Richmond Green cricket ground

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Richmond Green cricket ground
The Cricketers, The Green, Richmond, Surrey.jpg
The Cricketers pub on Richmond Green
Location Richmond, London
Home clubRichmond Cricket Club (c.1666–1743); village teams associated with The Prince's Head pub and The Cricketers pub (currently)
County club Surrey
Establishmentby 1666

Richmond Green cricket ground, on The Green at Richmond, London, has been a venue for cricket matches since the 17th century. The earliest reference dates from May 1666 and some top-class matches were played there in the first half of the 18th century. A match in 1731, which culminated in a riot, is the earliest in cricket history of which team scores are known. The result of a match in July 1741 is the sport's earliest known tie.

Contents

History

The earliest reference to cricket on The Green is from May 1666 when Sir Robert Paston, a resident of Richmond, wrote a letter to his wife and mentioned that their son had taken part in "a game of criquett (sic) on Richmond Green". [1]

The first match that is definitely known to have been played on The Green was between Surrey and Middlesex in June 1730. Surrey won but no details have survived. [2] [3]

The following year, on 23 August, a match between Mr Chambers' XI (a Richmond team) and the Duke of Richmond's XI (a Sussex team) is the earliest in cricket history of which team scores are known. Richmond's XI totalled 79 runs in their first innings and Chambers' XI replied with 119 to take a first innings lead of 40. Richmond's XI were all out for 72 in their second innings, so Chambers' XI needed 33 to win. The game ended promptly at a pre-agreed time when Chambers' XI had "four or five more to have come in" and needed "about 8 to 10 notches". The result was, therefore, a draw and this caused a fracas among the crowd who were incensed by the prompt finish because the Duke of Richmond had arrived late and delayed the start of the game. The riot resulted in some of Richmond's players "having their shirts tore off their backs: and 'tis said a law suit will commence about the play". The stake was 200 guineas. [4] [5] [6] [7]

On 22 July 1741, a match between Surrey and London resulted in cricket's earliest known tie. [8] [4] [9]

The first time Richmond Cricket Club are known to have played on The Green was on 4 July 1743 when a combined Richmond & Kingston team was defeated by London. The noted Kent player Robert Colchin guested for London and the match is his earliest recorded mention. [10] [11] [12] Later matches on The Green involved the Richmond club against other parish teams – for example, Chertsey in 1761, 1765 and 1771; Kingston in 1767; and Montpelier in 1799 and 1800. [13]

Present day

The Green is presently home to two village cricket teams each affiliated to two of Richmond's pubs, The Prince's Head and The Cricketers. Midweek matches are contested in the modern limited overs format of Twenty20 usually on a Tuesday or Thursdays, where surrounding village teams compete for the Len Smith Charity Shield.[ citation needed ]

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History of cricket to 1725 Origin and development of cricket (to 1725)

The earliest definite reference to cricket is dated Monday, 17 January 1597. It is a deposition in the records of a legal case at Guildford, Surrey, regarding usage of a parcel of land. John Derrick, a coroner, testified that he had played cricket on the land when he was a boy in about 1550. Derrick's testimony is confirmation that the sport was being played by the middle of the 16th century, but its true origin is unknown. All that can be said with a fair degree of certainty is that its beginning was earlier than 1550, probably somewhere in south-east England within the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Unlike other games with batsmen, bowlers and fielders, such as stoolball and rounders, cricket can only be played on relatively short grass, especially as the ball was delivered along the ground until the 1760s. Forest clearings and land where sheep had grazed would have been suitable places to play.

The years from 1726 to 1771 saw cricket establish itself as a leading sport in London and the south-eastern counties of England. In 1726, it was already a thriving sport in the south east and, though limited by the constraints of travel at the time, it was slowly gaining adherents in other parts of England, its growth accelerating with references being found in many counties to 1771. Having been essentially a rural pastime for well over a century, cricket became a focus for wealthy patrons and gamblers whose interests funded its growth throughout the 18th century.

1744 English cricket season Cricket season review

The 1744 cricket season in England is remembered for the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket. This was drafted by members of several cricket clubs, though the code was not published until 1755. Much of its terminology such as no ball, over, toss, umpire and wicket remain in current use. The season is also notable for the two earliest known surviving match scorecards. The second of those matches, played on Monday, 18 June, was a celebrated event in which a Kent county team challenged an England team at the Artillery Ground, Kent winning by one wicket.

Edwin Stead was a noted patron of English cricket, particularly of Kent teams in the 1720s. He usually captained his teams but nothing is known about his ability as a player. There is uncertainty about his name because his forename has been rendered "Edwin", "Edwyn" or "Edward"; his surname "Stead", "Stede" or "Steed". In the various sources, "Edwin Stead" is the most common version. He was born at Harrietsham in Kent and died in London.

The 1741 English cricket season was the 45th cricket season since the earliest recorded eleven-a-side match was played. Details have survived of nine significant matches, including the first known appearance of Slindon Cricket Club. The earliest known tie in an eleven-a-side match occurred.

Chertsey Cricket Club in Surrey is one of the oldest cricket clubs in England, the foundation of the club dating to the 1730s. The club is based in Chertsey and plays in the Surrey Championship.

The Sheffield Cricket Club was founded in the 18th century and soon began to play a key role in the development of cricket in northern England. It was the direct forerunner of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and some of the teams fielded by Sheffield were styled Yorkshire. Sheffield generally held first-class status, depending on the quality of their opponents, from 1827 to 1855.

Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex, is generally accepted as the birthplace of the sport. It is widely believed that cricket was first played by children living on the Weald in Saxon or Norman times. The world's earliest known organised match was held in Kent c.1611 and the county has always been at the forefront of cricket's development through the growth of village cricket in the 17th century to representative matches in the 18th. A Kent team took part in the earliest known inter-county match, which was played on Dartford Brent in 1709. Several famous players and patrons were involved in Kent cricket from then until the creation of the first county club in 1842. Among them were William Bedle, Robert Colchin and the 3rd Duke of Dorset. Kent were generally regarded as the strongest county team in the first half of the 18th century and were always one of the main challengers to the dominance of Hambledon in the second half. County cricket ceased through the Napoleonic War and was resurrected in 1826 when Kent played Sussex. By the 1830s, Kent had again become the strongest county and remained so until mid-century.

The 1743 English cricket season was the 47th cricket season since the earliest recorded eleven-a-side match was played. Details have survived of 18 eleven-a-side and three single wicket matches.

The 1745 English cricket season was the second season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket.

The 1746 English cricket season was the third season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket.

The 1747 English cricket season was the fourth season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket.

The 1748 English cricket season was the fifth season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket. Details have survived of six significant eleven-a-side and 18 single wicket matches. 1748 was the halcyon season of single wicket, perhaps never so popular before or since.

The 1750 English cricket season was the seventh season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket. Details have survived of six eleven-a-side matches between significant teams, including three inter-county matches played between Kent and Surrey.

Addington Cricket Club fielded one of the strongest cricket teams in England from about the 1743 season to the 1752 season although the village of Addington is a very small place in Surrey about three miles south-east of Croydon. The team was of county strength and featured the noted players Tom Faulkner, Joe Harris, John Harris, George Jackson and Durling. The team immediately accepted the Slindon Challenge, in 1744, to play against any parish in England. The only other club to accept was Robert Colchin's Bromley.

English cricket matches to 1725

The earliest definite mention of cricket is dated Monday, 17 January 1597. The reference is in the records of a legal case at Guildford re the use of a parcel of land c.1550 and John Derrick, a coroner, testified that he had at that time played cricket on the land when he was a boy. Cricket may have been a children's game in the 16th century but, about 1610, the earliest known organised match was played and references from that time indicate adult participation. From then to 1725, less than thirty matches are known to have been organised between recognised teams. Similarly, a limited number of players, teams and venues of the period have been recorded.

Representing Kingston upon Thames in Surrey, the original Kingston Cricket Club was prominent in the 18th century, taking part in known matches from 1720 to 1767. According to surviving records, it had no specific venue and is known to have played at both Kennington Common and Moulsey Hurst. Kingston teams are recorded, either individually or jointly with other clubs, in eleven known major matches.

The period from 1772 to 1815 saw significant growth and development in English cricket to the point that it became a popular sport nationwide, having outgrown its origin in the southeastern counties. Prominent northern clubs were founded at Nottingham and Sheffield. The earliest known references have been found for cricket in Australia (1804), Canada (1785), South Africa (1808) and the West Indies. In India, British clubs were founded at Calcutta (1792) and, following the siege there, Seringapatam (1799). In America, the game was popular among soldiers in the revolution and George Washington is known to have played in at least one game.

References

  1. ↑ "Cricket in 19th century Norfolk: the legend of Fuller Pilch". Norfolk Record Office. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2022. The source includes a photograph of the actual letter.
  2. ↑ Waghorn 1899, p. 1.
  3. ↑ ACS 1981, p. 19.
  4. 1 2 ACS 1981, p. 20.
  5. ↑ Buckley 1935, p. 6.
  6. ↑ Maun 2009, pp. 51–52.
  7. ↑ Waghorn 1899, pp. 3–4.
  8. ↑ Waghorn 1899, p. 27.
  9. ↑ Maun 2009, p. 106.
  10. ↑ ACS 1981, p. 21.
  11. ↑ Ashley-Cooper 1900, p. 21.
  12. ↑ Maun 2009, p. 121.
  13. ↑ ACS 1981, pp. 23–30.

Bibliography

Further reading

Coordinates: 51°27′41″N0°18′24″W / 51.4615°N 0.3067°W / 51.4615; -0.3067

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