By the 1731 English cricket season, match reports were much more common and tended to contain more detail, sometimes including the names of patrons and players. There is consequently much more available information about the 1730s than previously. There were 26 known matches in 1731.
The most dramatic match of the season was the one at Richmond Green on 23 August. It ended in a riot and it is believed the Duke of Richmond conceded defeat after the match was originally declared a draw. But most significant of all is that it is the earliest match for which the team totals were recorded and have been preserved, rather than simply who won the wager.
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