1819 English cricket season

In the 1819 English cricket season, the Gentlemen v Players match, previously played in 1806 only, was resurrected.

Honours

• Most runs^[1] – Thomas Beagley 170 (HS 75)
• Most wickets^[1] – Thomas Howard 23 (BB 5–?)

Events

• 7 September — death of Lumpy Stevens, arguably the greatest bowler of the 18th century
• According to James Pycroft in The Cricket Field, the size of the wickets was increased in 1817 to 27 inches (690 mm) by 8 inches (200 mm), but it seems more likely that the rule was introduced in 1819.
• With cricket still recovering from the effects of the Napoleonic War, a total of only 6 first-class matches were recorded in 1819:
  • 24 May — Cambridge Town Club v Cambridge University @ Parker's Piece, Cambridge
  • 7–9 June — All-England XII v Hampshire XII @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[2][3]
  • 21 June — Cambridge Town Club v Cambridge University @ Parker's Piece, Cambridge
  • 29–30 June — All-England v Hampshire @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[4]
  • 7–9 July — Gentlemen v Players @ Lord's Cricket Ground^[5]
  • 25–26 August — Epsom v Hampshire @ Epsom Downs^[6]

Debutants

1819 debutants included:

• John Willan (Hampshire)
• Henry Lowther (Hampshire)
• George Brown (Sussex)
• Charles Greville (Gentlemen/MCC)
• Richard Berens (Hampshire)

References

1. 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.
2. Haygarth, p.420.
3. This match is an exception to the normal rule of eleven-a-side in first-class cricket.
4. Haygarth, p.423.
5. Haygarth, p.425.
6. Haygarth, p.427.

Bibliography

• Haygarth, Arthur (1862). Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826). Lillywhite.

Additional reading

• ACS (1981). A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709 – 1863. Nottingham: ACS.
• Altham, H. S. (1962). A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). George Allen & Unwin.
• Birley, Derek (1999). A Social History of English Cricket. Aurum.
• Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. Eyre & Spottiswoode.
• Major, John (2007). More Than A Game. HarperCollins.

External links

• Classification of cricket matches from 1697 to 1825
• CricketArchive – 1819 first-class matches list
• CricketArchive – 1819 other matches list