1863 English cricket season

The 1863 English cricket season saw the formations of at least three, and possibly four, county cricket clubs.

Honours

* Champion County - "not determined"

First-class matches

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/Seasonal_Averages/ENG/1863_f_Match_List.html 1863 match list]

Events

8 January. Formation of Yorkshire CCC out of the Sheffield Match Fund Committee that had been established in 1861.Yorkshire CCC played its initial first-class match v. Surrey at the Oval on 4, 5 & 6 June. It was a rain-affected draw, evenly balanced.

12 August. Formation of Hampshire CCC. A number of previous county organisations including the famous Hambledon Club had existed in Hampshire during the previous hundred years or more, but none had survived indefinitely.

15 December. Formation of Middlesex CCC at a meeting in the London Tavern.

An organisation in Cheltenham is believed to have been the forerunner of Gloucestershire CCC, which had definitely been founded by 1871. Exact details of the club’s foundation have been lost.

Leading batsmen

William Mortlock was the leading runscorer with 736 @ 26.28

Leading bowlers

George Wootton was the leading wicket-taker with 87 @ 9.74

External sources

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/1863_ENG.html CricketArchive – season summaries]

Annual reviews

* Fred Lillywhite, "The Guide to Cricketers", Lillywhite, 1864
* Arthur Haygarth, "Scores & Biographies, Volume 8 (1863-1864)", Lillywhite, 1865

Further reading

* Derek Birley, "A Social History of English Cricket", Aurum, 1999