Start date 1748 | ||
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The 1748 cricket season was the 151st in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of six important eleven-a-side and 18 single wicket matches. 1748 was the halcyon season of single wicket, perhaps never so popular before or since.
Contents
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
Single wicket matches
June (date unknown). Tom Faulkner beat Robert Colchin at single wicket by one wicket. Colchin scored 40 and 5; Faulkner scored 45 and 1*. It was played sometime in June on Bromley Common.
Monday, 6 June. A "fives" game between Addington and The Rest, excluding Kent. Addington's players were Tom Faulkner, Joe Harris, John Harris, George Jackson and the shoemaker that lately came out of Kent! Their opponents were Stephen Dingate, Little Bennett, Maynard, Collins and Thomas Waymark.
Friday, 24 June. Three servants of the Duke of Richmond played Three of London at the Artillery Ground. The result is unknown but the match started quite late at four o'clock. Richmond's team was Stephen Dingate, Joseph Budd and Pye; London's three were Little Bennett, Tall Bennett and William Anderson. Reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 25 June.
Saturday, 25 June. A return single-wicket match between Robert Colchin and Tom Faulkner on Addington Hill. This time Colchin won by 2 runs. He made 7 and 12; Faulkner replied with 11 and 6.
Monday, 4 July. A third game between Colchin and Faulkner, “each having previously won one”, on the Artillery Ground. Unfortunately, there are no match details this time.
Monday, 4 July. Also on the Artillery Ground, Thomas Waymark and Darville played as Two of Berkshire against "Little Bennett" and George Smith of London. George Smith was allowed an unnamed substitute in the field. Waymark and Darville won. Darville was the owner of Bray Mills, where Waymark worked at this time. George Smith, evidently having resolved his financial problems, was still the landlord of the famous Py'd Horse and keeper of the Artillery Ground.
Wednesday, 6 July. A "fives" match on the Artillery Ground: Tom Faulkner's Side beat Stephen Dingate's Side by one wicket. Two runs were required when the last man went in. The teams were: Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, William Anderson, "Little" Bennett and "Tall" Bennett versus Stephen Dingate, Joseph Budd, Pye, James Bryant and John Bryant.
Wednesday, 13 July & Friday, 15 July. The same two teams of "fives" met again on the Artillery Ground. Play was interrupted by rain on the Wednesday after one side had completed its first innings, scoring 13. The match continued on the Friday. No further details are known but, as an apparent "decider" was played on Wednesday, 27 July, perhaps Dingate's team won this one.
Wednesday, 27 July. Another "fives" game between Tom Faulkner and Stephen Dingate on the Artillery Ground. Faulkner won. This match may have been a decider; in which case Dingate must have won the second match on Friday, 15 July. The teams were not the same as before: Stephen Dingate, Richard Newland, Joseph Budd, Maynard (of Surrey) and "Little" Bennett versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, Durling (of Addington), James and John Bryant.
Monday, 8 August. Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris played Robert Colchin and Val Romney at "twos" in the Artillery Ground for twenty guineas a side. Result unknown. Immediately afterwards, there was return of the Waymark/Darville versus Bennett/Smith game, with Smith again allowed a substitute fielder.
Saturday, 20 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground. The teams were: Robert and John Colchin, James and John Bryant and Robert Lascoe versus Joseph Harris, Maynard, John Capon, William Anderson and Walker.
Monday, 22 August. A "fives" game in the Artillery Ground for 20 guineas a side: Five of Berkshire (Waymark, Darville and three others) versus Five of London (William Anderson, "Little" and "Tall" Bennett, John Capon and George Carter). London won.
Monday, 29 August. A "fives" game at the Artillery Ground in which Tom Faulkner's Side defeated Long Robin's Side by four runs. The prize was 200 pounds. Val Romney was badly injured and could not run but, the rules being play or pay, he was obliged to play as well as he could. Teams were Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris, James Bryant, John Bryant and Durling versus Robert Colchin, Val Romney, John Larkin, Jones and Maynard.
Monday, 5 September. Three of England versus Five of Berkshire played for 20 guineas in the Artillery Ground. The teams were Robert Colchin, Tom Faulkner and George Smith versus Thomas Waymark and four others of Berkshire. George Smith was not allowed a substitute as in previous games and had to do his share of the fielding. Result unknown.
Friday, 16 September. Robert Colchin and Thomas Waymark defeated Tom Faulkner and Joseph Harris in the Artillery Ground. It was announced beforehand that in case of rain, there is good shelter for the spectators. Apparently the match gave such great satisfaction that an immediate return was arranged. Colchin & Waymark scored 10 and 17 against 0 and 15. In their first innings, Faulkner and Harris were both bowled second ball. Details were reported in the London Evening Post on Sat 17 September.
Saturday, 17 September. In the return of the previous day's "twos" match, Colchin and Waymark again defeated Faulkner and Joe Harris. The prize was fifty guineas.
Friday, 23 September. A "threes" game played in the Artillery Ground for a considerable sum: Robert Colchin, Thomas Waymark and Maynard versus Tom Faulkner, Joseph Harris and John Bryant. Result unknown.
Other events
George Smith, keeper of the Artillery Ground and landlord of the adjoining Pyed Horse in Chiswell Street, declared bankruptcy. Evidently his pricing problems of recent years did have some basis in needing to balance the books after all. A number of notices appeared in the press during the first six months of 1748 but Smith eventually resolved his problems, perhaps through the sale of other property, and was able to retain control of the Artillery Ground until 1752.
Thursday, 4 August. There was a game on Coxheath Common between teams representing "the Hill" and "the Valley". This sounds like a similar idea to the early match at Chevening in the year 1610; and may have been commemorative.
In 1748, an action of Jeffreys v Parsons was heard before the King's Bench. The case concerned wagers that were almost certainly made on the above two Kent v All-England games, with Jeffreys claiming 25 guineas won from Parsons on each game. The parties came to an out of court agreement after the case was held over.