Start date 1751 | ||
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The 1751 cricket season was the 154th in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of nine important eleven-a-side and two single wicket matches. The earliest known references to cricket in each of Durham, Somerset, Warwickshire and Yorkshire occur in 1751.
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The population of Great Britain in 1751 reached 7,250,000 and, although the figure was rising, the country remained a small rural society with London the only real urban centre. Cricket reflected this scenario as it was still essentially a rural game at this time with London Cricket Club at the Artillery Ground its one "big club" and "feature venue".
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
Single wicket
Monday, 3 June. A "fives" match was played in the Artillery Ground between Kent and Surrey. The Kent team was Tom Faulkner (given man), John Bell, Thomas Bell, Stone and Val Romney. The Surrey team was Stephen Dingate, John Harris, Joseph Harris, Stephen Harding and Perry. Kent won although the betting was in favour of Surrey.
Wednesday, 5 June. The same two teams met in a return match at the Artillery Ground with Kent winning by 14 runs. Kent scored 4 and 57; Surrey replied with 26 and 21. Kent achieved a huge batting improvement in their second innings.
Other events
Having lost the Duke of Richmond in 1750, cricket was hit by the death of another significant patron, the Prince of Wales, on Sunday, 31 March. The loss of these patrons had an adverse impact on the game's finances and the number of top-class matches reduced for some years to come, although economic difficulties arising from the wars of the period certainly inhibited many potential investors. It was said that the Prince of Wales died as a result of being struck on the head by a cricket ball. He may well have been hit on the head but that did not kill him; the cause of death was a burst abscess in a lung. The early death of Prince Frederick Louis meant that his son Prince George became heir to the throne and he succeeded in 1760 as George III.
The earliest reference to cricket in Durham is a game at Raby Castle on or soon after Monday, 5 August between the Earl of Northumberland's XI and the Duke of Cleveland's XI. The game was commemorated by a ballad which starts:
The earliest reference to cricket in Somerset is a match at Saltford Meadow, near Bath, on Saturday, 13 July that was played in memory of the late Prince of Wales.
A match announcement in Aris' Gazette on Monday, 15 July is the earliest known reference to cricket in Warwickshire.
The earliest known references to cricket in Yorkshire were re local matches in Sheffield and a game on or soon after Monday, 5 August at Stanwick, near Richmond, between Duke of Cleveland's XI and Earl of Northumberland's XI (the same teams that played in Durham, as noted above).
Four matches were played at Newmarket and Woburn between Gentlemen of England and Eton College Past & Present. The four games were played during June and July. The second game has a surviving scorecard but the teams in all four matches are decidedly minor.