Start date 1734 | ||
People also search for 1731 English cricket season | ||
The 1734 cricket season was the 137th in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of (possibly) eight important matches.
Contents
Four counties (Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex) and two clubs (Croydon and London) took part in all the known games. Records have been found of the earliest known match at the Vine Cricket Ground in Sevenoaks (a.k.a. Sevenoaks Vine).
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
Other events
Thu 13 June. The St James Evening Post reported a couple of serious injuries in a private match at the Artillery Ground. "...a stander-by (sic) had the misfortune to have his knee-pan (i.e., patella) put out by a blow from the ball, and another was much bruised in the face by a like accident".
A game between London and Sevenoaks arranged for Monday, 8 July, on Kennington Common, was not played due to the non-appearance of the Sevenoaks team. The Whitehall Evening Post reported that according to the Articles of Agreement their deposit money was forfeited. Since the first known usage of Articles of Agreement in the 1727 season re the Alan Brodrick's XI v 2nd Duke of Richmond's XI match, it had perhaps become common practice to draw up such an agreement before important matches, especially if large stakes were involved.
September. A report included in Waghorn's Cricket Scores states that London was due to have played Croydon but that the Croydon team withdrew "having been regaled with a good dinner"! The London Club thereupon announced its intention to have one more match before the end of season and so challenged any eleven men in England except that "they will not admit of one from Croydon". See the last match in the above list.
The game on 6 September (see above) is earliest known use of Sevenoaks Vine as a venue. It is one of the oldest cricket grounds in England. It was given to the town of Sevenoaks in 1773 by John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset (1745–1799) and owner of Knole House, where the ground is sited. The land was thought previously to have been used as a vineyard for the Archbishops of Canterbury (hence the name). The weatherboard pavilion is 19th-century. The Vine Cricket Club must pay Sevenoaks Town Council a rent of 2 peppercorns per year – one for the ground and one for the pavilion. They, in turn, must pay Lord Sackville (if asked) one cricket ball on 21 July each year.