In the 1795 English cricket season, the enigmatic Thursday Club made its bow. But Samuel Britcher

Samuel Britcher

Samuel Britcher was a cricket scorer and archivist who recorded the full scorecards of numerous matches played in the early years of Marylebone Cricket Club after its official foundation during the 1787 English cricket season.Britcher is believed to have been MCC's first official scorer and he...

 says it was the Middlesex county XI

Middlesex county cricket teams

Middlesex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Given that the first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford, it is almost certain that the game had reached...

.

Matches

Date	Match Title	Venue	Source	Result
4–5 May (M-Tu)	MCC v Thursday Club ^	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB178	MCC won by 2 wkts
11–12 May (M-Tu)	MCC v Thursday Club ^	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB178	Thursday Club won by 8 wkts
12–14 May (Tu-Th)	MCC v Thursday Club ^	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB17	Thursday Club won by 38 runs
^ The teams consist of recognised players and there is historical significance so these are major fixtures. The Thursday Club is often called Middlesex Middlesex county cricket teams Middlesex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Given that the first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford, it is almost certain that the game had reached...  and it is difficult to work out which is which as many of the same players represented both teams. It would be an easy option to label all these teams Middlesex but not necessarily correct.
25–27 May (M-W)	MCC v Thursday Club/Middlesex	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB180	MCC won by 94 runs
1–3 June (M-W)	C Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB181	Lennox's XI won by 48 runs
9–11 June (Tu-Th)	C Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB181	Lennox's XI won by 10 wkts
15 June (M)	Bullingdon v MCC #	Bullingdon	SB182	MCC won by 8 wkts
16–17 June (Tu-Th)	Frensham v Bramshot #	Wheatsheaf Common	SB182	drawn (rain)
16–17 June (Tu-Th)	Oxford XVI v MCC XII #	Bullingdon	SB183	MCC won by 9 wkts
22–25 June (M-Th)	MCC v All-England	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB184	MCC won by 15 runs
26 & 29 June (F & M)	MCC v Thursday Club/Middlesex	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB185	T/M won by 3 wkts
2–3 July (Th-F)	MCC v Bullingdon #	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB185	MCC won by innings & 382 runs
# Some games in S&B and the ACS list are not major due to lack of recognised players. These include the MCC games against Bullingdon and the Frensham v Bramshot game played in Hampshire.
6–8 July (M-W)	Surrey v All-England XIII	Moulsey Hurst	SB186	Surrey won by 76 runs
8–10 July (W-F)	Lennox v Earl of Winchilsea	Moulsey Hurst	SB187	Lennox won by 129 runs
16–18 July (Th-S)	Middlesex v Berkshire	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB187	Middlesex won by 233 runs
20–22 July (M-W)	Earl of Winchilsea v R Leigh	Windmill Down	SB188	Winchilsea's XI won by 113 runs
23–25 July (Th-S)	Earl of Winchilsea v R Leigh	Stoke Down	SB188	Leigh's XI won by 3 wkts
This match was unfinished at 25 July but through the sheer determination of the participants, it was eventually concluded on Tuesday 28 June 1796, nearly a whole year later!
6-7 Aug (Th-F)	MCC v Berkshire	Lord's (Dorset Square)	SB189	MCC won by 2 wkts
10-12 Aug (M-W)	Surrey v All-England XIII	Moulsey Hurst	SB190	All-England won by 38 runs
12-15 Aug (W-S)	Surrey v All-England XIII	Moulsey Hurst	SB190	All-England won by 27 runs
24-26 Aug (M-W)	All-England v Hampshire	Dartford Brent	SB191	All-England won by 16 runs
27-29 Aug (Th-S)	All-England v Hampshire	Dartford Brent	SB191	Hampshire won by 4 wkts
This may have been the last time Dartford Brent Dartford Brent Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. In history, it was the scene of a confrontation between King Henry VI and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York in 1452; and in 1555 thousands of spectators were to witness the burning to death at the stake of...  was used for a major match. Games in Dartford after 1795 were played at Bowman's Lodge on Dartford Heath.
31 Aug - 2 Sept (M-W)	Kent v All-England	Penenden Heath Penenden Heath Penenden Heath is a suburb in the town of Maidstone in Kent, England.As the name suggests it is nucleated around a former heath .-History:... , nr Maidstone	SB193	All-England won by 5 wkts
7-10 Sept (M-Th)	Sir H Mann v R Leigh	Dandelion Paddock	SB193	Mann's XI won by 37 runs
This match is given a 1796 date in WDC and is titled J Small v T Walker. The 1795 details are believed correct. Dandelion Paddock Dandelion Paddock Dandelion Paddock was a first-class cricket ground in Dandelion, near Margate, Kent. Sir Horatio Mann organised a number of matches there in the 1790s.-Location:...  was near Margate.
10-12 Sept (Th-S)	Sir H Mann v Earl of Darnley	Dandelion Paddock	SB194	Darnley's XI won by 242 runs
14-16 Sept (M-W)	Sir H Mann v R Leigh	Dandelion Paddock	SB195	Leigh's XI won by innings & 98 runs

First mentions

• William Barton
  William Barton (Middlesex cricketer)
  William Barton was an English cricketer who played mainly for Middlesex.Little is known of Barton who was an accomplished batsman and an occasional wicketkeeper...
  
  
• Arthur Upton
  Arthur Upton
  The Honourable Colonel Arthur Percy Upton was a noted amateur cricketer during the Napoleonic era.-Cricket career:...
  
  
• Charles Warren
  Charles Warren (cricketer)
  Charles Warren was an English amateur cricketer who made 33 known appearances in major cricket matches from 1795 to 1826. Along with John Tanner, he was the last 18th century player to retire from first-class cricket, in his case at the age of 62.-Career:Warren was mainly associated with Middlesex...
  
   (Middlesex; amateur) – played 33 matches to 1826
• Captain Drew (Kent cricketer)
  Drew (Kent cricketer)
  J. Drew was an English amateur cricketer who played first-class cricket in 1795 for Marylebone Cricket Club , of which he was a member, and Sir Horatio Mann's XI, the latter an indication of his connection with Kent cricket. He held the rank of captain in the British armed forces.Drew made 3 known...
  
   (Kent; amateur) – played three matches to 1795
• Hooker (Kent cricketer)
  Hooker (Kent cricketer)
  Hooker was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket in 1795 for Kent. He was a member of the Rochester Cricket Club and played invitation matches until 1807. He made 3 known appearances in first-class matches.Hooker is first recorded playing for Kent against All-England at...
  
   (Kent) – played three matches to 1795

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.

John Hammond

John Hammond (cricketer)

John Hammond was an English cricketer of the late 18th and early 19th century. He was one of the greatest early Sussex players....

 scored 800 runs, easily the highest season total to date. Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson (cricketer)

Robert Robinson was an English cricketer who played for Hampshire at the time of the Hambledon Club and also for Surrey....

 scored 768.

Others who scored more than 300 runs were Tom Walker

Thomas Walker (cricketer)

Thomas "Tom" Walker was an English cricketer who played for Hampshire in the days of the Hambledon Club and later for Surrey. He was famous for his brilliant defensive batting. He is also credited with introducing, roundarm bowling, the predecessor of modern overarm bowling.-Career:Walker was born...

 with 661; William Beldham 538; Henry Tufton

Henry Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet

Henry James Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet was a peer in the peerage of England and a noted English cricketer of the 1790s.-Biography:...

 and his brother John Tufton who both scored 416; Jack Small

Jack Small

John Small junior was an English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.Jack Small made his debut in 1784, his career continuing until 1811...

 415; Harry Walker

Harry Walker (cricketer)

Harry Walker was a noted English cricketer who played mainly for Surrey...

 366; Joey Ring

Joey Ring

John "Little Joey" Ring was an English cricketer who played for Kent.Joey Ring was one of Kent’s best batsmen in the late 18th century and was employed by Sir Horatio Mann at Bourne as a huntsman...

 364; and Thomas Ray

Thomas Ray (cricketer)

Thomas Ray was an English cricketer who played mainly for Berkshire and Middlesex. He was for many years employed by MCC as a professional who probably coached the members....

 337

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

Thomas Boxall

Thomas Boxall was a famous English cricketer of the late 18th century. He was a very successful right arm bowler, believed to have been fast underarm....

 with 60 wickets was the leading bowler in 1795

Other good performances were by David Harris 51; Thomas Lord

Thomas Lord

Thomas Lord was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1787 to 1802. He made a brief comeback, playing in one further match in 1815. Overall, Lord made 90 known appearances in first-class cricket...

 40; John Wells

John Wells (cricketer)

John Wells was a famous English cricketer who played for Surrey.-Career:...

 38; Tom Walker

Thomas Walker (cricketer)

Thomas "Tom" Walker was an English cricketer who played for Hampshire in the days of the Hambledon Club and later for Surrey. He was famous for his brilliant defensive batting. He is also credited with introducing, roundarm bowling, the predecessor of modern overarm bowling.-Career:Walker was born...

 33; Charles Cumberland

Charles Cumberland

Captain Charles Cumberland was an English cricketer of the late 18th century. He was an outstanding bowler, his style being right arm fast underarm; and he was arguably the best amateur bowler of the underarm era...

 27; Richard Purchase

Richard Purchase

Richard Purchase was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club.He was only 16 when he made his debut in 1773.Born in Liss, Hampshire, he played for his county in 1773 and 1774 but then did not appear again until 1781...

 22; Lord Frederick Beauclerk

Lord Frederick Beauclerk

Lord Frederick Beauclerk was an outstanding but controversial English first-class cricketer for 35 years from 1791 to 1825. On his retirement, he served as president of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1826.Beauclerk was the fourth son of the 5th Duke of St Albans and became a clergyman. He was Vicar...

 21; William Beldham 20; John Hammond

John Hammond (cricketer)

John Hammond was an English cricketer of the late 18th and early 19th century. He was one of the greatest early Sussex players....

 20; Sylvester

Sylvester (Middlesex cricketer)

Sylvester was an English professional cricketer who made 28 known appearances in major cricket matches from 1792 to 1799.-External sources:*...

 14; Robert Turner

Robert Turner (Middlesex cricketer)

Robert Turner was a noted professional cricketer in the late 18th century. His career spanned the 1789 to 1799 seasons and he played mainly for Middlesex and various representative sides, including MCC....

 13

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.

To supplement his outstanding season with the bat, John Hammond

John Hammond (cricketer)

John Hammond was an English cricketer of the late 18th and early 19th century. He was one of the greatest early Sussex players....

 took 37 catches and 12 stumpings

William Beldham was the second best fielder with 30 ct 1 st. Others who performed well were Thomas Ray

Thomas Ray (cricketer)

Thomas Ray was an English cricketer who played mainly for Berkshire and Middlesex. He was for many years employed by MCC as a professional who probably coached the members....

 and Harry Walker

Harry Walker (cricketer)

Harry Walker was a noted English cricketer who played mainly for Surrey...

 with 29 and 26 catches respectively.

The Tufton brothers, Henry

Henry Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet

Henry James Tufton, 11th Earl of Thanet was a peer in the peerage of England and a noted English cricketer of the 1790s.-Biography:...

 and John, between them took 33 catches and 1 stumping but in most cases it is not known which of them took the catch. Henry definitely caught 8 and John definitely caught 6, while it was almost certainly Henry who performed the stumping, but the other 19 catches are simply "c Tufton"!