1794 English cricket season

In the 1794 English cricket season, Berkshire had the strongest county team.

Matches

First mentions

* John Lambert
* Edward Winter
* Briden (MCC cricketer)
* James Beeston "aka" Tom Brown (Middlesex) – played 24 matches to 1808
* Rice (Middlesex cricketer) "aka" James or A Smith (Middlesex; amateur) – played 13 matches to 1797
* George Shepheard (Middlesex) – played ten matches to 1799
* Wheeler (Middlesex cricketer) (Middlesex) – played ten matches to 1797
* Gates (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played eight matches to 1807
* Rubegall (Middlesex cricketer) (Middlesex) – played six matches to 1798
* R. Brandling (MCC; amateur) – played five matches to 1795
* John Beldham (Surrey) – played three matches to 1795
* John Burgess (cricketer) (Kent) – played two matches to 1795
* J. Jackson (London) – played two matches to 1795
* West (Berkshire cricketer) (Berkshire) – played two matches to 1794

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".

William Beldham scored 488 runs in 1794 to lead the batsmen

Other good performances were by Tom Walker with 462 runs; Joey Ring 417; Harry Walker 393; John Wells 379; Thomas Ray 299; Jack Small 282; Henry Tufton 251; John Hammond 230; William Fennex 225; Charles Anguish 215; Andrew Freemantle 193; George Louch 182

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 Lord was the leading bowler in 1794 with 44 wickets, just ahead of Tom Walker with 42

Other good performances were by David Harris with 38; Thomas Boxall 31; Hampton 24; John Wells 21;
William Fennex 19; William Beldham 17; Gates 17; Timber 17; Richard Purchase 14; John Hammond 13

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.

John Hammond took 21 catches and made 8 stumpings to be the leading fielder in 1794, although the most catches were taken by William Beldham with 24, but he had no stumpings.

George Louch with 16 ct led the rest, including Harry Walker 15 ct; Thomas Ray 12 ct; John Wells 12 ct; and Tom Walker 11 ct

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