1800 English cricket season

The 1800 English cricket season is one of the more difficult years to analyse because of several matches involving town clubs like Rochester, Woolwich, Homerton, Richmond, Storrington, Montpelier and Thames Ditton.

Matches

First mentions

* Joseph Dennis
* Thomas Warsop
* William Ayling (Kent) – played 22 matches from 1800 to 1810
* James Lawrell (MCC; amateur) – played 21 matches from 1800 to 1810
* John Ward – played 14 matches from 1800 to 1806
* Captain J. Weller (Surrey; amateur) – played 4 matches from 1800 to 1802
* George Beldham (Surrey) – played 3 matches from 1800 to 1805
* William Jefferies (Nottingham) – played 3 matches from 1800 to 1803
* Robert Smith (Nottingham) – played 3 matches from 1800 to 1803
* Hon. H. Coventry (MCC; amateur) – played 2 matches from 1800 to 1801
* Waller (Surrey cricketer) (Surrey) – played 2 matches from 1800 to 1803

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".

Five batsmen exceeded 150 runs in the season:

:William Barton – 226:John Ward – 213:Lord Frederick Beauclerk – 162:Tom Walker – 159:Thomas Ray – 155

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.

Easily the best bowler was John Ward of Kent, taking 47 wickets in his debut season.

No one else came near. The best of the rest was Thomas Boxall with 31 and then John Wells and Tom Walker with 18 and 16 respectively.

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 11 ct, 1 st was the leading fielder in 1800, just ahead of Thomas Ray who took 11 ct. Nottingham wicket-keeper Joseph Dennis made an impression with 3 ct, 7 st. John Ward took 9 catches in addition to his 47 wickets.

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