Greatest Cricket Moments

Lillywhite-Broadbridge Roundarm Pair Established as England's Best — 1829

1829-07-15SussexLillywhite and Broadbridge as Sussex's bowling pair, 1829 season1 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

By the close of the 1829 season William Lillywhite and Jem Broadbridge — both Sussex roundarm bowlers — had established themselves as the leading bowling pair in England. Together they took 134 wickets in major matches that summer. Their dominance, on the back of the 1828 legalisation of roundarm to the elbow, was the moment roundarm definitively replaced underarm at the top of English cricket.

Background

The roundarm question had divided cricket since John Willes's first experiments in 1807. The 1828 legalisation settled the law; the 1829 Lillywhite-Broadbridge season settled the practice.

What Happened

Roundarm had been legalised — to elbow height — by the MCC in 1828 after years of trial matches. Lillywhite and Broadbridge had been the principal exponents through the trials. The 1829 season was the first under the new law in which they bowled fully without restriction. Together they took 134 major-match wickets; Lillywhite alone took 78. Their dominance broke the back of underarm bowling at the top level. By 1832 underarm bowling at major-match level was effectively extinct.

Timeline

1807

Willes first experiments with roundarm

1828

MCC legalises roundarm to elbow height

1829 season

Lillywhite-Broadbridge pair takes 134 wickets

1864

Overarm bowling fully legalised

⚖️ The Verdict

The moment roundarm bowling definitively replaced underarm at the top of English cricket.

Legacy & Impact

Modern overarm bowling descends from roundarm via the 1864 legalisation. Lillywhite and Broadbridge are the foundation figures.

Tags

#roundarm-era#william-lillywhite#jem-broadbridge#sussex#bowling#1829#iconic-moment

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