Val Romney facts for kids

Valentine Romney (born 1718, died December 1773) was an English cricket player. He played during the 1740s. Val Romney was known as a special batsman. He mostly played for teams from Kent. He also played for England teams. We don't have a lot of information about his career. This is because many records from that time are missing. But we know he played in 11 single wicket games. He also played in 14 eleven-a-side matches between 1743 and 1751.

Val Romney's Cricket Journey

Early Matches and Fame

The first clear mention of Val Romney was on July 11, 1743. He played in a special "threes" match. This game took place at the Artillery Ground. The six players were called "the best in England." Romney played for Three of Kent. His team won by 2 runs. A huge crowd of about 10,000 people watched the game.

In 1745, a poem called Cricket, An Heroic Poem called Romney a "mighty play'r." This poem was written to celebrate a famous match. It was played on June 18, 1744. Kent played against All-England at the Artillery Ground. Romney was the captain for the Kent team in this important game.

Playing for Kent and England

In 1744, Romney also played for the London Cricket Club. They played three matches against Surrey. Later that year, he played in two more "threes" matches. These games were at the Artillery Ground. The players were said to be the "best in England."

In 1745, Romney played in another big "threes" match. This was also at the Artillery Ground. His team won by 7 runs. Two days later, he played in another first-class match. His team won by "over 70 runs."

Romney played for Kent against All-England in 1747. These games were at the Artillery Ground and on Bromley Common. He also played in a "threes" game. This match was for sixty guineas per side. The players were chosen from the Kent versus All-England games.

In 1748, Romney played in two single wicket matches. He played in a "twos" game at the Artillery Ground. Later, he took part in a "fives" game. His team played for 200 pounds. Romney was hurt but still chose to play. Rules at the time meant you had to "play or pay."

In 1749, Romney played for All-England. They played against Surrey at Dartford Brent. He also played for Long Robin's XI against Stephen Dingate's XI. This game was at the Artillery Ground. In July, he played for All-England in a "fives" match against Addington. In 1750, Romney played for Kent. His team beat Surrey by 3 wickets at Dartford Brent.

Final Seasons

The year 1751 was Romney's last known season. It's possible he played for a few more years. But there isn't much information about matches in the 1750s. This was partly because important people who supported cricket died. Also, the Seven Years' War caused fewer matches to be played.

In May 1751, Romney played two first-class matches for Kent. They played against All-England. Kent had lost a strong player recently. Because of this, Kent lost both games.

Val Romney's last recorded game was on June 3, 1751. It was a single wicket "fives" match. Kent played against Surrey at the Artillery Ground. Kent won the game.

Cricket in Romney's Time

Cricket was different when Val Romney played. The cricket bat looked like a modern hockey stick. This shape was good for hitting a ball that rolled along the ground. It was like playing lawn bowls. The wicket had only two stumps and one bail on top. Bowlers always used the underarm style. They rolled the ball along the ground. Or they skimmed it fast across the surface. Bowlers didn't start pitching the ball in the air until about 1760. By then, Romney had likely stopped playing.

Val Romney's Legacy

F S Ashley-Cooper, a cricket historian, wrote about Romney. He said Romney "was a most famous player." His name was in "nearly all the great matches of his time." Ashley-Cooper also said that "as a batsman and single wicket player he was very celebrated." This means Romney was a highly respected and skilled player.

Val Romney's Personal Life

Romney mostly lived in Sevenoaks. He worked for the 1st Duke of Dorset. He was the head gardener at Knole House. Another famous cricketer, John Minshull, later held this same job. Even in 1768, the Sackville family still gave Romney a Christmas gift of money.