectual.
^ Haygarth, p.420.
^ This match is an exception to the normal rule of eleven-a-side in first-class cricket.
^ Haygarth, p.423.
^ Haygarth, p.425.
^ Haygarth, p.427.

HS Altham, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1926
Derek Birley, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum, 1999
Rowland Bowen, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970
Arthur Haygarth, Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744-1826), Lillywhite, 1862