1798 English cricket season

The 1798 English cricket season was marked by numerous matches involving town clubs rather than county teams.

Matches

First mentions

* Henry Bentley
* Capt. / Col. Peregrine Maitland, (MCC and Surrey; amateur) – played 27 matches to 1808
* Charles Reed (Kent) – played 7 matches from 1798 to 1810
* Williams (MCC cricketer) (MCC; amateur) – played 6 matches in 1798
* J. Eavers (MCC) – played 5 matches from 1798 to 1802
* James Bennett (Hampshire) – played 5 matches from 1798 to 1805
* Bourke (MCC cricketer) (MCC; amateur) – played 2 matches in 1798
* Donnithorn (MCC cricketer) (MCC; amateur) – played 2 matches in 1798
* Greenham (Hampshire cricketer) – played 2 matches in 1798
* Johnston (Middlesex cricketer) – played 2 matches in 1798

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".

Fewer matches were played in 1798 than in previous years, a trend that continued as the effects of the Napoleonic War were felt, and so fewer runs were scored. The batsmen who scored over 100 runs were:

:Lord Frederick Beauclerk — 369:Andrew Freemantle — 217:Benjamin Clifton — 187:John Tufton — 185:Thomas Ray — 179:Jack Small — 177:Tom Walker — 164:William Fennex — 148:Robert Robinson — 147:T A Smith — 146:Hampton — 141:William Beldham — 136:John Wells — 135:Harry Walker — 127:John Hammond — 112

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 just led the bowlers with 42 wickets, beating Lord Frederick Beauclerk who took 40

Other leading bowlers were John Wells 30; William Fennex 23; Tom Walker 16; David Harris 15; Thomas Lord 15

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 with 9ct, 9st and John Wells with 10 ct, 8 st were the joint leading fielders in 1798

Lord Frederick Beauclerk took the most catches with 14, followed by William Fennex 11; Andrew Freemantle 8ct, 2 st; William Beldham 7 ct, 1 st; Thomas Ray 7 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