Stephen Amherst facts for kids

Stephen Amherst was an English cricketer and a person who helped organize cricket games. He was born in 1750 and passed away on May 6, 1814. He was also known by the spelling Amhurst.

Stephen Amherst: Cricket Organizer

Stephen Amherst became well-known for organizing cricket matches. He especially helped teams from Kent in the late 1700s. Amherst even hired talented cricketers to play for these teams.

Helping Cricket Players

He hired players like Thomas Boxall, a famous bowler. Boxall is thought to be the first player to bowl a legbreak. This is a special type of spin bowling. Amherst also convinced John Crawte to join his Kent teams. Crawte was a player from the Hambledon Club in Hampshire.

Amherst cared about his players. He built an indoor training center for Boxall. This was in a converted barn, where Boxall could practice his bowling.

Amherst as a Player

Besides organizing games, Stephen Amherst was also a cricket player himself. He played in 31 important matches, known as first-class games. These matches took place between 1783 and 1795.

Playing for Kent Teams

Amherst played most often for teams from Kent. He appeared 18 times for teams simply called "Kent." He also played three times for the West Kent team. He played once for East Kent and once for the Gentlemen of Kent. He continued to play in other, less formal matches until at least 1800. This included games for the Gentlemen of Kent and the Rochester club.

Later Life and Name Spelling

Stephen Amherst died in 1814. He passed away in West Farleigh, a village near Maidstone in Kent.

The Spelling of His Name

There was some confusion about how to spell his last name. Some sources used "Amhurst" instead of "Amherst." However, a historian named Arthur Haygarth found a tablet in the church at West Farleigh. This tablet confirmed that "Amherst" was the correct spelling. It's possible that both spellings were used by his family over time. His family had lived in the village since the 1600s.