1863 English cricket season

The 1863 English cricket season saw the formations of at three, and possibly four, county cricket clubs.

8 January. Formation of Yorkshire County Cricket Club out of the Sheffield Match Fund Committee that had been established in 1861. Yorkshire played its initial first-class match v. Surrey at the Oval on 4 to 6 June. It was a rain-affected draw, evenly balanced.

John Smith made his first-class debut, playing for Cambridgeshire.

12 August. Formation of Hampshire County Cricket Club. A number of previous county organisations including the famous Hambledon Club had existed in Hampshire during the previous hundred years or more, but none had survived indefinitely.

15 December. Formation of Middlesex County Cricket Club at a meeting in the London Tavern.

An organisation in Cheltenham is believed to have been the forerunner of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, which had definitely been founded by 1871. Exact details of the club’s foundation have been lost.

Will Mortlock was the leading runscorer with 736 @ 26.28

George Wootton was the leading wicket-taker with 87 @ 9.74

...
Wikipedia