In the 1751 English cricket season, the earliest known references to the sport are found in each of Durham, Somerset, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. The season's two biggest matches were between England and Kent, both on the Artillery Ground in May.
Details of 17 matches are known. [note 1]
England played Kent in two matches across 20–22 May, both on the Artillery Ground. [5] The first match was played over two days, the 21st and 22nd. Play on the 21st started at one o'clock, and on the second day at ten o'clock. England scored 26 and 122; Kent replied with 76 and 63. At the end of the first day, Kent in their second innings were 23/2, still needing 73 to win. Kent were reduced to 43/9 before the last pair came together, so the final wicket added 20. England won by 9 runs. The teams were: [6]
Kent had Tom Faulkner (Addington and Surrey) as a given man. "A. N. Other" played for the Thursley club, as did Stephen Harding (later of Chertsey) who was a noted bowler. In England's second innings, these two went in first and scored 51 for the first wicket. Harding apparently made 50 of these himself, and had one hit out of the ground against a house on Bunhill Row opposite. He was given four runs for that effort. You could only score six if you were actually able to run that many, and to do that you would need the help of overthrows. [6]
For the first time ever, the fall of wickets in an innings is known. This is England's second innings: 1/51, 2/72, 3/77, 4/77, 5/78, 6/84, 7/87, 8/119, 9/119, 10/122. [6]
The second match was completed in a single day, the 22nd, and England won by an innings and 9 runs. Kent scored 88 and 67; England scored 164. The teams were the same as on the two previous days, and the name of the second Thursley player is again unrecorded. [6]
Monday, 3 June. A "fives" match was played in the Artillery Ground between Kent and Surrey. Kent was Tom Faulkner (given man), John Bell, Thomas Bell, Stone, and Val Romney. Surrey was Stephen Dingate, John Harris, Joe Harris, Stephen Harding, and Perry. Kent won although the betting was in favour of Surrey. [7]
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. [7]
Monday, 26 August. There were two matches on the same day at the Artillery Ground between Five of London and Five "Country" Players. Neither result is known. [8]
Monday, 13 May. Surrey v London on the Artillery Ground. The actual title of this match, as advertised beforehand, was "Addington, Warlingham, Croydon & Cheam versus Ripley, Thursley & London". It was arranged "by the noblemen and gentlemen of the London Club". No details were reported afterwards. [6]
Saturday, 1 June. Addington v Hadlow on Hayes Common, Bromley. Pre-announced in the Daily Advertiser on Thursday, 30 May. Result unknown. [9]
Monday, 24 June. Surrey v Middlesex on Kennington Common. This was announced same day in the Daily Advertiser, with a one o'clock start. Result unknown. [9] [5]
Tuesday, 23 July. Dartford v Bromley on Dartford Brent. This was played for one hundred guineas. Result unknown. Apparently, there was a challenge from players in Newmarket to take on 22 of the players in this game for any sum, but nothing further is known about it. [5] [7]
Thursday, 1 August. Bromley v Dartford on Bromley Common. Result unknown. [9] [5]
Monday, 19 August. London v A Country XI on the Artillery Ground. London scored 30 and 5; the Country XI replied with 24 and 6. London won by 5 runs. [5] [8]
Wednesday, 4 September. Richmond v Hampton & Kingston on Moulsey Hurst. Pre-announced in the Daily Advertiser on Monday, 2 September as "for two guineas a man; 11 a side, and to play home & home". Result unknown. [10]
Having lost Robert Colchin and the 2nd Duke of Richmond in 1750, cricket was hit by the death of another significant patron Frederick, 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 meant that his son Prince George became heir to the throne and he succeeded in 1760 as George III. [11] [12] [13]
The earliest reference to cricket in Durham is a game at Raby Castle on or soon after Monday, 5 August between the 2nd Earl of Northumberland's XI and the 3rd Duke of Cleveland's XI. [8] 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. [9]
A match announcement in Aris' Gazette on Monday, 15 July is the earliest known reference to cricket in Warwickshire. [14]
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 St John, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, between the 3rd Duke of Cleveland's XI and the 2nd Earl of Northumberland's XI (the same teams that played in Durham, as noted above). [8]
Four matches were played at Newmarket Heath and Woburn Abbey 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. [7] [5]