Start date 1728 | ||
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The 1728 cricket season was the 131st in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of four important matches.
Contents
- Important matches
- County cricket
- Other events
- Counties
- Clubs and teams
- Players
- Venues
- Additional reading
- References
A Swiss traveller in southern England recorded county cricket as "a commonplace" and wrote that it unites "the common people and men of rank". Teams of county strength were being formed as the patrons sought stronger combinations to help them in the serious, for them, business of winning wagers. Easily the most successful this year was Edwin Stead whose Kent teams were "too expert" for the Sussex teams led by the 2nd Duke of Richmond and Sir William Gage.
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
County cricket
The proclamation of Kent's superiority is the first time that the concept of a "Champion County" can be seen in the sources and it is augmented by the "turned the scales" comment made by a reporter after Sussex defeated Kent in 1729. The 1729 report added that the "scale of victory had been on the Kentish side for some years past". In 1730, a newspaper referred to the "Kentish champions". It must be noted, however, that the County Championship was not formally constituted until December 1889 and such claims have no official basis as would be understood now: they should perhaps be viewed as early examples of "bragging rights" but it cannot be said for certain that a form of "championship", or at least the idea of one, was not recognised.
Other events
Swiss traveller César-François de Saussure noted in his journal the frequency with which he saw cricket being played while he was making his journeys across southern England in June. He referred to county matches as "a commonplace" and wrote that "everyone plays it, the common people and also men of rank".
In several sources, a Gentlemen of Middlesex v Gentlemen of London match is listed as due to take place in Islington on Tuesday (sic), 5 August. In fact, 5 August 1728 was a Monday and recent research has confirmed that the match in question was due to be held on Tuesday, 5 August 1729.