Great Cricket Matches 1772-1800: The Players and The Records

In dealing with cricketers so far back in time the proviso ‘where known’ applies to all details of this entry. Playing styles are in the usual ACS format (eg, rhb for right-hand batsman; rf for right-arm fast bowler; wk for wicket-keeper). ‘Underarm’ is implicit though not stated for the bowling styles. On the rare occasion where roundarm is involved, this is mentioned. Some clarification of the titles of the ‘major teams played for’ is required. Such titles are sometimes highly speculative in this period as a report will refer to ‘the Hambledon Club’ or ‘Hornchurch’ when the side is elsewhere called Hampshire or Essex. To avoid confusion in the A-Z we have always used Hampshire rather than Hambledon; Hornchurch instead of Essex; and Oldfield instead of Berkshire. The 29 Select XIs are not shown under the name of the team’s sponsor but for reference these sponsors were: Hon. Edward Bligh (1 match); Earl of Darnley (3); Duke of Dorset (3); John Gibbons (1); Richard Leigh (9); Hon. Charles Lennox (7); George Louch (2); Sir Horatio Mann (6); Edward Gregory Morant (2); Richard Newman Newman (1); Thomas Assheton Smith senior (2); R. Whitehead (2); Earl of Winchilsea (16); and Lord Yarmouth (1). There was also one match between David Harris’s XI and Thomas Walker’s XI where it is presumed they were the captains while the two sides were sponsored by others. The appearances shown under the entry ‘Single Wicket’ relate only to the 15 great matches of five or six-a-side played between 1772 and 1789, one each season except for 1788 when there were two, and four years during this period when there were none: 1776, 1778, 1779 and 1785. After 1789 no comparable matches of five- or six-a-side were ever held. 9 George Finch (1752-1826), from 1769 the 9th Earl of Winchilsea On his return from fighting on the losing side in the American Revolutionary War, Winchilsea became prominent in top cricket in the late eighteenth century. He was preeminent as a sponsor and organiser, although his frequent playing appearances brought only occasional success.