In the 1777 English cricket season, James Aylward made his world record score of 167. The record stood until 1820. Details of ten matches, including one at single wicket, are known. [note 1]
Between 18 and 20 June, Hampshire played England on Sevenoaks Vine. England scored 166 and 69; but Hampshire scored 403 to win by an innings and 168 runs. [5]
The highlight of the 1777 season was the innings of 167 by James Aylward which set a new record for the highest individual score, beating John Small's 136. In a contemporary report, it is stated that: "Aylward went in at 5 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, and was not out till after three on Friday". The length of the innings in terms of actual minutes or deliveries is unknown, but it is clear that he batted during or through six sessions of play. The team total of 403 was a huge figure at the time; the second highest score in it was 46 by Tom Sueter, while five other batsmen scored 20-plus. [6]
Aylward's record stood until 1820, when it was beaten by William Ward. [7]
According to John Nyren, this game was definitely played with a three-stump wicket. The third stump was originally allowed in 1775, but it is evident that teams did not always take advantage of it, and many matches were played until the 1780s in which the standard two stumps were still in place. [8]
Aylward's match was the first of six between Hampshire and England. Besides Sevenoaks Vine, the venues were Broadhalfpenny Down (twice), Laleham Burway, Guildford Bason, and the Artillery Ground. In all, Hampshire won four of the matches, England won two. [9]
Teams chosen by John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset and Sir Horatio Mann played 16 to 18 July in Maidstone, and 28 to 30 July in Canterbury. In both matches, the stake was 100 guineas. [10]
Mann's XI won by one wicket in Maidstone. [11] Mann's team had been 52 runs down on first innings, and at least four runs were needed when the last wicket partnership began. The unusually worded dismissal of "knock down wkt", which happened twice in one innings, has been taken to mean hit wicket. [12]
Mann's XI won by 21 runs in Canterbury. [13] A notice beforehand warned spectators: "The company are particularly desired to bring no dogs, as they will be shot". Evidently there had been complaints about dogs running loose on the field in an earlier match at Bishopsbourne. [14]
The Dorset/Mann teams of the period were both essentially Kent plus given men. Issues are always likely about the status of such games, but a clear majority of the players who took part were well enough known, and there can be no doubt that these were major fixtures. Confusion often arises from the titles as the games would be billed as West Kent v East Kent, or something more parochial. The Duke of Dorset generally used Sevenoaks in west Kent as his home venue, or Maidstone as in the game above; Sir Horace Mann was based at Bishopsbourne, which is near Canterbury in east Kent. [15]
On 29 May, there was a single wicket "fives" match on the Artillery Ground between Five of Hambledon and Five of England. Hambledon won by 15 runs. Of the ten Hambledon wickets that fell, four were caught by Francis Booker. [16]
On 9 and 10 June, the Chertsey and Coulsdon teams met on Sevenoaks Vine. Chertsey won by 6 wickets. Chertsey was led by the Earl of Tankerville and Mr Stone; Coulsdon by the Duke of Dorset and Mr (later Sir) Peter Burrell. It seems to have been a grand social occasion that was reported by both the Lloyd's Evening Post and the St James Chronicle in the next couple of days. [17]