The 1727 English cricket season saw a number of matches promoted by wealthy landowners like the Duke of Richmond

Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond

The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...

, Sir William Gage, Mr Alan Brodrick

Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton

Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton was a British peer and significant cricket patron who was jointly responsible for creating the earliest known written rules.-Cricket patronage:...

 and Mr Edward Stead

Edward Stead

Edward Stead was a famous patron of English cricket, particularly of Kent county cricket teams, in the early 18th century.-Cricket career:...

. Among the best of the professional players were the all-rounder Thomas Waymark

Thomas Waymark

Thomas Waymark was an English professional cricketer in the first half of the 18th century...

, who was apparently a groom employed by the Duke of Richmond; and Stephen Dingate

Stephen Dingate

Stephen Dingate was a leading English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He almost certainly began playing in the 1720s and was one of the best known players in England through the 1740s....

, who may have been a barber.

Matches

Date	Match Title	Venue	Result
date unknown	Duke of Richmond’s XI v Sir William Gage’s XI	venue unknown	result unknown
Sir William Gage was another of the cricket's early benefactors and his correspondence reveals a close rapport with his friend and rival the Duke of Richmond.
date unknown	Sir William Gage’s XI v Duke of Richmond’s XI	venue unknown	result unknown
? July	Mr Alan Brodrick’s XI v Duke of Richmond’s XI	Peper Harow ?	result unknown
Peper Harow is about four miles from Godalming and was the home of the Brodrick family. There is a view that it was the venue of the match in July.
? August	Duke of Richmond’s XI v Mr Alan Brodrick’s XI	Godalming?	result unknown

Other events

A match was played at Cranbook on Monday, 29 May between "fourteen old men". The oldest, Richard Shese, was 84.

There was a minor game at Warehorne Green, near Ashford, on Monday, 5 June that was arranged by Thomas Hodges, Esq. and by George Baker, Esq. who is described as the General Receiver. The teams were Warehorne v Hawkshurst and they played 12 a side.

Articles of Agreement

References to the games between the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick mention that they drew up Articles of Agreement between them to determine the rules that must apply in their contests. This may be the first time that rules were formally agreed, although rules as such definitely existed. In early times, the rules would be agreed orally and subject to local variations. This syndrome was also evident in football until the FA was founded, especially re the question of handling the ball.

External links

• CricketArchive match lists
• From Lads to Lord's; The History of Cricket: 1300 – 1787