Tall Bennett
Encyclopedia
"Tall" Bennett was an English professional cricket
er 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 Little Bennett. Their first names are not recorded anywhere and they are consistently referred to as "Little" and "Tall", their heights seemingly the only differentiating factor.
teams and was prominent in the single wicket
variety of the sport, which was hugely popular in the 1740s. Like his brother, he was acclaimed publicly as a great batsman. There is an article in The Connoisseur (no. 132, dated 1746) about Robert Colchin
that includes: "....but his (Colchin's) greatest excellence is cricket-playing, in which he is reckoned as good a bat as either of the Bennetts....".
The Bennetts are first noted in 1744 when one of them (which is unknown) played for London against Slindon
. In 1745, they were both in Richard Newland's XI against Long Robin's XI at the Artillery Ground in June. Later that season, "Little" Bennett played twice for Surrey against Addington as a given man. There is no mention of them in 1746 and then "Little" Bennett returns in July 1747 playing for Long Robin's XI against William Hodsoll's XI. Later that season, he plays for All-England against Kent.
In 1747 and 1748, both brothers appeared regularly in single wicket teams. A player called only Bennett took part in two matches for Surrey against All-England in June 1749. "Little" Bennett played for Stephen Dingate's XI against Long Robin's XI the same month. In 1752, they both played for Westminster against Addington
. In 1753, "Tall" Bennett played against London as a given man for a Marylebone XI. "Little" Bennett played a single wicket game in 1754.
The last mention is in 1755 when the brothers both took part in a "fives" match playing for London against Windsor & Eton on Kennington Common.
In all, "Tall" Bennett made 10 known appearances, 7 in single wicket and 3 in significant matches. "Little" Bennett made 19 known appearances, 12 in single wicket and 7 in significant matches. In addition, there are 3 significant matches in which one of them appeared but the exact identity is unknown.
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...
er who played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for London Cricket Club
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:...
in the 1740s and 1750s. He was almost certainly the brother of the player known as Little Bennett. Their first names are not recorded anywhere and they are consistently referred to as "Little" and "Tall", their heights seemingly the only differentiating factor.
Cricket career
Tall Bennett also played for All-EnglandAll-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...
teams and was prominent in the 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...
variety of the sport, which was hugely popular in the 1740s. Like his brother, he was acclaimed publicly as a great batsman. There is an article in The Connoisseur (no. 132, dated 1746) about 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:...
that includes: "....but his (Colchin's) greatest excellence is cricket-playing, in which he is reckoned as good a bat as either of the Bennetts....".
The Bennetts are first noted in 1744 when one of them (which is unknown) played for London against Slindon
Slindon Cricket Club
Slindon Cricket Club was famous in the middle part of the 18th century when it claimed to have the best team in England. It was located at Slindon, a village in the Arun district of Sussex....
. In 1745, they were both in Richard Newland's XI against Long Robin's XI at the Artillery Ground in June. Later that season, "Little" Bennett played twice for Surrey against Addington as a given man. There is no mention of them in 1746 and then "Little" Bennett returns in July 1747 playing for Long Robin's XI against William Hodsoll's XI. Later that season, he plays for All-England against Kent.
In 1747 and 1748, both brothers appeared regularly in single wicket teams. A player called only Bennett took part in two matches for Surrey against All-England in June 1749. "Little" Bennett played for Stephen Dingate's XI against Long Robin's XI the same month. In 1752, they both played for Westminster against 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....
. In 1753, "Tall" Bennett played against London as a given man for a Marylebone XI. "Little" Bennett played a single wicket game in 1754.
The last mention is in 1755 when the brothers both took part in a "fives" match playing for London against Windsor & Eton on Kennington Common.
In all, "Tall" Bennett made 10 known appearances, 7 in single wicket and 3 in significant matches. "Little" Bennett made 19 known appearances, 12 in single wicket and 7 in significant matches. In addition, there are 3 significant matches in which one of them appeared but the exact identity is unknown.