Cricket has been played as a recognized sport since the early 18th century. The first recorded match was played in Sussex, England in 1697. In 1719, the first county match was played, with the Londoners Middlesex vs. the Kentish. It gained publicity in the southern counties of England, but was eventually transplanted to be mainly in the London grounds of wealthy patrons. During this time, crowds were often rowdy, with high monetary stakes on important matches. The Hambledon Club, a small club in Hampshire, brought attention to the sport, as they challenged the larger clubs with a run for their money. Their historian, John Nyren, wrote prose literature on the subject of cricket. This team played its final recorded match in 1793 at Lords in London, the most important cricket site in cricket history.

Website: http://scienceofcricket.tripod.com/