List of early English cricketers to 1771
Year Name Sides Notes
1726 Perry London Along with Piper , took part in the earliest known single wicket match . The players were well-known as the contemporary report calls them the noted Perry of London and the famous Piper of Hampton
1726 Piper Hampton
1727 Alan Brodrick , 2nd Viscount Midleton Surrey A Surrey patron who was partly responsible for drawing up the first known rules of the game
1727 Thomas Waymark Sussex and Berkshire Accounted the first great all-rounder , Waymark played for over 20 years and was noted for his extraordinary agility and dexterity
1729 John Chitty Surrey The owner of what is now the world 's oldest surviving cricket bat ( pictured ) , which is kept in the museum at The Oval
1730 Mr Andrews Sunbury and Surrey A Surrey patron who challenged the Duke of Richmond 's team in 1730
1731 Frederick , Prince of Wales Surrey Heir to the throne who became very interested in cricket when he first came to England from Hanover and was a leading patron for the rest of his life
1731 Tim Coleman London Described in a contemporary report as the famous Tim Coleman
1731 Thomas Chambers Middlesex A Middlesex patron who challenged the Duke of Richmond 's team in 1731
1732 Christopher Jones London ? Keeper of the Artillery Ground
1734 Charles Sackville , Lord Middlesex Kent An occasional patron of Kent cricket
1734 Lord John Philip Sackville Kent A leading patron of Kent cricket who was also a noted player
1735 Cook Brentford Described by a contemporary reporter as one of the best bowlers in England . Recorded in two matches in 1735 at Moulsey Hurst . He played as a given man for London Cricket Club versus Surrey on 7 June and for a combined London & Middlesex XI versus Kent on 12 July
1735 Dunn London Evidently a top order batsman who is mentioned in three match reports
1735 Ellis London Described by a contemporary reporter as London 's best bowler
1735 Wakeland London Made two known appearances in single wicket contests
1735 Wheatley London Evidently a top order batsman , known to have been a distiller by trade
1735 Marshall London Recorded in one match in 1735
1735 Pool London Recorded in one match in 1735
1735 Mr Jervoise Croydon and Surrey A Surrey patron who was active in 1735
Cricketers -- 1726 to 1740
Main article : History of cricket ( 1726–63 )
This is a list of the earliest known English cricketers whose careers began prior to the first matches which are considered to be first-class status in 1772. The list is by season, this being the season in which the player's name first appears in surviving sources. Cricket underwent radical changes during the 18th century. Patronage and popular support enabled it to outgrow its roots as a village pastime and develop into a major sport. In the early 1760s, pitched delivery bowling was introduced and this necessitated the invention of the straight bat: an evolution in bowling and batting techniques that radically changed cricket. The earliest known scorecards date from 1744 but it was not until 1772 that they began to be completed and are preserved on a regular basis.