1748 English cricket season
Encyclopedia
In the 1748 English cricket season, single wicket
games, "threes" and "fives" were the vogue and have perhaps never been so popular before or since.
, keeper of the Artillery Ground
and landlord of the adjoining Pyed Horse in Chiswell Street, declared bankruptcy. Evidently his pricing problems of recent years did have some basis in needing to balance the books after all. A number of notices appeared in the press during the first six months of 1748 but Smith eventually resolved his problems, perhaps through the sale of other property, and was able to retain control of the Artillery Ground until 1752 .
In 1748, an action of Jeffreys v Parsons was heard before the King’s Bench. The case concerned wagers that were almost certainly made on the above two Kent v All-England games, with Jeffreys claiming 25 guineas won from Parsons on each game. The parties came to an out of court agreement after the case was held over .
Monday 6 June. A "fives" game between Addington
and The Rest, excluding Kent. Addington’s players were Tom Faulkner
, Joe Harris
, John Harris, George Jackson
and the shoemaker that lately came out of Kent
! Their opponents were Stephen Dingate
, Little Bennett
, Maynard, Collins and Thomas Waymark
.
June (date unknown). Tom Faulkner
beat Robert Colchin
at single wicket
by one wicket. Colchin scored 40 and 5; Faulkner scored 45 and 1*. It was played sometime in June on Bromley Common
.
Fri 24 June. Three servants of the Duke of Richmond played Three of London at the Artillery Ground. The result is unknown but the match started quite late at four o’clock. Richmond’s team was Stephen Dingate
, Joseph Budd and Pye; London’s three were "Little" Bennett
, "Tall" Bennett
and William Anderson
. Reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 25 June .
Sat 25 June. A return single-wicket match between Robert Colchin
and Tom Faulkner
on Addington Hill. This time Colchin won by 2 runs. He made 7 and 12; Faulkner replied with 11 and 6 .
Mon 4 July. A third game between Colchin and Faulkner, “each having previously won one”, on the Artillery Ground. Unfortunately, there are no match details this time .
Mon 4 July. Also on the Artillery Ground, Thomas Waymark
and Darville played as Two of Berkshire against "Little Bennett" and George Smith of London. George Smith was allowed an unnamed substitute in the field. Waymark and Darville won. Darville was the owner of Bray Mills, where Waymark worked at this time. George Smith, evidently having resolved his financial problems, was still the landlord of the famous Py’d Horse and keeper of the Artillery Ground .
Wed 6 July. A "fives" match on the Artillery Ground: Tom Faulkner’s
Side beat Stephen Dingate’s Side by one wicket. Two runs were required when the last man went in. The teams were: Tom Faulkner
, Joseph Harris, William Anderson, "Little" Bennett and "Tall" Bennett versus Stephen Dingate, Joseph Budd, Pye, James Bryant and John Bryant .
Wed 13 July & Fri 15 July. The same two teams of "fives" met again on the Artillery Ground. Play was interrupted by rain on the Wednesday after one side had completed its first innings, scoring 13. The match continued on the Friday. No further details are known but, as an apparent "decider" was played on Wed 27 July, perhaps Dingate’s team won this one .
Wed 27 July. Another "fives" game between Tom Faulkner
and Stephen Dingate
on the Artillery Ground. Faulkner won. This match may have been a decider; in which case Dingate must have won the second match on Fri 15 July. The teams were not the same as before: Stephen Dingate, Richard Newland, Joseph Budd, Maynard (of Surrey) and "Little" Bennett versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, Durling
(of Addington), James and John Bryant .
Thurs 4 August. There was a game somewhere in Kent between teams representing the Hills and the Dales of the county. This sounds like a similar idea to the early match at Chevening in the year 1610; and may have been commemorative .
Mon 8 August. Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris played Robert Colchin and Val Romney at "twos" in the Artillery Ground for twenty guineas a side. Result unknown. Immediately afterwards, there was return of the Waymark/Darville versus Bennett/Smith game, with Smith again allowed a substitute fielder .
Sat 20 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground. The teams were: Robert and John Colchin, James and John Bryant and Robert Lascoe
versus Joseph Harris, Maynard, John Capon, William Anderson and Walker .
Mon 22 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground for 20 guineas a side: Five of Berkshire (Waymark, Darville and three others) versus Five of London (William Anderson, "Little" and "Tall" Bennett, John Capon and George Carter). London won .
Mon 29 August. A "fives" game at the Artillery Ground in which Tom Faulkner’s Side defeated Long Robin’s Side by four runs. The prize was 200 pounds. Val Romney
was badly injured and could not run but, the rules being play or pay, he was obliged to play as well as he could. Teams were Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, James Bryant, John Bryant and Durling versus Robert Colchin, Val Romney, John Larkin, Jones and Maynard .
Mon 5 September. Three of England versus Five of Berkshire played for 20 guineas in the Artillery Ground. The teams were Robert Colchin, Tom Faulkner and George Smith versus Thomas Waymark and four others of Berkshire. George Smith was not allowed a substitute as in previous games and had to do his share of the fielding. Result unknown .
Fri 16 September. Robert Colchin and Thomas Waymark defeated Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris in the Artillery Ground. It was announced beforehand that in case of rain, there is good shelter for the spectators. Apparently the match gave such great satisfaction that an immediate return was arranged. Colchin & Waymark scored 10 and 17 against 0 and 15. In their first innings, Faulkner and Harris were both bowled second ball. Details were reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 17 September .
Sat 17 September. In the return of the previous day’s "twos" match, Colchin and Waymark again defeated Faulkner and Joe Harris. The prize was fifty guineas .
Fri 23 September. A "threes" game played in the Artillery Ground for a considerable sum: Robert Colchin, Thomas Waymark and Maynard versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris and John Bryant. Result unknown .
Single Wicket
Single wicket cricket is a form of cricket played between two individuals, who take turns to bat and bowl against each other. The one bowling is assisted by a team of fielders, who remain as fielders at the change of innings. The winner is the one who scores more runs...
games, "threes" and "fives" were the vogue and have perhaps never been so popular before or since.
Matches
| Date | Match Title | Venue | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 June (F) | Kent Kent county cricket teams Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex, is the birthplace of the sport... v All-England All-England Eleven In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team... |
Dartford Brent Dartford Brent Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. In history, it was the scene of a confrontation between King Henry VI and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York in 1452; and in 1555 thousands of spectators were to witness the burning to death at the stake of... |
Kent won by 11 runs | |
It was esteemed all of a curious match, the odds being two to one on each side playing. |
||||
| 13 June (M) | All-England v Kent | Artillery Ground Artillery Ground The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London... |
Kent won | |
No details are known other than that Kent won and play commenced at two o’clock. |
||||
| 14 June (Tu) | Lambeth v London London Cricket Club The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:... |
Peckham Rye Common | London won | |
There was a brief report in the Whitehall Evening Post Whitehall Evening Post The Whitehall Evening Post was a London newspaper, founded in 1718.It was started in September 1718 by Daniel Defoe; and was then published on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Defoe left it in June 1720, but it continued to exist until the end of the century. It closed in 1801, with issue... on Thursday 16 June. |
||||
| 18 July (M) | London v Croydon Croydon Cricket Club The original Croydon Cricket Club was one of the oldest in England with origins going back to the early 18th century and perhaps earlier. It played most of its matches at Duppas Hill. The earliest record of the club is in the 1707 season when it played two matches against London Cricket... |
Artillery Ground | result unknown | |
Wickets to be pitched at 2 o’clock. |
||||
| 15 August (M) | London v Deptford & Greenwich | Artillery Ground | result unknown | |
Robert Colchin Robert Colchin Robert "Long Robin" Colchin was a highly influential professional English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period at a time when the single wicket version of the game was popular.-Cricket career:... played as a given man for London; Tom Faulkner Tom Faulkner Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground.... as a given man for Deptford & Greenwich. |
||||
| 23 August (Tu) | Deptford & Greenwich v London | Deptford | result unknown | |
The venue was reported as Mr Siddle’s new cricket-ground at Deptford. |
||||
Other events
George SmithGeorge Smith (cricketer)
George Smith was an English cricketer and also the "keeper" of the Artillery Ground, which was cricket's main venue in London during the mid-Georgian period....
, keeper of the Artillery Ground
Artillery Ground
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...
and landlord of the adjoining Pyed Horse in Chiswell Street, declared bankruptcy. Evidently his pricing problems of recent years did have some basis in needing to balance the books after all. A number of notices appeared in the press during the first six months of 1748 but Smith eventually resolved his problems, perhaps through the sale of other property, and was able to retain control of the Artillery Ground until 1752 .
In 1748, an action of Jeffreys v Parsons was heard before the King’s Bench. The case concerned wagers that were almost certainly made on the above two Kent v All-England games, with Jeffreys claiming 25 guineas won from Parsons on each game. The parties came to an out of court agreement after the case was held over .
Monday 6 June. A "fives" game between Addington
Addington Cricket Club
Addington is about three miles south-east of Croydon. It is only a small place but Addington Cricket Club fielded one of the strongest cricket teams in England from about the 1743 season to the 1752 season....
and The Rest, excluding Kent. Addington’s players were Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
, Joe Harris
Harris brothers (cricketers)
John Harris and his brother Joseph Harris were English cricketers in the 1740s and 1750s...
, John Harris, George Jackson
George Jackson (cricketer)
George Jackson was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who played for the famous Addington Cricket Club and for Surrey...
and the shoemaker that lately came out of Kent
Durling (Surrey cricketer)
The Surrey and All-England cricketer called Durling was a noted player in the mid-18th century, although nothing is known of him outside mentions in match reports....
! Their opponents were Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate was a leading English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He almost certainly began playing in the 1720s and was one of the best known players in England through the 1740s....
, Little Bennett
Bennett (London cricketer)
"Little" Bennett was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for London Cricket Club in the 1740s and 1750s. He was almost certainly the brother of the player known as Tall Bennett...
, Maynard, Collins and Thomas Waymark
Thomas Waymark
Thomas Waymark was an English professional cricketer in the first half of the 18th century...
.
June (date unknown). Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
beat Robert Colchin
Robert Colchin
Robert "Long Robin" Colchin was a highly influential professional English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period at a time when the single wicket version of the game was popular.-Cricket career:...
at single wicket
Single Wicket
Single wicket cricket is a form of cricket played between two individuals, who take turns to bat and bowl against each other. The one bowling is assisted by a team of fielders, who remain as fielders at the change of innings. The winner is the one who scores more runs...
by one wicket. Colchin scored 40 and 5; Faulkner scored 45 and 1*. It was played sometime in June on Bromley Common
Bromley Common
Bromley Common is the area centered around the road of the same name, stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Part of the A21...
.
Fri 24 June. Three servants of the Duke of Richmond played Three of London at the Artillery Ground. The result is unknown but the match started quite late at four o’clock. Richmond’s team was Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate was a leading English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He almost certainly began playing in the 1720s and was one of the best known players in England through the 1740s....
, Joseph Budd and Pye; London’s three were "Little" Bennett
Bennett (London cricketer)
"Little" Bennett was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for London Cricket Club in the 1740s and 1750s. He was almost certainly the brother of the player known as Tall Bennett...
, "Tall" Bennett
Bennett (London cricketer)
"Little" Bennett was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for London Cricket Club in the 1740s and 1750s. He was almost certainly the brother of the player known as Tall Bennett...
and William Anderson
William Anderson (cricketer)
William Anderson was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who was principally associated with the famous London Cricket Club....
. Reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 25 June .
Sat 25 June. A return single-wicket match between Robert Colchin
Robert Colchin
Robert "Long Robin" Colchin was a highly influential professional English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period at a time when the single wicket version of the game was popular.-Cricket career:...
and Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
on Addington Hill. This time Colchin won by 2 runs. He made 7 and 12; Faulkner replied with 11 and 6 .
Mon 4 July. A third game between Colchin and Faulkner, “each having previously won one”, on the Artillery Ground. Unfortunately, there are no match details this time .
Mon 4 July. Also on the Artillery Ground, Thomas Waymark
Thomas Waymark
Thomas Waymark was an English professional cricketer in the first half of the 18th century...
and Darville played as Two of Berkshire against "Little Bennett" and George Smith of London. George Smith was allowed an unnamed substitute in the field. Waymark and Darville won. Darville was the owner of Bray Mills, where Waymark worked at this time. George Smith, evidently having resolved his financial problems, was still the landlord of the famous Py’d Horse and keeper of the Artillery Ground .
Wed 6 July. A "fives" match on the Artillery Ground: Tom Faulkner’s
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
Side beat Stephen Dingate’s Side by one wicket. Two runs were required when the last man went in. The teams were: Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
, Joseph Harris, William Anderson, "Little" Bennett and "Tall" Bennett versus Stephen Dingate, Joseph Budd, Pye, James Bryant and John Bryant .
Wed 13 July & Fri 15 July. The same two teams of "fives" met again on the Artillery Ground. Play was interrupted by rain on the Wednesday after one side had completed its first innings, scoring 13. The match continued on the Friday. No further details are known but, as an apparent "decider" was played on Wed 27 July, perhaps Dingate’s team won this one .
Wed 27 July. Another "fives" game between Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner
Tom Faulkner , known as "Long Tom", was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period.A Surrey man, he was a prominent single wicket player who frequently played in challenge matches at the Artillery Ground....
and Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate
Stephen Dingate was a leading English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He almost certainly began playing in the 1720s and was one of the best known players in England through the 1740s....
on the Artillery Ground. Faulkner won. This match may have been a decider; in which case Dingate must have won the second match on Fri 15 July. The teams were not the same as before: Stephen Dingate, Richard Newland, Joseph Budd, Maynard (of Surrey) and "Little" Bennett versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, Durling
Durling (Surrey cricketer)
The Surrey and All-England cricketer called Durling was a noted player in the mid-18th century, although nothing is known of him outside mentions in match reports....
(of Addington), James and John Bryant .
Thurs 4 August. There was a game somewhere in Kent between teams representing the Hills and the Dales of the county. This sounds like a similar idea to the early match at Chevening in the year 1610; and may have been commemorative .
Mon 8 August. Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris played Robert Colchin and Val Romney at "twos" in the Artillery Ground for twenty guineas a side. Result unknown. Immediately afterwards, there was return of the Waymark/Darville versus Bennett/Smith game, with Smith again allowed a substitute fielder .
Sat 20 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground. The teams were: Robert and John Colchin, James and John Bryant and Robert Lascoe
Robert Lascoe
Robert Lascoe was a native of Bromley in Kent. He was a noted English cricketer of the mid-18th century who played for Bromley Cricket Club and for Kent...
versus Joseph Harris, Maynard, John Capon, William Anderson and Walker .
Mon 22 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground for 20 guineas a side: Five of Berkshire (Waymark, Darville and three others) versus Five of London (William Anderson, "Little" and "Tall" Bennett, John Capon and George Carter). London won .
Mon 29 August. A "fives" game at the Artillery Ground in which Tom Faulkner’s Side defeated Long Robin’s Side by four runs. The prize was 200 pounds. Val Romney
Val Romney
Valentine "Val" Romney was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket during the 1740s. A specialist batsman, he was mainly associated with Kent but also represented All-England...
was badly injured and could not run but, the rules being play or pay, he was obliged to play as well as he could. Teams were Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, James Bryant, John Bryant and Durling versus Robert Colchin, Val Romney, John Larkin, Jones and Maynard .
Mon 5 September. Three of England versus Five of Berkshire played for 20 guineas in the Artillery Ground. The teams were Robert Colchin, Tom Faulkner and George Smith versus Thomas Waymark and four others of Berkshire. George Smith was not allowed a substitute as in previous games and had to do his share of the fielding. Result unknown .
Fri 16 September. Robert Colchin and Thomas Waymark defeated Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris in the Artillery Ground. It was announced beforehand that in case of rain, there is good shelter for the spectators. Apparently the match gave such great satisfaction that an immediate return was arranged. Colchin & Waymark scored 10 and 17 against 0 and 15. In their first innings, Faulkner and Harris were both bowled second ball. Details were reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 17 September .
Sat 17 September. In the return of the previous day’s "twos" match, Colchin and Waymark again defeated Faulkner and Joe Harris. The prize was fifty guineas .
Fri 23 September. A "threes" game played in the Artillery Ground for a considerable sum: Robert Colchin, Thomas Waymark and Maynard versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris and John Bryant. Result unknown .
External sources
Further reading
- H S AlthamHarry AlthamHarry Surtees Altham, CBE, DSO, MC was an English cricketer who became an important figure in the game as an administrator, historian and coach. His Wisden obituary described him as "among the best known personalities in the world of cricket"...
, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1962 - Derek BirleyDerek BirleySir Derek Birley was an English educator and writer who had a strong interest in sport, especially cricket.He was educated at grammar school in Hemsworth, West Yorkshire, and at Queens' College, Cambridge University....
, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum, 1999 - Rowland BowenRowland BowenMajor Rowland Francis Bowen was a cricket researcher, historian and writer....
, Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970 - David UnderdownDavid UnderdownDavid E. Underdown was a historian of 17th-century English politics and culture and Professor Emeritus at Yale University. Born at Wells, Somerset, Underdown was educated at the Blue School and Exeter College, Oxford...
, Start of Play, Allen Lane, 2000