The 1797 English cricket season was the 26th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 11th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 13 top-class matches played in the country.
Richard Nyren, who was a pioneer of the game with the Hambledon Club died in April. [1]
A total of 13 top-class matches were played during the season, [2] [3] [4] including matches featuring MCC as well as Hampshire and Surrey sides. [3]
Four matches saw the George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea's XI play a side organised by Charles Lennox. [3] In one of these Winchelsea is reported to have attempted to introduce a fourth stump and to increase the height of the stumps by two inches. The following year saw a new version of the Laws of Cricket introduced which raised the height of the stumps but did not introduce a fourth stump. [5] [6]
Players who made their first-class cricket debuts in 1797 included:
The White Conduit Club (WCC) was a cricket club based on the northern fringes of London that existed from about 1782 until 1788. Although short-lived, it had considerable significance in the history of the game, as its members created the first Lord's venue and reorganised themselves as the new Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
The 1774 English cricket season was the third in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status. The scorecards of five first-class matches have survived.
The 1775 English cricket season was the fourth in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status. The scorecards of four first-class matches have survived.
The 1777 English cricket season was the sixth in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status. The scorecards of six first-class matches have survived. James Aylward made a record score of 167 runs that stood until 1820.
The 1786 English cricket season was the 15th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the last before the Marylebone Cricket Club was founded in 1787. The season saw five top-class matches played in the country.
The 1787 cricket season in England is noteworthy for the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) after the opening of Thomas Lord's first ground in the parish of Marylebone, north of London. MCC soon became the sport's governing body with the new ground as its feature venue. The first match known to have been played at Lord's was on Monday, 21 May, between the White Conduit Club and a Middlesex county team. The first match known to involve a team representing MCC was against White Conduit on Monday, 30 July. Including these two, reports and/or match scorecards have survived of numerous eleven-a-side matches played in 1787. Eleven are retrospectively, but unofficially, recognised as first-class.
The 1790 English cricket season was the 19th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the fourth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 12 first-class matches played in the country.
The 1791 English cricket season was the 20th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the fifth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 14 top-class matches played in the country.
The 1792 English cricket season was the 21st in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the sixth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 19 top-class matches played in the country.
The 1794 English cricket season was the 23rd in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the eighth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 16 top-class matches played in the country.
The 1795 English cricket season was the 24th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the ninth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 19 first-class matches played in the country.
The 1796 English cricket season was the 25th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the tenth after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw seven top-class matches played in the country.
The 1798 English cricket season was the 27th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 12th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw eight top-class matches played in the country.
The 1801 English cricket season was the 30th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 15th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw three top-class matches played in the country.
The 1802 English cricket season was the 31st in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 16th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw three top-class matches played in the country.
Charles Cumberland was an English cricketer of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who is known to have played in 26 matches which are retrospectively rated first-class.