History of English cricket (1776–1800) explained

The period from 1776 to 1800 saw significant growth and development in English cricket to the point that it became a popular sport nationwide, having outgrown its origin in the south-eastern counties. Prominent northern clubs were established at Nottingham and Sheffield.

History

Cricket has its first documented mentions in Canada (1785) and the West Indies (1780; in Barbados). British clubs were established in India in Calcutta (1792) and, following the siege there, Seringapatam (1799). In America, the game was popular among soldiers in the revolution and George Washington is known to have played in at least one game.^[1]

At the highest level of English cricket, two clubs pre-dominated – Hambledon from the early 1770s until the late 1780s and then Marylebone Cricket Club, known as MCC, from its foundation in 1787. County cricket thrived during the Hambledon period. The Hambledon Club organised matches played by the Hampshire team, who often challenged teams representing the rest of England. Soon after its foundation, MCC assumed ownership of the Laws and re-drafted them in 1788.

Leading players of the period included batsmen John Small and Billy Beldham; bowlers Lumpy Stevens and David Harris; and the controversial all-rounder Lord Frederick Beauclerk. Throughout the period, underarm bowling prevailed by means of a pitched delivery, this method having been recently introduced in the 1760s. In response to pitching of the ball, the modern straight bat had been created, replacing the old "hockey stick" design that had been in use when balls were bowled all along the ground.^[2]

Further reading

• Book: ACS . Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians . A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863 . 1981 . ACS . Nottingham .
• Book: Altham, H. S. . Harry Altham . A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914) . 1962 . George Allen & Unwin . London . B0014QE7HQ.
• Book: Birley, Derek . Derek Birley . A Social History of English Cricket . 1999 . Aurum Press Ltd . London . 978-18-54107-10-7.
• Book: Bowen, Rowland . Rowland Bowen . Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development . 1970 . Eyre & Spottiswoode . London . 978-04-13278-60-9.
• Book: Buckley, G. B. . G. B. Buckley . Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket . 1935 . Cotterell & Co. . Birmingham . 978-19-00592-48-2.
• Book: Buckley, G. B. . G. B. Buckley . Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket . 1937 . Cotterell & Co. . Birmingham . 978-19-00592-49-9.
• Book: Haygarth, Arthur . Arthur Haygarth . Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826) . 1862 . Frederick Lillywhite . Kennington . 978-19-00592-23-9.
• Book: Major, John . John Major . More Than A Game . 2007 . HarperCollins . London . 978-00-07183-64-7.
• Book: McCann, Tim . Timothy J. McCann . Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century . 2004 . Sussex Record Society . Lewes . 978-08-54450-55-8.
• Book: Nyren, John . John Nyren . The Cricketers of my Time . Ashley Mote . 1998 . Robson Publishing . London . 978-18-61051-68-4.
• Book: Underdown, David . David Underdown . Start of Play . 2000 . Allen Lane . Westminster . 978-07-13993-30-1.
• Book: Waghorn, H. T. . H. T. Waghorn . The Dawn of Cricket . 1906 . Electric Press . London . 978-09-47821-17-3.

Notes and References

1. Ewing, George. The Military Journal of George Ewing. (New York: Privately Printed, 1928), p. 47.
2. Web site: Cricket in the 17th and 18th centuries . Bowen . Rowland . Rowland Bowen . Wisden Cricketers' Almanack . 1965 . 24 October 2022.