1784 English cricket season

1784 English cricket season
Cricket formats major, including single wicket

The 1784 English cricket 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.

Although not directly connected with cricket, it was in 1784 that 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 and cricket spread throughout the country as a consequence of that.

Matches

Date Match Title Venue Source Result
18 May (Tu) Berkshire v Bucks Little Marlow WDC Berkshire won by innings & 21 runs

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

22 May (S) "A Great Cricket Match" White Conduit Fields FLPV result unknown
27 May (Th) "A Great Cricket Match" White Conduit Fields FLPV result unknown

It is almost certain that these matches involved the White Conduit Club but few details are known. George Finch, 9th 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.

1–2 June (Tu-W) All-England v Hampshire Sevenoaks Vine SB61 All-England won by 7 wkts

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.

9 June (W) Bucks v Berkshire Datchet Common WDC result unknown

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.

22–23 June (Tu-W) Chertsey v Coulsdon Laleham Burway WDC Chertsey won by 313 runs

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.

15–16 July (Th-F) Hambledon Parish v Petworth venue unknown FL18 Petworth won by 52 runs

Hambledon Parish v Petworth is recorded in FL18 and included in the ACS list 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.

30 July (F) Farnham v Odiham & Alton Holt Pound, Farnham FL18 result unknown

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 Beldam brothers all played for Farnham. Odiham’s team included David Harris and Thomas Scott, who became a noted Hampshire player in the 1790s.

First mentions

Leading batsmen

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.

runs player
55 James Aylward
42 Robert Clifford
41 John Small
36 Tom Sueter

Leading bowlers

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.

wkts player
8 William Bullen
5 Richard Francis
4 Robert Clifford
2 Edward "Lumpy" Stevens
1 Thomas Taylor

Leading fielders

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.

ct/st player
3 William Bowra
2 William Bedster
2 Richard Francis
2 Thomas Taylor

References

    Bibliography

    Additional reading

    External links