1732 English cricket season

1732 English cricket season
Cricket formats major, including single wicket

In the 1732 English cricket season, the London Cricket Club continued to predominate and it was said that its team did not lose a game. But, a team called London did lose to Croydon in May, though it might not have been the London Club per se but a team of "London gentlemen". The Artillery Ground came into more frequent use and its Master, Mr Jones, got a mention in one report.

Cricket at this time was still played with two stumps and a bat shaped like a hockey stick, which was the ideal implement for dealing with the rolled ball. There was still no sign of the major rule changes that transformed the sport into its modern guise.

Matches

Date Match Title Venue Result
Mon 8 May Croydon v London [1] Walworth Common Croydon won "by great odds"

It is possible that this "London" was not the famous London Club because a report at the end of the season says London played thirteen matches during the season and "did not lose a game this year".

Mon 5 June London v Brentford & Sunbury [1] Walworth Common London "by very considerable odds"

According to the Dartford Cricket Club website, there seems to have been some confusion in contemporary accounts between this game and the one on Mon 12 June. One account apparently had Brentford & Sunbury called Kent.

Wed 7 June London v Surrey [1] Artillery Ground London by 8 runs

This was reported on both Tues 6 and Thu 8 June by the St James Evening Post. The pre-match notice said stumps would be pitched at one o’clock and, at the request of two (unnamed) gentlemen who have laid a very great sum of money, the ground is to be staked and all gentlemen are desired to keep outside the rope. On Thu 8 June, the paper simply reported that "London won by 8 notches".

Mon 12 June Kent v London [2] Dartford Brent London won

"Kent lost to London on the Brent after 6/4 being laid against London in the middle of the game" (Whitehall Evening Post).

Mon 26 June Surrey v London [1] Sanderstead Downs, near Croydon match drawn

This was played by the same teams as on Wed 7 June. The report states very ambiguously that "the London gamesters got 77 ahead the last hands and but 4 men out, time not permitting them to play it out". Which seems to tell us the match was drawn!

Thu 6 July London v Essex & Herts [1] Epping Forest unknown

This match is the earliest known reference to Essex as a (part) county team. The terms were "for £50 a side, play or pay; wickets to be pitched at one o’clock precisely or forfeit half the money".

Mon 7 August London v Middlesex [1] Islington unknown

The advertisement echoes an earlier game by stating that the venue would be "the field behind the Woolpack at Islington".

Tues 29 August London v Surrey [1] Artillery Ground unknown

This match is also mentioned in Dawn of Cricket with the date given as Wed 30 August. The game was unfinished at seven o’clock and so they "are to play it again on Monday 11 September".

Mon 4 September London v Middlesex [1] Kew Green unknown

The source states: .... (those players involved on Wed 13 September) will be the same persons that played Monday, 4 Sept., at Kew Green.

Mon 11 September London v Surrey [1] Artillery Ground unknown

This is the replay of the unfinished game on Tuesday 29 August.

Wed 13 September London v Middlesex [1] Artillery Ground drawn

A very controversial match as the report states: "Middlesex went in first and got 88 notches; the Londoners got 84; the County went in again and got 58; the Londoners then went in for 63 notches to win; they got 56 and but four men out, when one of the County men would not play any longer, pretending the time was expired as they were to play to, which was six o'clock, although there wanted six minutes of the time by the scorer's watch. The London gamesters intend to go to law for the money, there being upward of £100 depending on the game. This is the thirteenth match the London gamesters have played this year and not lost one match."

But see above re Croydon v London on Mon 8 May.

Other events

There is a reference in The Craftsman dated Sat 26 February to Mr Christopher Jones, Master of the Artillery Ground, at the "Pied Horse" in Chiswell Street (which abounded the ground).[3]

The Whitehall Evening Post reported on Thu 3 August that there was a "great cricket match" at Kew on Thu 27 July where the Prince of Wales was present.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 G B Buckley, Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket, Cotterell, 1935
  2. ↑ History of Dartford Cricket Club
  3. ↑ G B Buckley, Fresh Light on Pre-Victorian Cricket, Cotterell, 1937

Bibliography

Additional reading

External links