1773 English Cricket Season - Other Events

Other Events

Wed 2 June. The first report in WDC for 1773 is an advertisement for a big “fives” game at the Artillery Ground for 200 guineas involving John Small, Tom Sueter, Richard Nyren, George Leer and Thomas Brett of Hampshire against “Lumpy” Stevens, John Minshull, Joseph Miller, Dick May and Thomas “Daddy” White of All-England. It was to take place in Whitsun week and was “the first great match this season”. In fact, it took place a little later and William Palmer of Coulsdon played instead of “Daddy” White. All-England scored 31 & 27-4 against Hampshire’s 24 & 33 to win by 1 wicket. Miller was 11 not out at the end and so proved to be the matchwinner. Leer with scores of 16 & 13 seems to have been the best batsman overall but to no avail. May, Lumpy, Brett and Nyren were named as the bowlers but we do not know who took the wickets.

On 30 July, there was a match at Bourne for which the grandstand was erected between Bourne and Chatham. It was rained off not long after it began. The Bourne team included Miller, Palmer, Fuggles, Simmons and one of the Mays, as well as (now Sir) Horatio Mann himself. The Chatham team contained no players of note except for the ubiquitous Mr George Louch, no less, who was just getting into his stride at this time and had already earned some rave reviews for his fielding in minor matches. Mr Louch went on to become just about the most prolific player of the 18th century and not even Small or Lumpy could match him for appearances.

A match was scheduled at Andover on Fri 24 – Sat 25 September between Sussex and Hampshire (see FL18). Sussex were due to have Lumpy Stevens and Daddy White of Surrey as given men; and also Bayton, the noted Hambledon batsman of the 1760s, though he may have been a native of Sussex. The match was cancelled because only seven of the Sussex team turned up! Apart from the three players named above, the Sussex team was not a top-class side. Hampshire, on the other hand, were due to play with this team: Davis, Aylward, Small, Sueter, Leer, Nyren, Stewart, Brett, Purchase, Barber and Hogsflesh.