Jack Small facts for kids

John Small (born 7 October 1765 – died 21 January 1836) was an English cricketer. He played for the famous Hambledon Club. He also played for teams like Hampshire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Kent, and Surrey.

John Small was often called Jack Small. He was known as a very good batsman. A batsman is a player who tries to hit the ball and score runs. His father, John Small senior, was also a famous cricketer.

Early Life and Cricket Start

John Small was born in England in 1765. He grew up at a time when cricket was becoming very popular. He started his cricket career in 1784. This is called his "debut."

He played cricket for many years. His career lasted until 1811. This means he played for over 25 years!

Playing for Famous Clubs

John Small played for the Hambledon Club. This club was very important in early cricket history. Many great players of that time played for Hambledon.

He also played for several county teams. These included Hampshire, Kent, and Surrey. He was also part of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The MCC is still a very important cricket club today.

Special Matches

In 1806, John Small played in two very special matches. These were the first and second "Gentlemen v Players" matches. In these games, amateur players (Gentlemen) played against professional players (Players). John Small played for the "Players" team.

Family and Friends

John Small had a close friend named John Nyren. Nyren was also a famous cricketer and writer. He often wrote about John Small, calling him Jack Small.

John also had a younger brother. His name was Eli Small. Eli also played cricket for Hampshire. It seems cricket ran in their family!