John Capon (cricketer)

John Capon (dates unknown) was an English professional cricketer who played for London Cricket Club and Surrey during the 1740s and 1750s. He was a noted single wicket performer. Nothing is known of him apart from his participation in major cricket matches.

Career

Capon is first mentioned in August 1748 when he played in two single wicket games at the Artillery Ground, in one of which he represented the London club G B Buckley, "Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket", Cotterell, 1935] .

His earliest known first-class appearance was for Stephen Dingate's XI "versus" Long Robin's XI at the Artillery Ground on 26 June 1749 F S Ashley-Cooper, "At the Sign of the Wicket: Cricket 1742-1751", "Cricket" Magazine, 1900] .

His earliest known appearance for Surrey was in a first-class match "versus" Kent at Dartford Brent on 6 July 1750. Kent won by 3 wickets .

There are further references to Capon in 1752 and 1754. His last known appearance was on 26 June 1755 when he played for London in a single wicket match on Kennington Common .

Capon may have continued his career after 1755 but cricket was severely disrupted by the Seven Years War from 1756. He is not recorded in any matches after the war ended in 1763.

References

External sources

* [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/main.html From Lads to Lord's; The History of Cricket: 1300 – 1787]

Further reading

* F S Ashley-Cooper, "At the Sign of the Wicket: Cricket 1742-1751", "Cricket" Magazine, 1900
* G B Buckley, "Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket", Cotterell, 1935