1792 English cricket season

In the 1792 English cricket season, Kent played Hampshire at Cobham Park, which was Lord Darnley’s estate and the home of the Bligh family. Ninety years later it became the home of the Ashes in the shape of the urn brought back from Australia by the Hon. Ivo Bligh.

A match in Sheffield provides the earliest known instance of the rare dismissal of obstructing the field.

Elsewhere, the earliest known cricket club in India was formed in Calcutta.

Matches

First mentions

* Thomas Ray
* Robert Robinson
* James Harding (cricketer) (Surrey) – played 37 matches to 1810
* Finch (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played 13 matches to 1795
* Sylvester (Middlesex cricketer) (Middlesex) – played 28 matches to 1799
* S. Gill (Berkshire) – played 11 matches to 1795
* Monk (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played ten matches to 1795
* Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet (Sussex/MCC; amateur) – played ten matches to 1795
* Timber (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played ten matches to 1795
* Thompson (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played nine matches to 1794
* Thomas Colyear, 4th Earl of Portmore (Hampshire; amateur) – played six matches to 1799
* Harvey (Essex cricketer) (Essex) – played five matches to 1793
* Robert Quarme (Berkshire; amateur) – played four matches to 1793
* Capron (Sussex cricketer) (Sussex) – played three matches to 1792
* Munday (Hampshire cricketer) (Hampshire) – played three matches to 1797
* William Streets (Notts) – played four matches to 1803
* J. Clarke (Leicestershire cricketer) (Leics) – played two matches to 1800
* John Stewart (Hampshire cricketer) (Hampshire; amateur) – played two matches to 1797
* James Smith (Kent cricketer) (Kent/Middlesex) – played eight matches to 1796

Leading batsmen

Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so it is impossible to provide a complete analysis of batting performances: e.g., the missing not outs prevent computation of batting averages. The "runs scored" are in fact the "runs known".

Tom Walker with 542 runs, including a top score of 107, made the most runs in 1792; ahead of William Beldham with 503, including a top score of 144.

Other leading runscorers were William Fennex 388; Earl of Winchilsea 374; Edward Bligh 372; George Louch 270; Andrew Freemantle 266; Jack Small 258; Richard Purchase 232; George Henry Monson 230; John Wells 207

Leading bowlers

Note that the wickets credited to an 18th century bowler were only those where he bowled the batsman out. The bowler was not credited with the wickets of batsmen who were caught out, even if it was "caught and bowled". In addition, the runs conceded by each bowler were not recorded so no analyses or averages can be computed.

Thomas Boxall with 46 was the leading wicket-taker in 1792

Other leading bowlers were David Harris with 36 wickets; Thomas Lord 33; John Hammond 28; Richard Purchase 28; Tom Walker 24; William Beldham 18; Harry Walker 18; William Fennex 13; William Bedster 10

Leading fielders

Note that many scorecards in the 18th century are unknown or have missing details and so the totals are of the "known" catches and stumpings only. Stumpings were not always recorded as such and sometimes the name of the wicket-keeper was not given. Generally, a catch was given the same status as "bowled" with credit being awarded to the fielder only and not the bowler. There is never a record of "caught and bowled": the bowler would be credited with the catch, not with the wicket.

William Beldham with 31 catches was easily the season's best fielder

Others were George Henry Monson 13 ct, 1 st; Edward Bligh 7 ct, 6 st; George Louch 13; William Fennex 11 ct, 1 st; Richard Purchase 11 ct; John Wells 11 ct; Thomas Ingram 6 ct, 4 st; Thomas Scott 9 ct; Tom Taylor 9

References

* "Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket" by G B Buckley (FL18)
* "Fresh Light on Pre-Victorian Cricket" by G B Buckley (FLPV)
* "Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century" by Timothy J McCann (TJM)
* "The Dawn of Cricket" by H T Waghorn (WDC)
* "Scores & Biographies, Volume 1" by Arthur Haygarth (SBnnn)
* "Scores 1790-1805" (annual issues) by Samuel Britcher