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First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officially adjudged to be worthy of the status by virtue of the standard of the competing teams. Matches must allow for the teams to play two innings each, although in practice a team might play only one innings or none at all.
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.
In the 1772 English cricket season, it became normal practice to complete match scorecards and there are surviving examples from every subsequent season. Scorecards from 1772 have been found for three eleven-a-side matches in which the Hampshire county team played against an England team, and for one top-class single wicket match between Kent and Hampshire. The three Hampshire v England matches have been unofficially recognised by certain sources as first-class, although no such standard existed at the time. Prior to 1772, only four scorecards have survived, the last from a minor match in 1769.
The 1747 English cricket season was the fourth season following the earliest known codification of the Laws of Cricket.
In the 1773 English cricket season, there was a downturn in the fortunes of the Hambledon Club as their Hampshire team lost every match they are known to have played, and some of their defeats were heavy. Their poor results owed much to star bowler Thomas Brett having been injured. Three other county teams were active: Kent, Middlesex and Surrey. Teams called England took part in five matches, all against Hampshire, and won all five.
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.
In the 1788 English cricket season, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) published a revised code of the Laws of Cricket, thereby confirming itself as the body in sole charge of the Laws, and taking responsibility for the sport's governance. MCC was then called "The Cricket Club at St. Marylebone", contrasting with its predecessor, the White Conduit Club of Islington, which remained active in 1788. As in 1787, their two teams played against each other at Lord's. A total of fifteen match scorecards have survived and there are brief newspaper mentions of five other matches, including two played under single wicket rules.
The 1789 English cricket season was the 18th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class status and the third after the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club. It featured 14 first-class matches.
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 1793 English cricket season was the 22nd in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the seventh after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 17 top-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 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.
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 1799 English cricket season was the 28th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 13th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw four top-class matches played in the country.
The 1800 English cricket season was the 29th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the 14th after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw five 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.
Thomas Boxall was a noted English cricketer who played during the late 18th century. He is considered to have been "one of the finest professional cricketers" of his day.
Through the Napoleonic Wars, county cricket virtually died as cricket was impacted by losses of investment and manpower.
References
- ↑ Bowen R (1970) Cricket: a History of Its Growth and Development Throughout the World, p.268. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode. ISBN 9780413278609
- ↑ Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians (ACS) (1981) A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863. Nottingham: ACS.
- ↑ England Domestic Season 1801, CricInfo. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ↑ First-class matches in England, 1801, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2020-12-13. (subscription required)