3. Before 1850

Our corner of Surrey, so close to the Kent Weald, has a hugely important place in the history of Cricket,

According to some historians, the second known incidence anywhere in the World of a Cricket Match with individual scores listed is believed to have taken place in nearby Westerham.

On exhibition at Quebec House is very possibly the oldest Cricket Ball in the World, which was discovered only recently during renovation of some foundations of the House.

We know from Articles (see earlier web page) that a match between Gentlemen of Oxted and of Croydon was played in August 1822.

There is further strong evidence of competitive cricket in the town of Oxted from around 1840.

On 7th September 1840, the leading London sporting newspaper of the time Bells Life reported that Oxted lost a match to Caterham by 62 runs on the Half Moon Ground at Caterham, having only scored 30 and 24 in each innings. The return match was detailed to take place on 16 September.

Oxted’s first recorded cricketers of note were Charles Payne, the Sussex Professional, and also Edward Macniven, the latter having taken 5 wickets in the Eton v Harrow match at Lords in 1843, played occasionally for Surrey and once for the Gentlemen v the players in 1851.

The Coloured Lithograph 'The Town and University of Cambridge' from 1847 includes a Portrait of Edward MacNiven and appears occasionally in the Lords Museum as one of the earliest such Cricket images known to exist.

Macniven died in an early traffic accident aged 30 in 1853, but perhaps fittingly, he is buried in the family tomb next to the door of St Mary’s Church close to Master Park.

It is also known that the leading bowler in Surrey of the time, Will Martingell , also played on occasion for Oxted United Cricket Club.

Below is a match report from Bell's Life (a Sporting Almanac of the time) dated 31 July 1836 which is the earliest mention of Cricket and Limpsfield that I am aware of :

"The match between the Limpsfield Club and eleven of the Reigate was played at the former place and terminated thus: Limpsfield 85 & 95-5 Reigate 170. Night coming on, the stumps were drawn.

The return match played at Reigate was won by Reigate by seven runs after some excellent play on both sides: Limpsfield 67 & 45. Reigate 57 & 62 "