1790 English cricket season

The earliest known example of left-handed players in opposition to right-handed. There were three more such fixtures until 1870. Haygarth listed some exceptions on the left-handed team as John Crawte batted with his right and only threw with his left; David Harris and Robert Clifford batted left but bowled right. Since Harris and Clifford took nine wickets between them in the match (i.e., bowled only as catches were not credited to the bowler), the left-handed team's victory was due in considerable part to having two right arm bowlers.

The noted amateur batsman George Leycester made his first known appearance in this match. He was active until 1808. Essex scored 116 and 96; MCC scored 177 (George Louch 43) and 36 for 2.

Haygarth comments on 18th century nomenclature saying that, in one account the teams are called the Earl of Darnley's XI and the Earl of Winchilsea's XI. He explains that "in the old scores the true names were often altered" to those of the team captains or patrons, "thereby creating confusion". This was a low-scoring match in which David Harris and Richard Purchase were dominant as Hampshire's main bowlers. Kent scored 52 and 85; Hampshire scored 119 and 19 for 2. The highest score in the match was 33 by the veteran John Small for Hampshire.

There was an announcement in The World on the previous day which gave the teamsheets, but there is no report of the game having taken place. Middlesex: Hon. T. J. Twistleton, Mr G. Louch, Mr W. Turner, W. Fennex, T. Shackle, W. White, Butler, Knowles, Cantrell, Mr Mansfield, T. Lord senior. Surrey: T. Sueter, John Wells, James Wells, J. Walker, E. Stevens, Butcher, Mr Vincent, T. Ingram, N. Graham, Flint, Mr Harrington.

A return match to the one at Lord's in May. MCC scored 209 (Hon. Col. Charles Lennox 69 and 78 (Lennox 27); Essex 106 (John Gouldstone 42) and 114 (Gouldstone 41).

Hampshire had Joey Ring and James Aylward, both of Kent, as given men. Hampshire scored 158 and 153; All-England 106 and 161. Aylward made the highest score in the match with 55 in the first innings.

"The Park" at Burley-on-the-Hill in Rutland was the Earl of Winchilsea's country retreat, which he used as his base for foxhunting parties. It is not far from the Great North Road so communication with London was relatively easy at the time. Burley-on-the-Hill has been confused with Burghley Park near Stamford but it is quite different. Samuel Britcher refers to this game as "All-England v Hampshire".^[9]

Billy Beldham with 60 out of 152 made the difference in this game. Mann's XI scored 91 and 96; Smith's XI 152 and 36 for four.

This was called Hampshire v All-England in one account but, as Haygarth pointed out, Darnley's "Hampshire" team had only five Hampshire players. Darnley's XI batted first and scored 278, a large total for the time. Richard Purchase, better known for his bowling, scored 73 and Joey Ring 68. Although their second innings total was a modest 108, Winchilsea's XI could only score 116 and 85.

The scorecard has been published in Scores & Biographies. Buckley recorded a notice in The World on Thursday, 12 August, which confirmed the cost of admittance as three pence. Middlesex scored 104 and 182; MCC scored 145 and 142 for 8. MCC fielded nine amateurs but, crucially in terms of performance, they also had the professionals Billy Beldham and Robert Clifford as given men.

There were five debutants in this match: R. Beeston, W. Beeston, Tyson, Packer and Talmash. MCC again had Beldham and Clifford as given men. MCC scored 110 and 101 (Beldham 46); Middlesex 89 and 66. William Fennex scored 41 in Middlesex's first innings and was recorded as a hit wicket dismissal, as was Thomas Lord in the second innings.

Hampshire's team included four MCC men (the venue was Lord's) and the ACS Guide calls the fixture MCC & Hampshire v All-England. All-England had first innings lead after they scored 177 and Hampshire replied with 165 but, with David Harris taking at least six wickets, All-England were out for 66 in their second innings. Andrew Freemantle (44*) and Jack Small (32*) shared an unbeaten first wicket partnership of 79 to secure victory for Hampshire. Harris bowled four men out in the first innings and so completed ten in the match (i.e., bowled only).

Also known as East Kent v West Kent. Amherst's West Kent XI scored 119 and 148; Mann's XI 97 and 40. The highest innings was 58 by William Brazier.

Berkshire had David Harris as a given man and the match was described as "a severe contest". The Middlesex team was called "the City of London and county of Middlesex". The venue was described as "the new cricket ground at Uxbridge".

This is recorded in the source as London & Middlesex against "the parish of Warfield" which also had David Harris as a given man. Warfield is believed to have been the venue, hence this reference to it instead of Berkshire as the host team. There is an earlier game (in 1786) involving "the parish of Warfield" but for that match the teamsheet has survived and it is the Berkshire XI. It follows that this team was the same, especially with Harris involved, and that therefore it was an important match and the return to the match at Uxbridge Moor a week earlier. Middlesex won by 3 wickets but the scorecard has not survived.

John Hammond is recorded for the first time; he became one of the outstanding players of the next 25 years. The Earl of Winchilsea's side was mostly known amateurs plus John Boorman. Some of Dorset's team reappeared in the West Sussex side that played in a minor match at Hambledon in September 1791.^[16]

This was played for a stake of 100 guineas and several matches between the two clubs are on record. However, none of the players taking part were notable so it must be considered a village match only.

The source says the match could not be "played out for want of time", so it was probably a draw. None of the participants have been identified except the two patrons.

An immediate return to the match above and the source again says it could not be "played out for want of time".

Brighton were often rated a top-class team as they tended to be representative of Sussex as a county in the 1790s.

See notes re 27 August match above. The name of the venue is unknown and may be an error in the original report.

See notes re 27 August match above.

See notes re 27 August match above.