Thomas Brett (cricketer) facts for kids

Thomas Brett (born in 1747, died on December 31, 1809) was an early and famous fast bowler in cricket. He was a top player for Hampshire in the 1770s. At that time, the Hambledon Club helped organize the Hampshire team. Brett was known for how fast and accurate he bowled. He took many wickets in the 1770s. A writer named John Nyren praised Brett in his book The Cricketers of my Time. Nyren wrote that Brett was "beyond all comparison, the fastest as well as straitest bowler that ever was known." This means he was the fastest and most accurate bowler anyone had ever seen.

Brett's Cricket Journey

Brett was born in a place called Catherington in Hampshire. What was special about his career was that he always played for Hampshire. In those days, players often switched teams. They might even play as "given men," which meant they were borrowed by another team for a match. But Brett always stayed with Hampshire. Since he lived in Catherington, he couldn't play for Hambledon's local Parish team. So, he only played for the main county team.

The Famous Bat Protest

Brett was a key player in a big event called the Monster Bat Incident 1771. He was the bowler who started a protest about a very wide cricket bat. It's almost certain that he wrote the official complaint against Thomas White's huge bat. This important paper still exists today. His captain, Richard Nyren, and Hampshire's best batsman, John Small, also signed it. Because of this protest, a new rule was made in the Laws of Cricket. It set the maximum width of a cricket bat to four and one-quarter inches. This rule is still in place today!

Playing for Hampshire

Brett played in 38 matches for Hampshire between 1769 and 1778. His first recorded game was against Caterham. This match happened at Guildford Bason on July 31, 1769. We know he took over 100 wickets in his career. However, the records from that time are not always complete. For example, in the 1777 season, he took 29 wickets by bowling out the batsmen in just five matches. If you include wickets from catches, his total would be even higher.

End of His Cricket Career

Brett's last recorded match was in October 1778. He played for Hampshire against Surrey at Laleham Burway. He was only 31 years old at the time. It seems he moved to Portsmouth after that. He might have stopped playing cricket to start a new job. Thomas Brett passed away in Kingston Cross, Portsmouth.