Thomas Waymark

Surviving details of Waymark's life are few, but it is likely that he began his cricket career during the 1720s. The earliest definite mention of him is in the 1730 season when a match between the 2nd Duke of Richmond's XI, and Sir William Gage's XI was postponed "on account of Waymark, the Duke's man, being ill". Waymark was employed as a groom by the Duke of Richmond on his estate at Goodwood. This was, at least in part, because of his cricketing ability. In contemporary sources, he was described as "the famous Waymark". ==Sir William Gage's XI==

On 28 August 1729, Edwin Stead's XI met Sir William Gage's XI at Penshurst Park. Waymark played for Gage's team, who are believed to have gained the earliest known innings victory. Gage's XI was also known as Hampshire, Surrey & Sussex. A newspaper report says Gage's XI "got as many within 3 in one Hand, as the former did in two, so the Kentish men flung it up". A "hand" was a team's innings but the report is confusing because Stead's XI must have batted last, and they apparently conceded the match when still three runs behind—therefore Gage's XI won by an innings and three runs. Waymark, described as "a groom of the Duke of Richmond" was the outstanding player. The report says he "signalised himself by extraordinary agility and dexterity" and "turned the scale of victory". ==1740s==

By the 1740s, Waymark was working at Bray Mills in Berkshire as a miller where he was employed by a Mr Darville. Then, on 18 June 1744, Waymark played for England against Kent at the Artillery Ground in the match which commences Arthur Haygarth's Scores & Biographies. He made scores of 7 & 9. With Kent needing three runs to win, and with one wicket remaining, Waymark is reported to have "missed a catch" which would have ended the match in his team's favour; Kent went on to win. ==Single wicket==

Waymark was a noted single wicket player. Single wicket was the most lucrative form of cricket in the 1740s, and he took part in several big money contests. There was a three-a-side match on Monday, 1 October 1744, played "for a considerable sum" by players who had previously been described as the "best in England". The teams were Robert Colchin, James Bryant, and Joe Harris against John Bryant, Val Romney, and Thomas Waymark. On Monday, 21 July 1746, there was a four-a-side match at the Artillery Ground between Four Millers of Bray Mills (in Berkshire) and Four Best Players of Addington. It was played for fifty pounds but the result is unknown. Waymark was by this time employed at Bray Mills, and so he was almost certainly involved. In 1748, Waymark and Colchin played two "doubles" matches against Tom Faulkner and Joe Harris at the Artillery Ground. At the time, these four were arguably the best players in England. The matches were played for huge prizes of fifty guineas each. Waymark and Colchin won them both, the first by 12 runs, and the second by an unrecorded margin. ==End of career==

The last matches Waymark is known to have played took place in July 1749 when he played in a series of three single wicket "fives" matches against Addington, although Waymark did not play in the third match. but there are no other references to him. It is not known when he died. ==See also==