1738 English cricket season

The 1738 cricket season was the 141st in England since the earliest known definite reference to cricket in January 1597 (i.e., Old Style – 1598 New Style). Details have survived of eight important matches.

As in 1737, Kent seems to have been the strongest county, again defeating the combined London & Surrey team. London Cricket Club is featured in most of the surviving match reports. Chislehurst Cricket Club and Horsmonden Cricket Club became prominent. The earliest reference to cricket in the county of Dorset has been found.

The following matches are classified as important:

This was a repeat of Kent's successes in two 1737 matches against the same opponents.

A return match to the above was intended but no details have been found. The odds were 2 to 1 on Kent.

Played for "a considerable sum of money". This is the first known reference to each of these teams who were prominent for a few seasons before and after 1740.

A game that "turned several times" until finally being won by London. The rematch was arranged a week hence.

London scored less than 100 in their combined innings. Chislehurst had scored 73 in the first innings and won "without much difficulty".

The return match to the one at Chiselhurst on Tuesday, 11 July. Played for (again) "a considerable sum", it was won by Horsmonden "in one Hands (sic), all but 4 notches". The use of "hands" in this context means "innings", so Horsmonden achieved an innings victory, one of the earliest on record.

Mitcham totalled 117-20 in two innings; London 118-19 in two innings. Strangely, the only report of this was in the Warwickshire & Staffordshire Journal dated Thursday 17 August.

Betting on London at the start of the second innings was a guinea to a shilling.

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