Cricket in 1727

In 1727, cricket matches are for the first time known to have been played in accordance with agreed, written rules. Articles of Agreement were written by the 2nd Duke of Richmond and Alan Brodrick, two of the sport's foremost patrons, to formalise the rules applicable to matches which they promoted.^[1] The best of the known professional players was the all-rounder Thomas Waymark, who was a groom employed by Richmond.^[2] Details of four eleven-a-side matches have survived.^[3]^[4]^{[note 1]}

Matches

Alan Brodrick

The Articles of Agreement drawn up by Richmond and Brodrick may have been the first instance of rules being formally agreed, although rules as such definitely existed and, as in the early days of football, would have been agreed orally and subject to local variations.^[1]^[7] The Articles themselves are the source for two matches played earlier in the 1727 season by Richmond's XI and Sir William Gage’s XI. One of the written conditions is "the Duke of Richmond to choose any Gamesters, who have played in either of His Grace's two last Matches with Sir William Gage". Nothing else is known about the two Richmond v Gage matches.^[3]^[1]

The first Richmond v Brodrick match was played in July, possibly at Peper Harow, as the Articles state: "the first Match shall be played some day of this instant July in the county of Surry". Peper Harow is mentioned: "Mr. Brodrick to choose any Gamesters within three Miles of Pepperhara (sic), provided they actually lived there last Lady Day".^[1] Peper Harow is about four miles from Godalming and was the home of the Brodrick family. There is a view that it was the venue of the match in July.^[8] The Articles then state: "the second match to be played in August next in the County of Sussex, the Place to be named by the Duke of Richmond". The chosen venue is unknown.^[1] Thomas Waymark is the only player mentioned in connection with either match.^[2]

Other events

Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole commented that cricket was already "common" at Eton College. This is the earliest reference to cricket being played both at Eton and in the county of Berkshire.^[9]

A match was played at Cranbrook, Kent on Monday, 29 May between "14 old men of that town". The oldest, Richard Shefe, was 84. The match was to celebrate Restoration Day, also known as Oak Apple Day.^[10]

There was a game at Warehorne Green, near Ashford, Kent on Monday, 5 June that was arranged by George Baker, Esq. who is described as the General Receiver; and Thomas Hodges, Esq. The teams were Warehorne v Hawkshurst and they played twelve-a-side.^[11]

Notes

^ Some eleven-a-side matches played before 1864 have been rated "first-class" by certain sources, but there was no such standard at the time. The term came into common use from around 1864, when overarm bowling was legalised, and was formally defined as a standard by a meeting at Lord's, in May 1894, of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the county clubs which were then competing in the County Championship. The ruling was effective from the beginning of the 1895 season, but pre-1895 matches of the same standard have no official definition of status because the ruling is not retrospective. However, matches of a similar standard since the beginning of the 1864 season are generally considered to have an unofficial first-class status.^[5] Pre-1864 matches which are included in the ACS' "Important Match Guide" may generally be regarded as top-class or, at least, historically significant.^[6] For further information, see First-class cricket.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e McCann 2004, pp. 6–7.
^ ^a ^b Marshall 1961, p. 52.
^ ^a ^b ACS 1981, p. 19.
^ Maun 2009, pp. 34–36.
^ ACS 1982, pp. 4–5.
^ ACS 1981, pp. 1–40.
^ Maun 2009, pp. 35–36.
^ Marshall 1961, pp. 47–48.
^ Bowen 1970, p. 262.
^ Maun 2009, pp. 34–35.
^ Buckley 1935, p. 3.

Bibliography

ACS (1981). A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863. Nottingham: ACS.
ACS (1982). A Guide to First-class Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles. Nottingham: ACS.
Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode. ISBN 978-04-13278-60-9.
Buckley, G. B. (1935). Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket. Birmingham: Cotterell & Co. ISBN 978-19-00592-48-2.
Marshall, John (1961). The Duke who was Cricket. Muller. ISBN 978-72-70010-74-8.
Maun, Ian (2009). From Commons to Lord's, Volume One: 1700 to 1750. Cambridge: Roger Heavens. ISBN 978-19-00592-52-9.
McCann, Tim (2004). Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century. Lewes: Sussex Record Society. ISBN 978-08-54450-55-8.