print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1935,0522.10.226
- Title
- Object: Rural sports or a cricket match extraordinary.
- Description
-
One of a set, see Nos. 11785-9 and 11791; cf. Nos. 11629, &c., 11792, 12406. Below the title: 'On Wednesday October 3rd 1811 A Singular Cricket Match took place at Balls Pond Newington. The Players on both sides were 22 Women 11 Hampshire against 11 Surrey. The Match was made between Two Amateur Noblemen of the respective Counties for 500 Guineas a side. The Performers in the Contest were of all Ages and Sizes.' The scene is a sloping field. The batswomen are running hard, while one of the field leaps to attempt a high catch; the wicket-keeper crouches behind the wicket, hands on knees. The players have petticoats kilted above the knee, bare heads, necks, and arms; they wear flat slippers, mostly 'en cothurne'. All the fielders look or run towards the ball; one has fallen with great display of leg; another, running headlong, trips over a dog. Eleven are playing, including those batting. Two girls sit together on the ground, one cutting notches on a stick to record the runs. Others stand near, one with a young man's arm round her waist. Spectators stand round the field. In the middle distance is a marquee with a flag: 'Jolly Cricketers'. Here, fashionably dressed men are entertaining the players; a very fat woman drains a bowl of punch, another sits on a man's knee. A girl descends from a donkey. Behind is a fashionable tandem. The scene is rural except for a smoking lime-kiln.
Plate numbered 96.
1811
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1811
- Dimensions
-
Height: 242 millimetres (cropped)
-
Width: 344 millimetres (cropped)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', IX, 1949)
The match was as recorded above. It was a three-day match, Hampshire were 81 ahead at the end of the first day's play; they won after a good innings by Surrey. The losers challenged the winners to another match. The ages of the players were from fourteen to 'upwards of 60'. 'Europ. Mag.' lx. 310.
Grego, 'Rowlandson', ii. 214.
(Supplementary information)
Dated by M. D. George, Oct. 1811, from Grego.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1986 Apr-May, Plymouth, Plymouth Museum and AG, 'Sporting Life'
- Acquisition date
- 1935
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1935,0522.10.226
