Stephen Amherst: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Content deleted Content added


 

Line 46: Line 46:

”’Stephen Amherst”’ or ”’Amhurst”’ (1750 – 6 May 1814), was an English [[cricket]]er and organiser of cricket matches.

”’Stephen Amherst”’ or ”’Amhurst”’ (1750 – 6 May 1814), was an English [[cricket]]er and organiser of cricket matches.

Amherst was born in 1750.<ref name=ci>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/stephen-amherst-535347 Stephen Amherst], [[CricInfo]]. Retrieved 2022-04-08.</ref> He is most associated with organising matches involving [[Kent county cricket teams|Kent teams]] towards the end of the 18th century.<ref name=jubilee>[[Ranjitsinhji|Ranjitsinhji KS]] ed. (1897) ”The Jubilee Book of Cricket”, p. 394. London: William Blackwood and Sons. ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Jubilee_Book_of_Cricket/Chapter_10 Available online] at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-04-09.</ref><ref name=pycroft>[[James Pycroft|Pycroft J]] The Hambledon Club and the Old Players, in [[E. V. Lucas|Lucas EV]] ed (1907) ”The Hambledon Men”, p. 136, p. 142. London: Henry Frowde. ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Hambledon_Men/The_Hambledon_Club_and_the_Old_Players Available online] at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-03-20.)</ref> Amherst employed cricketers such as [[Thomas Boxall]], a noted bowler who is believed to have been the first player to bowl [[legbreak]]s,<ref name=rajan>[[Amol Rajan|Rajan A]] (2011) ”Twirlymen: The Unlikely History of Cricket’s Greatest Spin Bowlers”, p. 24. London: Yellow Jersey Press. {{isbn|9780224083232}}</ref> and [[John Crawte]], who he persuaded to move from the [[Hambledon Club]] in Hampshire.<ref name=pycroft/><ref name=arlott>[[John Arlott|Arlott LTJ]] (1978) [http://www.alresfordhistandlit.co.uk/9%20Alresford%27s%20Famous%20Cricketers.pdf Alresford’s Famous Cricketers], Alresford Historical and Literary Society. Retrieved 2022-03-21.</ref> Both men played for Kent sides whilst employed by Amherst who built an indoor training centre in a converted barn for Boxall to use.<ref name=rajan/>

Amherst was born in 1750.<ref name=ci>[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/stephen-amherst-535347 Stephen Amherst], [[CricInfo]]. Retrieved 2022-04-08.</ref> He is most associated with organising matches involving [[Kent county cricket teams|Kent teams]] towards the end of the 18th century.<ref name=jubilee>[[Ranjitsinhji|Ranjitsinhji KS]] ed. (1897) ”The Jubilee Book of Cricket”, p. 394. London: William Blackwood and Sons. ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Jubilee_Book_of_Cricket/Chapter_10 Available online] at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-04-09.</ref><ref name=pycroft>[[James Pycroft|Pycroft J]] The Hambledon Club and the Old Players, in [[E. V. Lucas|Lucas EV]] ed (1907) ”The Hambledon Men”, p. 136, p. 142. London: Henry Frowde. ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Hambledon_Men/The_Hambledon_Club_and_the_Old_Players Available online] at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-03-20.)</ref> Amherst employed cricketers such as [[Thomas Boxall]], a noted bowler who is believed to have been the first player to bowl [[legbreak]]s,<ref name=rajan>[[Amol Rajan|Rajan A]] (2011) ”Twirlymen: The Unlikely History of Cricket’s Greatest Spin Bowlers”, p. 24. London: Yellow Jersey Press. {{isbn|9780224083232}}</ref> and [[John Crawte]], who he persuaded to move from the [[Hambledon Club]] in Hampshire.<ref name=pycroft/><ref name=arlott>[[John Arlott]] (1978) [http://www.alresfordhistandlit.co.uk/9%20Alresford%27s%20Famous%20Cricketers.pdf Alresford’s Famous Cricketers], Alresford Historical and Literary Society. Retrieved 2022-03-21.</ref> Both men played for Kent sides whilst employed by Amherst who built an indoor training centre in a converted barn for Boxall to use.<ref name=rajan/>

As well as organising matches, Amherst played in 31 [[first-class cricket|first-class]] matches between 1783 and 1795.<ref name=ci/><ref name=ca>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/79/79355/79355.html Stephen Amherst], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2018-04-10. {{subscription required}}</ref> He played most frequently for Kent sides, making 18 appearances for teams using the name Kent as well as three for [[West Kent cricket team|West Kent]] and one for both East Kent and for the [[Gentlemen of Kent]]. He is known to have played non-first-class matches until at least 1800, including for the Gentlemen of Kent and the [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] club.<ref name=ca/>

As well as organising matches, Amherst played in 31 [[first-class cricket|first-class]] matches between 1783 and 1795.<ref name=ci/><ref name=ca>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/79/79355/79355.html Stephen Amherst], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2018-04-10. {{subscription required}}</ref> He played most frequently for Kent sides, making 18 appearances for teams using the name Kent as well as three for [[West Kent cricket team|West Kent]] and one for both East Kent and for the [[Gentlemen of Kent]]. He is known to have played non-first-class matches until at least 1800, including for the Gentlemen of Kent and the [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]] club.<ref name=ca/>


Latest revision as of 12:35, 9 December 2025

English cricketer

Stephen Amherst

Born 1750
Died 6 May 1814 (aged 63–64)
West Farleigh, Kent
Years Team
1786–1795 Kent
FC debut 25 June 1783 East Kent v West Kent
Last FC 31 August 1795 Kent v England XI

Stephen Amherst or Amhurst (1750 – 6 May 1814), was an English cricketer and organiser of cricket matches.

Amherst was born in 1750.[1] He is most associated with organising matches involving Kent teams towards the end of the 18th century.[2][3] Amherst employed cricketers such as Thomas Boxall, a noted bowler who is believed to have been the first player to bowl legbreaks,[4] and John Crawte, who he persuaded to move from the Hambledon Club in Hampshire.[3][5] Both men played for Kent sides whilst employed by Amherst who built an indoor training centre in a converted barn for Boxall to use.[4]

As well as organising matches, Amherst played in 31 first-class matches between 1783 and 1795.[1][6] He played most frequently for Kent sides, making 18 appearances for teams using the name Kent as well as three for West Kent and one for both East Kent and for the Gentlemen of Kent. He is known to have played non-first-class matches until at least 1800, including for the Gentlemen of Kent and the Rochester club.[6]

Amherst died at West Farleigh near Maidstone in Kent in 1814.[1][6] Arthur Haygarth quoted from a tablet in the parish church at West Farleigh to confirm his view that the spelling of Amherst’s name was correct, rather than Amhurst which is used in a number of other sources.[7] A Stephen Amhurst is recorded as the owner of Court Lodge in the village in 1798, a house his family had lived in since the 17th century,[8][9] and it is possible that both spellings of the name were used by the same family.[7]

  1. ^ a b c Stephen Amherst, CricInfo. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  2. ^ Ranjitsinhji KS ed. (1897) The Jubilee Book of Cricket, p. 394. London: William Blackwood and Sons. (Available online at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  3. ^ a b Pycroft J The Hambledon Club and the Old Players, in Lucas EV ed (1907) The Hambledon Men, p. 136, p. 142. London: Henry Frowde. (Available online at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-03-20.)
  4. ^ a b Rajan A (2011) Twirlymen: The Unlikely History of Cricket’s Greatest Spin Bowlers, p. 24. London: Yellow Jersey Press. ISBN 9780224083232
  5. ^ John Arlott (1978) Alresford’s Famous Cricketers, Alresford Historical and Literary Society. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  6. ^ a b c Stephen Amherst, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2018-04-10. (subscription required)
  7. ^ a b West Kent vs East Kent, Jun 25–26 1783 – scorecard, CricInfo. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  8. ^ Hasted E (1798) The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5, pp. 136–145. Canterbury: Bristow. (Available online at British History Online. Retrieved 2022-04-09.)
  9. ^ East Farleigh: a brief history, p. 19, p. 27. East Farleigh Parish Council (2016).

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top