Ridgeway (Sussex cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Ridgeway was a noted English cricket
er of the mid-18th century who played for Sussex and All-England
.
match at the Artillery Ground
that attracted high stakes and a crowd in excess of 10,000 (according to the London Evening Post). Ridgeway did not play in the match, however, probably due to injury, and he was replaced by John Cutbush.
In 1744, Ridgeway played for Slindon
against London Cricket Club
in the match from which the earliest known scorecard has survived..
In 1745, after Sussex lost to Surrey
at Arundel, Lord John Philip Sackville in a letter dated 14 September to the Duke of Richmond
, Sussex's patron said: "I wish you had let Ridgeway play instead of your stopper behind it might have turned the match in our favour"..
That is the last report of this considerable player, whose career probably began in the 1720s or 1730s when match reports did not include much detail..
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er of the mid-18th century who played for Sussex and All-England
All-England Eleven
In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team...
.
Cricket career
He is first recorded in 1743 when he was reported to be "one of the six best players in England". This was when he was due to play in a big "threes" single wicketSingle Wicket
Single wicket cricket is a form of cricket played between two individuals, who take turns to bat and bowl against each other. The one bowling is assisted by a team of fielders, who remain as fielders at the change of innings. The winner is the one who scores more runs...
match at the Artillery Ground
Artillery Ground
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...
that attracted high stakes and a crowd in excess of 10,000 (according to the London Evening Post). Ridgeway did not play in the match, however, probably due to injury, and he was replaced by John Cutbush.
In 1744, Ridgeway played for Slindon
Slindon Cricket Club
Slindon Cricket Club was famous in the middle part of the 18th century when it claimed to have the best team in England. It was located at Slindon, a village in the Arun district of Sussex....
against London Cricket Club
London Cricket Club
The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:...
in the match from which the earliest known scorecard has survived..
In 1745, after Sussex lost to Surrey
Surrey county cricket teams
Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
at Arundel, Lord John Philip Sackville in a letter dated 14 September to 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...
, Sussex's patron said: "I wish you had let Ridgeway play instead of your stopper behind it might have turned the match in our favour"..
That is the last report of this considerable player, whose career probably began in the 1720s or 1730s when match reports did not include much detail..