1774 English cricket season

Hampshire did much better in the 1774 English cricket season and were unbeaten in their known results to the end of July but then they lost twice to Kent in August.

On Friday 25 February 1774, the Laws of Cricket were revised by a committee meeting at the Star and Garter on Pall Mall in London. The committee represented Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex and London. Its members included the Duke of Dorset, the Earl of Tankerville and Sir Horace Mann.

It is particularly interesting that these Laws include lbw and the width of the bat. It seems likely that the two stump wicket remained in use for another few years. This is believed to have been the origin of the lbw rule, which was introduced in response to the practice of certain batsmen who deliberately protected their wickets with their legs.

The following matches are classified as important:

All-England 122 (J Minshull 37) & 133 (J Minshull 38, Earl of Tankerville 35, J Miller 26) Hampshire 307 (T Sueter 67, John Small 47, J Aylward 37, R Purchase 37, R Francis 29) S&B reports that the venue was Laleham Burway but research by ACS discovered that it was actually Broadhalfpenny Down. No bowling or fielding details are known.

Hampshire performed a remarkable feat for the times by totalling 307 with nine batsmen reaching double figures and the other two both scoring 9. John Minshull did very well for their opponents, scoring 37 and 38 in totals of 122 and 133.

Hampshire 139 (J Aylward 29, G Leer 28; W Bullen 5w) & 182 (J Aylward 61, T Sueter 30; J Wood 3w, S Colchin 3w); All-England 88 (J Wood 27; E Stevens 2w, T Brett 2w, R Nyren 2w) & 64 (S Colchin 19; E Stevens 4w). Hampshire was greatly helped by having Lumpy as a given man.

Both of the two John Woods were playing for All-England and we do not know which of them scored 27 or which of them took the three second innings wickets. They might well have shared the wickets. Oddly enough, we do know that it was John Wood of Chertsey who took a catch in the first innings!!

William Bullen, Kent fast bowler, took five wickets in one innings. Though it must have occurred innumerable times previously, this is the first time in the statistical record (i.e., since 1772) that a bowler can definitely be credited with the 5wI feat.

This was the final appearance in important matches by John Frame, the famous Kent fast bowler who was held by John Nyren to have been “the other principal with Lumpy” (i.e., in opposition to Hambledon). His greatest years were behind him when the statistical record began (he would have been 39 in 1772). He started playing in 1749. S&B records that he bowled for the Dartford/Kent team that beat All-England twice in 1759. He was unquestionably an outstanding bowler during the 1750s and 1760s. The statistical record just caught the tail end of his career.

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