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{{Short description|Development of cricket from 1776 to 1800}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Cricket sidebar|expanded=all}}
In English [[cricket]], the period from 1776 to 1800 saw significant growth and development in English [[cricket]] to the point that it became a popular sport nationwide, having outgrown its origin in the south-eastern counties. Prominent northern clubs were established at [[Nottingham Cricket Club|Nottingham]] and [[Sheffield Cricket Club|Sheffield]].

==History==
Cricket has its first documented mentions in [[Canada]] (1785) and the [[West Indies]] (1780; in [[Barbados]]). British clubs were established in [[India]] in [[Calcutta]] (1792) and, following [[Siege of Seringapatam (1799)|the siege]] there, [[Seringapatam]] (1799). In America, the game was popular among soldiers in the [[American Revolution|revolution]] and [[George Washington]] is known to have played in at least one game.<ref>Ewing, George. ''The Military Journal of George Ewing''. (New York: Privately Printed, 1928), p. 47.</ref>

At the highest level of English cricket, two clubs pre-dominated – [[Hambledon Club|Hambledon]] from the early 1770s until the late 1780s and then [[Marylebone Cricket Club]], known as MCC, from its foundation in 1787.{{sfn|Buckley|1935|p=115}}{{sfn|Major|2007|p=108}} [[County cricket]] thrived during the Hambledon period. The Hambledon Club organised matches played by the [[Hampshire county cricket teams|Hampshire]] team, who often challenged teams representing the [[Non-international England cricket teams|rest of England]]. Soon after its foundation, MCC assumed ownership of the ''Laws'' and re-drafted them in 1788.{{sfn|Altham|1962|p=51}}{{sfn|Major|2007|p=108}}

Leading players of the period included batsmen [[John Small (cricketer)|John Small]] and [[Billy Beldham]]; bowlers [[Lumpy Stevens]] and [[David Harris (English cricketer)|David Harris]]; and the controversial all-rounder [[Lord Frederick Beauclerk]]. Throughout the period, [[underarm bowling]] prevailed by means of a [[pitched delivery bowling|pitched delivery]], this method having been recently introduced in the 1760s. In response to pitching of the ball, the modern [[cricket bat|straight bat]] had been created, replacing the old "hockey stick" design that had been in use when [[cricket ball|balls]] were bowled all along the ground.<ref name="W152818">{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152818.html |last=Bowen |first=Rowland |author-link=Rowland Bowen |title=Cricket in the 17th and 18th centuries |work=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack |year=1965 |access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=ACS |author-link=Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians |title=A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863 |year=1981 |publisher=ACS |location=Nottingham |url=https://archive.acscricket.com/match_guides/bi_imp_match_guide_2nd_ed/1/index.html}}
* {{cite book |last=Altham |first=H. S. |author-link=Harry Altham |title=A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914) |year=1962 |publisher=George Allen & Unwin |location=London |asin=B0014QE7HQ}}
* {{cite book |last=Birley |first=Derek |author-link=Derek Birley |title=A Social History of English Cricket |year=1999 |publisher=Aurum Press Ltd |location=London |isbn=978-18-54107-10-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Bowen |first=Rowland |author-link=Rowland Bowen |title=Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development |year=1970 |publisher=Eyre & Spottiswoode |location=London |isbn=978-04-13278-60-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Buckley |first=G. B. |author-link=G. B. Buckley |title=Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket |year=1935 |publisher=Cotterell & Co. |location=Birmingham |isbn=978-19-00592-48-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Buckley |first=G. B. |author-link=G. B. Buckley |title=Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket |year=1937 |publisher=Cotterell & Co. |location=Birmingham |isbn=978-19-00592-49-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Haygarth |first=Arthur |author-link=Arthur Haygarth |title=Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826) |year=1862 |publisher=Frederick Lillywhite |location=Kennington |isbn=978-19-00592-23-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Major |first=John |author-link=John Major |title=More Than A Game |year=2007 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=London |isbn=978-00-07183-64-7}}
* {{cite book |last=McCann |first=Tim |author-link=Timothy J. McCann |title=Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century |year=2004 |publisher=Sussex Record Society |location=Lewes |isbn=978-08-54450-55-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Nyren |first=John |author-link=John Nyren |title=The Cricketers of my Time |editor=Ashley Mote |year=1998 |publisher=Robson Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-18-61051-68-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Underdown |first=David |author-link=David Underdown |title=Start of Play |year=2000 |publisher=Allen Lane |location=Westminster |isbn=978-07-13993-30-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Waghorn |first=H. T. |author-link=H. T. Waghorn |title=The Dawn of Cricket |year=1906 |publisher=Electric Press |location=London |isbn=978-09-47821-17-3}}

{{English cricket teams in the 18th century}}
{{English cricket seasons}}

[[Category:English cricket in the 18th century|1776]]
[[Category:1770s in sports]]
[[Category:1780s in sports]]
[[Category:1790s in sports]]
[[Category:1800s in sports]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:History of English cricket (1776-1800)}}

History of English cricket (1776–1800) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article