The 1866 English cricket season was the third since the legalisation of overarm bowling. The highlight was the emergence of W. G. Grace as the game's leading batsman with the highest first-class score since William Ward's innings in 1820. James Southerton emerged as an outstanding bowler and the first known "century before lunch" was scored.
Events 30–31 July: W. G. Grace at the age of eighteen played an innings of 224 not out which was the highest first-class score since William Ward's record 278 for MCC against Norfolk in 1820. 21 August: John Sewell was the first batsman to score a century before the luncheon interval when he advanced from 29 not out to 166 for Middlesex against Surrey at The Oval.Frindall, Bill (editor); The Wisden Book of Cricket Records (Fourth Edition); pp. 129–144.
Playing record (by county) County Played Won Lost Drawn Cambridgeshire 5 2 2 1 Hampshire 2 1 1 0 Kent 5 1 1 3 Lancashire 4 0 3 1 Middlesex 8 6 1 1 Nottinghamshire 6 2 1 3 Surrey 10 4 5 1 Sussex 5 1 1 3 Yorkshire 3 0 2 1 Wynne-Thomas, Peter; The Rigby A-Z of Cricket Records; p. 53
Leading batsmen (qualification 10 innings) 1866 English season leading batsmenFirst Class Batting in England in 1866 Name Team Matches Innings Not outs Runs Highest score Average 100s 50sBob Carpenter Cambridgeshire 7 10 4 367 97 not out 61.16 0 2W. G. Grace GentlemenSouth of England 8 13 2 581 224 not out 52.81 2 1Edward Walker Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)Middlesex 14 18 4 550 79 39.28 0 6Orlando Spencer-Smith Oxford UniversityHampshire 6 10 1 288 86 32.00 0 2Charles Payne KentSussex 10 16 2 471 135 not out 33.64 1 2
Leading bowlers (qualification 800 balls) 1866 English season leading bowlersFirst Class Bowling in England in 1866 Name Team Balls bowled Runs conceded Wickets taken Average Best bowling 5 wicketsin innings 10 wicketsin matchJem Shaw NottinghamshireAll England Eleven 1446 430 40 10.75 6/36 4 1James Lillywhite Sussex 3366 910 71 12.81 7/98 6 1Edgar Willsher Kent 2313 688 52 13.23 7/24 3 1George Tarrant CambridgeshireAll England Eleven 2173 809 61 13.26 7/47 6 2James Southerton Hampshire 1012 435 32 13.59 7/49 5 2
Notes
References
Bibliography
Annual reviews John Lillywhite's Cricketer's Companion (Green Lilly), Lillywhite, 1867 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1867
Further reading