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

HIGHEST AVERAGES IN A CAREER (Qualification: 10 matches or more, average over 17) Average Runs Lord F.Beauclerk 1791-1825 24.96 5442 R.Robinson 1792-1819 21.99 4311 W.Beldham 1787-1821 21.47 7043 R.Miller 1772-1783 21.00 2058 T.Walker 1786-1810 19.25 6065 J.Aylward 1773-1797 19.24 3869 J.Hammond 1790-1816 18.98 3968 J.Finch 1792-1795 18.68 467 R.A.Veck 1776-1784 17.98 1151 W.White 1787-1792 17.80 267 G.T.Boult 1786-1795 17.66 583 HIGHEST AGGREGATES IN A CAREER (Qualification: 3,000 runs or more) Runs Matches Avge W.Beldham 1787-1821 7043 189 21.47 T.Walker 1786-1810 6065 177 19.25 Lord F.Beauclerk 1791-1825 5442 129 24.96 R.Robinson 1792-1819 4311 111 21.99 J.Hammond 1790-1816 3968 123 18.98 J.Aylward 1773-1797 3869 107 19.24 J.Small junior 1784-1810 3439 144 13.42 J.Small senior 1772-1798 3346 111 16.73 John Wells 1787-1815 3055 149 11.93 PARTNERSHIPS Falls of wicket were not included in 18th century scoresheets so it is not possible to note records in this section. However, studying the scores, it is clear that large partnerships did take place. The obvious ones are given here. First wicket W.Bedster (49) & N.Mann (73) Hampshire v Kent (Stoke Down) 1781 Hampshire made 128/2 to win by two wickets and the two not out batsmen scored only 6 runs between them with no byes so Bedster and Mann must have put on more than 100. H.Walker (66) & T.Walker (55) Hampshire v Kent (Windmill Down) 1786 The scores of the Walker brothers total 121 so the odds are that their stand reached about 100. W.Beldham (63) & J.Small junior (42) England v White Conduit Club (Lord’s) 1787 At the close of the second day, England were 87/0 (Beldham 52, Small 31) and as they each added 11 runs to their score the next day they must have put on about 100. T.Walker (138) & Earl of Winchilsea (56) Surrey and Sussex v England (Lord’s) 1793 An annotation on this match in a copy of Britcher’s annual reads: ‘I saw T.Walker and Lord.Winchilsea went in first and J.Wells went in when Ld.Winchilsea was bowled out.’ So the opening stand must have been about 100. T.Walker (101) & H.Walker (56) Surrey v England (Lord’s) 1797 The Walker brothers must have put on about 100. John Wells (93) & T.Walker (53) Surrey v England (Lord’s) 1799 As Walker was known as a slow scorer, this stand could have been well over 100. Second wicket W.Bowra (60*) & P.Vallance (68*) Brighton v MCC (Lord’s) 1792 Brighton made 131/1 to win by nine wickets with J.Marchant out for one so the next pair added nearly all of the required runs. T.Walker (102) & H.Walker (70) Leigh’s XI v Louch’s XI (Lord’s) 1794 A.Freemantle, the opening partner of T.Walker, was out for four so a stand of well over 100 seems likely. 38