The 1740 English cricket season was beset by rain, especially in July. The season is notable in one way for the earliest known mention of the famous Newland brothers. London Cricket Club feature in all the surviving match reports, including two against Kent. Details of eight matches are known. [note 1]
Kent and London arranged matches for 28 July and 4 August, [5] but they fell foul of the bad weather that summer. The first match on Sevenoaks Vine ended in a draw, after "rain halted play for some time". Kent, batting first, scored 71, to which London replied with 98. Kent made 130 in their second innings, setting London a target of 104 to win. They had made 30/3 when time ran out. The newspaper report mentioned the return match to be played on the Artillery Ground, but no result has been found. [6]
As in previous seasons, London arranged matches against Chislehurst. [5] The first, played 27 June on Chislehurst Common was won by London. The return match, scheduled for 2 July on the Artillery Ground, is result unknown. A pre-match announcement for the second match said: "All persons are desir'd to come in by the Iron Gates at the Pyed Horse-yard". The Pyed Horse was a pub adjoining the ground, and its landlord (George Smith at the time) was usually the groundkeeper. [7]
London also played two matches against the combined Moulsey & Richmond team. [5] The first was 8 July on Moulsey Hurst, but "rain delayed the start till between three and four o’clock". [7] In the limited time available, London batted first and scored 100. Moulsey & Richmond made 86. Batting again, London had reached 70/8 when time ran out, so the result was a draw. It was decided to try again the next week on the Artillery Ground. [7] In the return, London won by 73 runs. [8] [9]
On 8 September, London met a combined counties team at the New Ground, Uxbridge Moor. Their opponents were players from each of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. London won "with great difficulty". The report in the London Evening Post mentions arrangements for a return fixture at the Artillery Ground on 15 September. This is the earliest mention of Uxbridge Moor as a venue, and the first time that Berkshire and Buckinghamshire are mentioned in terms of county cricket, albeit parts of a combined team here. The first mention of Hertfordshire as a team was in 1732, albeit in combined with Essex. There are no reports of the return match having been played. [10]
Thomas Waymark, who had been employed by the 2nd Duke of Richmond as a groom, relocated to Bray, Berkshire where he was employed by the cricket enthusiast Mr Darville, and took part in matches organised by him. [11]
In a letter from Goodwood House, dated Wednesday, 30 July, to his friend Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, the 2nd Duke of Richmond mentioned several local people including "John Newland, that you must remember". [9] This is the first mention in the sources of the Newland brothers who became famous as members of Slindon Cricket Club.