Robert Eures
Encyclopedia
Robert Eures was a noted English cricketer
of the mid-18th century. He came from Bexley
in Kent
and played for Kent county cricket teams
as well as for All-England
. He is known to have been a good batsman and he was frequently involved in single wicket
tournaments which were very popular during his career and attracted high stakes.
Robert Eures is first recorded in the Daily Advertiser on 31 August 1747 playing for Kent against All-England at the Artillery Ground
. The match involved numerous leading players of the time .
In 1749 Eures played for a very strong All-England team against Surrey
, which was the leading county team that season .
In 1752, Eures was named as one of the three principal players when the famous Dartford Cricket Club
issued a challenge to "the rest of England". Dartford's challenge was that with William Hodsoll
, John Bryant, Robert Eures and "eight players from the parish of Dartford" it could take on and defeat any eleven players from the rest of England! The match was due to be played on 29 July 1752 at Dartford Brent
but unfortunately no result has been found and it might have been rained off .
That is the last record of Robert Eures as match reports decreased after 1752 and then the sport itself went into decline during the Seven Years War. Given that his earliest reference was in 1747, it seems unlikely that he was a veteran of the 1730s. He was probably born in the early 1720s, made his name in the 1740s and, all being well, retired in the 1760s .
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
of the mid-18th century. He came from Bexley
Bexley
Bexley is an South East London]] in the London Borough of Bexley, London, England. It is located on the banks of the River Cray south of the Roman Road, Watling Street...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and played for Kent county cricket teams
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...
as well as for 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...
. He is known to have been a good batsman and he was frequently involved in 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...
tournaments which were very popular during his career and attracted high stakes.
Robert Eures is first recorded in the Daily Advertiser on 31 August 1747 playing for Kent against All-England at 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...
. The match involved numerous leading players of the time .
In 1749 Eures played for a very strong All-England team against 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:...
, which was the leading county team that season .
In 1752, Eures was named as one of the three principal players when the famous Dartford Cricket Club
Dartford Cricket Club
Dartford Cricket Club is one of the oldest in England and its origins go back to the early 18th century, perhaps earlier.See also: Dartford Brent...
issued a challenge to "the rest of England". Dartford's challenge was that with William Hodsoll
William Hodsoll
William Hodsoll , was a noted English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. Hodsoll lived at Dartford for some years and was a tanner ....
, John Bryant, Robert Eures and "eight players from the parish of Dartford" it could take on and defeat any eleven players from the rest of England! The match was due to be played on 29 July 1752 at 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...
but unfortunately no result has been found and it might have been rained off .
That is the last record of Robert Eures as match reports decreased after 1752 and then the sport itself went into decline during the Seven Years War. Given that his earliest reference was in 1747, it seems unlikely that he was a veteran of the 1730s. He was probably born in the early 1720s, made his name in the 1740s and, all being well, retired in the 1760s .