Greatest Cricket Moments

First MCC v Hampshire Fixture at the New Lord's — June 1816

1816-06-19MCC vs HampshireMCC v Hampshire, Lord's Cricket Ground, 19-20 June 18161 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

On 19-20 June 1816 the MCC played Hampshire at the new Lord's ground — the first fixture between the two sides since Hampshire's collapse as a major county in 1809. The match was raised by William Ward as a deliberate attempt to revive Hampshire cricket. MCC won by an innings, but the fixture marked the start of Hampshire's slow recovery as a recognised county side.

Background

Hampshire had been the strongest county in English cricket through the Hambledon era (1772-1791). The 1809 collapse had ended the county's first great phase.

What Happened

Hampshire had ceased to field a competitive major-county XI in 1809 with the close of the Hambledon era. By 1816 a new generation of Hampshire players — including James Aylward Junior and the young Lord Charles Russell — had emerged. William Ward, by then on the MCC committee, pushed for a revived Hampshire fixture. The June 1816 match was the result. MCC fielded full strength — Beauclerk, Lambert, Budd — and won by an innings. But Hampshire's score of 167 across two innings was respectable, and the fixture became annual.

Timeline

1809

Hampshire ceases to field a competitive major XI

19-20 Jun 1816

First MCC v Hampshire fixture at new Lord's

1820s

Hampshire's slow revival continues

1863

Modern Hampshire CCC founded

Aftermath

Hampshire's slow revival continued through the 1820s. The modern Hampshire CCC was founded in 1863.

⚖️ The Verdict

The starting point of Hampshire's nineteenth-century revival as a major cricket county.

Legacy & Impact

The 1816 fixture is the conventional starting point of Hampshire's modern cricket history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did James Aylward Junior play in the 1816 match?▾
Yes — at no. 5 for Hampshire. He had been coached by his father, the Hambledon professional James Aylward Senior, and was the leading new Hampshire batter of the period.

Tags

#regency-cricket#underarm#mcc#hampshire#lords#1816#iconic-moment

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