1773 English cricket season
Encyclopedia
The 1773 English cricket season was a horrendous one for Hampshire
and the Hambledon Club
. They lost every known match played in 1773 and some of their defeats were heavy. Their poor results probably owed much to star bowler Thomas Brett
being injured.
Spectator comfort was a feature of some reports this year. A grandstand was erected on two occasions at Bishopsbourne Paddock
. The Surrey
v Hampshire game in September was to have a stand built at Laleham Burway
with the best accommodation provided there and at the White Hart at Chertsey
by Thomas Swayne. Thomas Swayne was a Chertsey player who featured in a few games during the 1770s. On the other hand, another advertisement for cricket at Bourne warned spectatators to leave their dogs at home, otherwise they will be shot!
for 200 guineas involving John Small, Tom Sueter, Richard Nyren, George Leer and Thomas Brett of Hampshire against “Lumpy” Stevens, John Minshull, Joseph Miller, Dick May and Thomas “Daddy” White of All-England. It was to take place in Whitsun week and was “the first great match this season”. In fact, it took place a little later and William Palmer of Coulsdon played instead of “Daddy” White. All-England scored 31 & 27-4 against Hampshire’s 24 & 33 to win by 1 wicket. Miller was 11 not out at the end and so proved to be the matchwinner. Leer with scores of 16 & 13 seems to have been the best batsman overall but to no avail. May, Lumpy, Brett and Nyren were named as the bowlers but we do not know who took the wickets.
On 30 July, there was a match at Bourne for which the grandstand was erected between Bourne and Chatham. It was rained off not long after it began. The Bourne team included Miller, Palmer, Fuggles, Simmons and one of the Mays, as well as (now Sir) Horatio Mann himself. The Chatham team contained no players of note except for the ubiquitous Mr George Louch
, no less, who was just getting into his stride at this time and had already earned some rave reviews for his fielding in minor matches. Mr Louch went on to become just about the most prolific player of the 18th century and not even Small or Lumpy could match him for appearances.
A match was scheduled at Andover on Fri 24 – Sat 25 September between Sussex and Hampshire (see FL18). Sussex were due to have Lumpy Stevens and Daddy White of Surrey as given men; and also Bayton, the noted Hambledon batsman of the 1760s, though he may have been a native of Sussex. The match was cancelled because only seven of the Sussex team turned up! Apart from the three players named above, the Sussex team was not a top-class side. Hampshire, on the other hand, were due to play with this team: Davis, Aylward, Small, Sueter, Leer, Nyren, Stewart, Brett, Purchase, Barber and Hogsflesh.
Hampshire county cricket teams
Hampshire county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that...
and the Hambledon Club
Hambledon Club
The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.-Foundation:...
. They lost every known match played in 1773 and some of their defeats were heavy. Their poor results probably owed much to star bowler Thomas Brett
Thomas Brett
Thomas Brett was one of first-class cricket's earliest well-known fast bowlers and a leading player for Hampshire when its team was organised by the Hambledon Club in the 1770s.-Career:Noted for his pace and his accuracy, Brett was a leading wicket taker in the 1770s and was lauded by John...
being injured.
Spectator comfort was a feature of some reports this year. A grandstand was erected on two occasions at Bishopsbourne Paddock
Bishopsbourne Paddock
Bishopsbourne Paddock was a cricket ground at Bourne House, seat of Sir Horatio Mann, near Canterbury in Kent. It was a popular venue for first-class matches from 1766 to 1790.-Matches:...
. The Surrey
Surrey county cricket teams
Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
v Hampshire game in September was to have a stand built at Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway is a tract of meadow land on the River Thames near Chertsey in Surrey. Part of it was a famous major cricket venue in the 18th century and the home of Chertsey Cricket Club.-Earliest known matches:...
with the best accommodation provided there and at the White Hart at Chertsey
Chertsey Cricket Club
Chertsey Cricket Club in Surrey is one of the oldest in England. Its own website dates its founding as 1737 but in fact matches involving a Chertsey team date from 1736....
by Thomas Swayne. Thomas Swayne was a Chertsey player who featured in a few games during the 1770s. On the other hand, another advertisement for cricket at Bourne warned spectatators to leave their dogs at home, otherwise they will be shot!
Matches
| Date | Match Title | Venue | Source | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21–22 June (M-Tu) | Surrey v Kent | Laleham Burway | SB6 | Surrey won by 35 runs |
Surrey 175 (T White 44, Mr – Stone 35, R Francis 30) & 70 (T White 23); Kent 133 (Mr R Newman 28, T Pattenden 25) & 77 (J Miller 18). No bowling or fielding details are known. |
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| 28–29 June (M-Tu) | All-England v Hampshire | Sevenoaks Vine | SB8 | All-England won by innings & 5 runs |
Hampshire 77 (T Brett 26; E Stevens 2w) & 49 (G Leer 15; E Stevens 3w); All-England 177 (J Miller 73, R Simmons 20; W Hogsflesh 3w, T Brett 2w) This is the first match since cricket’s statistical record began in 1772 where some bowling and fielding details are known, though no credit was given to the bowler when a batsman was out other than by being clean bowled, an omission in scoring that was not rectified until well inside the 19th century. Lumpy seems to have been the best bowler in the game, taking five wickets bowled and presumably had more from catches. The All-England team was a strong Kent & Surrey combination with Joseph Miller scoring 73 in their innings of 177. The card includes the first known instance of “hit wicket” (by John Minshull) and it is not mentioned again until 1786. It is believed that it was usually recorded as “bowled” so it is possible that, on this occasion, Minshull hit the wicket when not taking strike (e.g., hit the wicket whilst running, perhaps). This was another “first” for Minshull who scored the first known century in 1769. |
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| 2–3 July (F-S) | All-England v Hampshire | Artillery Ground | SB7 | All-England won by 6 wkts |
Hampshire 132 (John Small 58, T Sueter 29) & 154 (T Sueter 32, John Small 25, W Barber 25); All-England 187 (W Palmer 52*, Childs 38, T White 24) & 100-4 (J Boorman 55, W Palmer 30*). Coulsdon batsman William Palmer, who had an outstanding season in 1773, scored 52* and 30* in totals of 187 and 100-4. |
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| 9–10 July (F-S) | All-England v Hampshire | Artillery Ground | WDC | All-England won by 2 wkts |
Mr Waghorn has come up trumps with this one. As always, he does not name the primary source but his extract reads: Yesterday, July 9, began to be played in the Artillery Ground, the second grand match of cricket, 11 on a side, the Hambledon Club, against All England, which ended on the 10, in favour of the latter, who had 2 wickets to go down. Great sums were depending on this match; at pitching the wickets, the Hambledon Club, notwithstanding their late defeat, were the favourites, and it was generally believed they would have come off victorious, had it not been for a hurt received by Farmer Brett (Bowler) in the late single wicket match, which prevented his exercising his usual powers. This is not included in the ACS list which may have confused the game with the one on 2–3 July, also at the Artillery Ground, that All-England won by 6 wickets. Martin Wilson in his Index to Waghorn explains the situation and agrees with Ashley Mote in GDC that we have here an additional match that has previously been overlooked. The clincher would seem to be the fact that Tom Brett played on 2 July (see CricketArchive and SB7). |
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| 12–13 July (M-Tu) | All-England v Hampshire | Laleham Burway | FL18 | All-England won by 114 runs |
Little is known about this game apart from an interesting report which Mr Buckley found in the Morning Post dated Fri 16 July: Hampshire being beat again last Tuesday on Laleham Burway they must now resign the Cricket laurel, though much against their will. The Duke of Dorset played on the part of England, and having run a considerable number of notches from off-strokes, the Hampshire people very unpolitely swarmed round his bat so close as to impede his making a full stroke; his Grace gently expostulated with them on this unfair mode, and pointed out their danger, which having no effect, he, with proper spirit, made full play at a ball and in so doing brought one of the gentlemen to the ground. It seems on reading this report that the umpires were at fault for the 1744 Laws do state: They (the umpires) are sole Judges of all Hindrances; crossing the Players in running, and standing unfair to strike, and in Case of Hindrance may order a notch to be scored. What is interesting is that, despite his considerable influence on the sport, Dorset did not exert influence on the umpires here and merely dealt with the matter as a batsman. |
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| 13 July (Tu) | Surrey v Middlesex | Kennington Common | WDC | Middlesex won by 6 runs |
The stakes were 100 guineas a side. Middlesex totalled 179 to Surrey’s 173. |
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| 19–21 July (M-W) | Kent v Surrey | Bishopsbourne Paddock | SB12 | Surrey won by 153 runs |
Surrey 77 (W Palmer 22; Duke of Dorset 4w) & 217 (T White 60, W Palmer 38, R Francis 36; J Miller 3w, Duke of Dorset 2w); Kent 63 (Duke of Dorset 25; J Wood of Chertsey 4w, E Stevens 2w) & 78 (Mr G Louch 26, Sir Horace Mann 22; J Wood of Chertsey 2w, E Stevens 2w) Close of play scores are known
|
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| 30 July (F) | Hambledon Town v Hampshire | Broadhalfpenny Down | WDC | result unknown |
|
Played for 20 guineas a side. This has historical interest but it is doubtful that it was a major match. S&B, Epps and GDC all omitted it and Waghorn is the only one of the secondary sources to acknowledge it. It is included in the ACS list and Martin Wilson has accepted it. |
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| 4–5 August (W-Th) | Hampshire v All-England | Broadhalfpenny Down | SB12 | All-England won by 9 wkts |
Hampshire 89 (Mr T Davis 30; E Stevens 4w, Duke of Dorset 4w) & 140 (T Sueter 39, Mr T Ridge 24; E Stevens 3w, Duke of Dorset 2w); All-England 202 (T White 69, W Palmer 68; R Purchase 4w, W Hogsflesh 2w) & 28-1 Richard Francis Richard Francis Richard Francis was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.Francis is known to have been a Surrey man by birth and he had played for Surrey teams before moving to Hampshire... made his first appearance for Hampshire in this game, evidently as a given man. He began playing regularly for Hampshire in the 1774 season. |
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| 5 August (Th) | London v All-England | White Conduit Fields | FL18 | London won |
The Middlesex Journal reported on Sat 7 August that London won “with great ease”. It may well have been a "gentlemen only" game. |
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| 9–10 August (M-Tu) | Surrey v Kent | Laleham Burway | WDC | Surrey won by 8 wkts |
The stakes were 500 guineas per side and the match was concluded on the Tuesday evening. Mon 16 – Wed 18 August. |
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| 16–18 August (M-W) | Kent v Surrey | Sevenoaks Vine | SB14 | Kent won by 6 wkts |
Surrey 170 (T White 59, W Palmer 20; F Booker 3w) & 70 (W Palmer 20; J Frame 3w); Kent 141 (J Miller 42, J Wood of Seal 36; J Wood of Chertsey 2w) & 100-4 (J Miller 32*, J Minshull 32) This match provides incontrovertible proof that Thomas “Daddy” White and “Shock” White were two different people. “Daddy” was playing for Surrey against Kent at Sevenoaks Vine; indeed, he top-scored with 59 (see above). On the same three days, as reported in the Daily Advertiser (see FL18): in Tothill Fields, Westminster with Shock White from Brentford v. London for £20 a side. Hence the two Whites were Shock of Brentford and Daddy of Reigate. |
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| 26 August (Th) | Hampshire v Surrey | Broadhalfpenny Down | SB13 | Surrey won by 6 wkts |
Hampshire 103 (P Stewart 32, R Nyren 28) & 51 (G Leer 29); Surrey 131 (R Francis 35, W Yalden 27) & 24-4. No bowling or fielding details are known. S&B states that the scores were obtained from the Hampshire Chronicle as the match was not included in the old printed book of Hambledon scores from 1772 to 1784. S&B goes on to regret the absences of John Small senior and Thomas Brett, the best batsman and best bowler respectively of Hampshire. He says Hampshire fielded almost a “scratch side” as there were four debutants Cotton, Horne, Lawrence and M Lewis who do not appear again in recorded scores. Some or all of them may have been active before 1772. Strictly speaking, the Hampshire team in this game was Hambledon Parish. Some regular players who lived elsewhere in the county, including the top players John Small and Thomas Brett, did not play. |
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| 16–18 September (Th-S) | Surrey v Hampshire | Laleham Burway | SB15 | Surrey won by 8 wkts |
Hampshire 38 (T Sueter 13; R Francis 3w, J Wood of Chertsey 3w) & 145 (J Aylward 36); Surrey 120 (J Miller 37, J Minshull 29; J Frame 2w) & 64-2 (J Miller 30*) |
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| 27–28 September (M-Tu) | Hampshire v Surrey | Broadhalfpenny Down | HCC | Surrey won by innings & 60 runs |
Hampshire 83 (J Bayley 24, T Sueter 22) & 82 (J Aylward 33); Surrey 225 (W Yalden 88, J Miller 39) This match does not appear in S&B. The sources are Hambledon’s Cricket Glory, by Ronald Knight; and The Hambledon Cricket Chronicle, edited by F S Ashley-Cooper. James Bayley of Hampshire made his final recorded appearance in this game. He may have been active in earlier years. William Yalden William Yalden William "The Yold" Yalden was a noted English cricketer. He was a very good batsman but was primarily known as a wicket-keeper.... ’s score of 88 was the highest recorded in the 1773 season and the highest since the statistical record began in 1772. The previous highest was 78 by John Small senior in the first match of the 1772 season. |
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Other events
Wed 2 June. The first report in WDC for 1773 is an advertisement for a big “fives” game at the Artillery GroundArtillery 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...
for 200 guineas involving John Small, Tom Sueter, Richard Nyren, George Leer and Thomas Brett of Hampshire against “Lumpy” Stevens, John Minshull, Joseph Miller, Dick May and Thomas “Daddy” White of All-England. It was to take place in Whitsun week and was “the first great match this season”. In fact, it took place a little later and William Palmer of Coulsdon played instead of “Daddy” White. All-England scored 31 & 27-4 against Hampshire’s 24 & 33 to win by 1 wicket. Miller was 11 not out at the end and so proved to be the matchwinner. Leer with scores of 16 & 13 seems to have been the best batsman overall but to no avail. May, Lumpy, Brett and Nyren were named as the bowlers but we do not know who took the wickets.
On 30 July, there was a match at Bourne for which the grandstand was erected between Bourne and Chatham. It was rained off not long after it began. The Bourne team included Miller, Palmer, Fuggles, Simmons and one of the Mays, as well as (now Sir) Horatio Mann himself. The Chatham team contained no players of note except for the ubiquitous Mr George Louch
George Louch
George Louch was an English cricketer and match organiser during the 18th century. He was especially noted for his fielding and was an early stalwart of Marylebone Cricket Club.He was a native of Chatham and was evidently educated at Westminster...
, no less, who was just getting into his stride at this time and had already earned some rave reviews for his fielding in minor matches. Mr Louch went on to become just about the most prolific player of the 18th century and not even Small or Lumpy could match him for appearances.
A match was scheduled at Andover on Fri 24 – Sat 25 September between Sussex and Hampshire (see FL18). Sussex were due to have Lumpy Stevens and Daddy White of Surrey as given men; and also Bayton, the noted Hambledon batsman of the 1760s, though he may have been a native of Sussex. The match was cancelled because only seven of the Sussex team turned up! Apart from the three players named above, the Sussex team was not a top-class side. Hampshire, on the other hand, were due to play with this team: Davis, Aylward, Small, Sueter, Leer, Nyren, Stewart, Brett, Purchase, Barber and Hogsflesh.
First mentions
- StoneStone (Surrey cricketer)Stone refers to a noted amateur cricketer in the 18th century who was chiefly associated with Surrey. The full span of his career is uncertain but he was definitely active between 1773 and 1780...
- Richard FrancisRichard FrancisRichard Francis was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.Francis is known to have been a Surrey man by birth and he had played for Surrey teams before moving to Hampshire...
- James AylwardJames AylwardJames Aylward was a noted English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club. He was a left-handed batsman....
- T DavisT Davis (Hampshire cricketer)T Davis refers to a noted amateur cricketer in the 18th century who made 7 known appearances for Hampshire between 1773 and 1776 in the era of the Hambledon Club. The full span of his career is uncertain because he was almost certainly active before cricket's statistical record began in 1772...
- Richard PurchaseRichard PurchaseRichard Purchase was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.He was only 16 when he made his debut in 1773.Born in Liss, Hampshire, he played for his county in 1773 and 1774 but then did not appear again until 1781...
- Francis BookerFrancis BookerFrancis Booker was an English cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman who was noted as a fine hitter of the ball and a very good outfielder....
- Sir John Brewer DavisSir John Brewer DavisSir John Brewer Davis is notable for his involvement in major cricket through his connections with the Kent county team. He was a noted amateur player during the 1760s and until 1773....
- Edward HusseyEdward HusseyEdward Hussey was an English cricketer who played for Kent.He was educated at Westminster and lived at Ashford in Kent. He had a long but infrequent career as a useful batsman and seems to have been a stalwart of Kent cricket, sometimes perhaps as a patron...
- William BullenWilliam BullenWilliam Bullen was an outstanding English cricketer throughout the last quarter of the 18th century. Hailing from Kent, Bullen was a great all-rounder, noted in the key sources as a fast bowler and a "powerful hitter"....
- Samuel ColchinSamuel ColchinSamuel Colchin was an English cricketer who played for Kent in the 1760s and 1770s. He was also selected for All-England in major matches and was often a given man. He was an all-rounder though noted mainly as a bowler, but of unknown type and pace...
- George LouchGeorge LouchGeorge Louch was an English cricketer and match organiser during the 18th century. He was especially noted for his fielding and was an early stalwart of Marylebone Cricket Club.He was a native of Chatham and was evidently educated at Westminster...
- Richard NewmanRichard Newman (cricketer)Richard Newman was an English cricketer who played for Essex, Kent and All-England from the 1773 season to 1793. He was a leading amateur player and an early member of MCC.Surprisingly little is known of Newman personally...
- Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of TankervilleCharles Bennet, 4th Earl of TankervilleCharles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville , styled Lord Ossulston from 1753 to 1767, was a British nobleman, a collector of shells and a famous patron of Surrey cricket in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket rule. His wife, Emma, was...
- William Bartholomew
- Constantine PhillipsConstantine PhillipsConstantine "Con" Phillips was a noted professional cricketer who played for Surrey in the 1760s and 1770s until 1778....
- Henry AttfieldHenry AttfieldHenry Attfield was an English cricketer who made his first known appearance in the 1773 season. Aged 17 at the time, he must have been a genuine 1773 debutant...
- James BayleyJames Bayley (cricketer)James Bayley was an English professional cricketer who made 4 known appearances in major cricket matches from 1773 to 1783.-External sources:*...
(Hambledon and Hampshire)
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 |
|---|---|
| 328 | Thomas White Thomas White (cricketer) Thomas "Daddy" White was a noted English cricketer.White played in the 1760s and 1770s; details of his early career are largely unknown but he retired in 1779. He is known to have appeared frequently for Surrey and All-England since recorded scorecards first became commonplace in 1772... |
| 316 | Joseph Miller |
| 305 | William Palmer William Palmer (cricketer) William Palmer was a famous English cricketer who played in the 1760s and 1770s.... |
| 186 | Tom Sueter Tom Sueter Thomas Sueter was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.... |
| 174 | William Yalden William Yalden William "The Yold" Yalden was a noted English cricketer. He was a very good batsman but was primarily known as a wicket-keeper.... |
| 167 | Richard Francis Richard Francis Richard Francis was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.Francis is known to have been a Surrey man by birth and he had played for Surrey teams before moving to Hampshire... |
| 133 | John Small |
| 131 | James Aylward James Aylward James Aylward was a noted English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club. He was a left-handed batsman.... |
| 118 | John Minshull John Minshull John Minshull aka Minchin was a famous English cricketer during the 1770s... |
| 115 | George Leer George Leer George Leer was a famous English cricketer who played for Hampshire in the time of the Hambledon Club.Leer began playing in the 1760s... |
| 113 | John (Thomas) Wood John Wood (cricketer) John Wood was an English cricketer who played for Kent. His career began in the 1760s before first-class statistics began to be recorded and his known first-class career spans the 1772 to 1783 seasons.... |
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 |
|---|---|
| 18 | Edward "Lumpy" Stevens |
| 15 | Duke of Dorset |
| 14 | John (Thomas) Wood John Wood (cricketer) John Wood was an English cricketer who played for Kent. His career began in the 1760s before first-class statistics began to be recorded and his known first-class career spans the 1772 to 1783 seasons.... |
| 6 | William Hogsflesh William Hogsflesh William Hogsflesh was an English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club in its great days during the 1760s and 1770s.His career ended in 1775 and he was a well known bowler, probably of quick medium pace, but his best years were before the sport's statistical record begins in 1772 and so most... |
| 5 | John Frame John Frame (cricketer) John Frame was an English cricketer and arguably the first great fast bowler in the game's history... |
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 |
|---|---|
| 6 | William Yalden William Yalden William "The Yold" Yalden was a noted English cricketer. He was a very good batsman but was primarily known as a wicket-keeper.... |
| 6 | Richard Simmons Richard Simmons (cricketer) Richard Simmons was an English cricketer who played for Kent and All-England in the 1760s and 1770s. He is one of the earliest well-known wicket-keepers.... |
| 6 | John Minshull John Minshull John Minshull aka Minchin was a famous English cricketer during the 1770s... |
| 4 | Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville , styled Lord Ossulston from 1753 to 1767, was a British nobleman, a collector of shells and a famous patron of Surrey cricket in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket rule. His wife, Emma, was... |
| 3 | Thomas White Thomas White (cricketer) Thomas "Daddy" White was a noted English cricketer.White played in the 1760s and 1770s; details of his early career are largely unknown but he retired in 1779. He is known to have appeared frequently for Surrey and All-England since recorded scorecards first became commonplace in 1772... |
| 3 | Edward "Lumpy" Stevens |
| 3 | Richard Francis Richard Francis Richard Francis was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.Francis is known to have been a Surrey man by birth and he had played for Surrey teams before moving to Hampshire... |