Start date 1739 | ||
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The 1739 cricket season was the 142nd in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of seven important matches. The growth of cricket is evident in the creation of teams representing the Rest of England and the huge public interest in them, a crowd of over 10,000 assembling for one match. The "all England" teams were formed to take on Kent which, as in previous seasons, had the game's strongest county team. Cricket joined the art world in 1739, an engraving called Youth Playing Cricket being the earliest known cricket subject on public display.
Contents
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
Other events
The earliest known cricket picture was first displayed this year, an engraving called Youth Playing Cricket by Hubert-François Gravelot (1699–1773). The picture showed two groups of cherubic lads gathered around a batsman and a bowler. The wicket shown is the "low stool" shape, probably 2-foot (0.61 m) wide by 1-foot (0.30 m) tall, naturally with two stumps and a single bail. Gravelot helped to establish the French Rococo style in English publishing and was one of the most celebrated illustrators of the time. He worked in England between 1732 and 1745, opening a drawing school on the Strand which had Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788) among its pupils.
Due to construction work on the site, 1739 was the last year in which cricket could be played in Lamb's Conduit Field. Thomas Coram's Foundling Hospital was established there in 1739.
Monday, 20 August. A 12-a-side game was organised on Coxheath Common by the Earl of Middlesex and Lord John Sackville between teams from the Sevenoaks (aka the Hills) and Maidstone (aka the Dales) areas.
According to Maun on page 96 of his book, there was an Essex v London match in Ilford on "Monday, 1 August" (sic), but this is an error as 1 August 1739 was a Wednesday. The match in question is the one played on Monday, 1 August 1737 (qv).