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William "Silver Billy" Beldham was an English professional cricketer who played for numerous teams from c.1782 to 1821. He was born at Wrecclesham, near Farnham in Surrey, and died at Tilford, Surrey. In some sources, his name has been given as "Beldam" or "Beldum". A right-handed batting all-rounder, he is widely recognised as one of the greatest batsmen of cricket's underarm era. Using an underarm action, he bowled pitched deliveries at a fast medium pace. He generally fielded in close catching positions, mostly at slip and sometimes played as wicket-keeper.
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 are the first to have been retrospectively, though unofficially, recognised as first-class. Prior to 1772, only four scorecards have survived, the last from a match in 1769.
In English cricket, the first ten years of this period were dominated by the roundarm bowling issue which was resolved when the style was legalised in 1835. The years from then to the legalisation of overarm bowling in 1864 are widely known as the "roundarm era". The first of the modern county clubs were founded between 1839 and 1845.
William Palmer was an English cricketer who played in the 1760s and 1770s. He was born and died in Coulsdon, Surrey. A top-order batsman, he was a member of the local Coulsdon Cricket Club and played county cricket for Surrey. Most of Palmer's career was before cricket's statistical record began in the 1772 season so relatively little is known of him but he regularly played in noted matches until 1776. He has been definitely recorded in 24 eleven-a-side matches and in one top-class single wicket match. He was last recorded playing for Coulsdon against Chertsey in 1784 when he was 47 years old.
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.
The 1788 English cricket season was the 17th in which matches have been awarded retrospective first-class cricket status and the second after the foundation of the Marylebone Cricket Club. The season saw 11 first-class matches played in the country.
1803 was the 17th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Thomas Howard made his debut in important matches.
1804 was the 18th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The first Eton v Harrow match may have been played at Lord's Old Ground.
1805 was the 19th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Lord Frederick Beauclerk became the first batsman known to have scored two centuries in the same season.
1806 was the 20th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The first two Gentlemen v Players matches took place, but the fixture was not played again until 1819.
1807 was the 21st season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). John Willes of Kent first tried to revive the idea of "straight-armed" bowling, which had originated with Tom Walker in the 1790s.
1808 was the 22nd season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). George Osbaldeston made his debut in important matches.
1809 was the 23rd season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Thomas Lord opened his Middle Ground after refusing to pay increased rent at the Old Ground.
Variations in published cricket statistics have come about because there is no official view of the status of cricket matches played in Great Britain prior to 1895 or in the rest of the world prior to 1947. As a result, historians and statisticians have compiled differing lists of matches that they recognise as (unofficially) first-class. The problem is significant where it touches on some of the sport's first-class records, especially in regards to the playing career of W. G. Grace.
John Tufton was an English cricketer and a Member of Parliament (MP). He was a member of the aristocratic Tufton family that produced the Earls of Thanet and related through his mother to the Sackville family that produced the Dukes of Dorset.
William Jefferies was an English professional cricketer. He was active through the years 1800–1818 when he played for Nottingham Cricket Club.
Through the Napoleonic Wars, county cricket virtually died as cricket was impacted by losses of investment and manpower.
In cricket, the years from 1751 to 1775 are notable for the rise of the Hambledon Club and the continuing spread of the sport across England. The Laws of Cricket underwent a re-codification in 1775, including the introduction of the leg before wicket rule and the addition of the third stump to the wicket.
In English cricket, the years 1846–1863 were the main period of the sport's "roundarm era". Although roundarm had been legalised amid great controversy, its timespan was relatively short. By 1863, there was an increasing demand for the legalisation of overarm bowling and this was achieved on 10 June 1864.
References
- 1 2 Note that scorecards created in the first quarter of the 19th century are not necessarily accurate or complete; therefore any summary of runs, wickets or catches can only represent the known totals and computation of averages is ineffectual.
- ↑ Bowen, p.269.
- ↑ Haygarth, p.357.
- ↑ Haygarth, p.358.
- 1 2 Haygarth, p.359.
- ↑ Haygarth, p.360.
- ↑ Haygarth, p.362.
- ↑ Haygarth, p.363.