1761 English cricket season

The 1761 cricket season was the 164th in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of four important eleven-a-side and no single wicket matches. The famous Chertsey Cricket Club was active but overall there was again a scarcity of games, possibly because of the war situation.

The following matches are classified as important:

This was announced in the Ipswich Journal of the previous Saturday, 20 June, as: 11 men of Kent v. the best 11 of Essex. The precise venue was The Crown in Billericay.

Played for 20 guineas a side. Chertsey had three given men: William Piper, Charles Sears and Thomas Woods. The latter is interesting given the confusion over players called Wood or Woods in the 1770s; there was a Surrey player at that time who was variously called John Wood or Thomas Wood. The Whitehall Evening Post on Saturday 27 June said: Great sport is expected as they are accounted as good 22 men as any in England.

Played for £20 a side.

Announced in the Whitehall Evening Post on Sat 26 September. Hampton had Charles Sears, John Haynes and Shock White as given men. The enigmatic Shock White, who was a Brentford man, is not to be confused with Thomas White of Reigate.

Thursday, 2 July. The Whitehall Evening Post reported the death of Mr George Smith on Monday, 29 June at The Castle in Marlborough. He was formerly the keeper of the Artillery Ground and the landlord of the adjoining Pyed Horse in Chiswell Street.

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