Thomas Brandon (cricketer)

Thomas Brandon (c.1725–?) was an English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period who played mainly for Dartford Cricket Club and Kent. A top-class player, he was a specialist batsman who played in numerous historically important matches, both eleven-a-side and single wicket.[note 1]

Career

The earliest known reference to Brandon is on 6 July 1750 when he played for Kent against Surrey at Dartford Brent. Kent won by 3 wickets.[2] Individual batting scores are not on record, but the team totals are known. Surrey scored 57 and 36; Kent replied with 54 and 40/7.[3]

Brandon played in two more matches for Kent in 1750.[2][3][4]

In 1754, Brandon played a single wicket match against Parr of Chatham for five guineas a side. Brandon won by 47 runs.[5][6]

In 1759, he was a member of the Dartford team that twice defeated England.[7]

Outside cricket

Little is known of Brandon personally except that he was a "substantial" shopkeeper in Dartford, who had also acted as both a constable and a churchwarden.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Any match listed in the ACS' Important Match Guide (1981) is historically important, and therefore of the highest standard, whether or not a scorecard might exist. The same applies to numerous matches discovered by researchers since 1981.[1] For further information, see First-class cricket.

References

  1. ↑ ACS 1981, pp. 1–40.
  2. 1 2 Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (19 April 1900). "At the Sign of the Wicket". Cricket: A Weekly Record of the Game. XIX (534). London: Merritt & Hatcher Ltd: 67–69 – via ACS.
  3. 1 2 Ashley-Cooper 1929, p. 16.
  4. ↑ Maun 2009, pp. 204–205.
  5. ↑ Waghorn 1899, p. 53.
  6. ↑ Maun 2011, p. 48.
  7. ↑ Haygarth 1996, p. 2.
  8. ↑ Underdown 2000, p. 43.

Bibliography