Start date 1768 | ||
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The 1768 cricket season was the 171st 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 matches. There was a brief return by Sussex to top-class cricket and the possibility of the earliest known century in senior cricket.
Contents
Important matches
The following matches are classified as important:
Other events
Sat 28 May. The Kentish Weekly Post reported that "last week in the Artillery Ground", a "fives" game between Hon. J F Sackville’s team and Mr Horace Mann’s team lasted two days. Sackville (soon to become 3rd Duke of Dorset) won by 4 wickets. The players and their individual scores are known. Mann’s team of Bellchambers, John Boorman, James Fuggles, May and Muddle scored 26 and 29; Sackville’s team of Brobham, John Bayton, John Small, Birchett and Mandy scored 20 and 36-1. May scored 10 and 12 for Mann and Bayton of Hambledon scored 8 and 36* for Sackville, so Bayton’s performance decided the match. The more notable John Small scored only 3 and 0.
Fri 3 June. William Bedle died at his house near Dartford. He was "near 90" and was formerly accounted the most expert cricket player in England. He must have been in his prime during the first quarter of the 18th century. His death was reported by the Lloyd’s Evening Post on Fri 10 June.
An Essex v London match was arranged for Wed 8 June on Epping Common but the London team did not appear and forfeited their deposit.
The secondary sources have recorded three ladies’ matches that took place in June between teams from Harting and Rogate in Sussex. These games attracted crowds of two to three thousand.