Famous Sheffield Cricketers

1. Tom Marsden (1803–1843)

• One of the first great professional cricketers.
• Born in Sheffield.
• Famous for playing “single wicket” matches (one-on-one contests), which drew huge crowds.
• Played for Sheffield Cricket Club, which was effectively Yorkshire’s leading team before the county system was formalized.
• Known for his big hitting — he once scored 227 runs in a match, an extraordinary feat at the time.

2. Michael Ellison (1817–1898)

• Another important Sheffield figure.
• A solid player for Sheffield and Yorkshire sides.
• More importantly, Ellison helped found Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1863.
• He was Yorkshire’s first official club secretary and played a key role in organizing cricket in Sheffield and the wider county.

3. Joseph Rowbotham (1831–1899)

• Born in Sheffield.
• A talented all-rounder — both a good batsman and bowler.
• Played first-class cricket for Sheffield and later for Yorkshire when the county was formally created.

4. Roger Iddison (1834–1890)

• Though not born in Sheffield, he captained the first official Yorkshire team, which often played in Sheffield early on.
• Key in the transition from Sheffield Cricket Club to the more organized Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Context:

• Sheffield Cricket Club was basically the powerhouse team in Yorkshire until Yorkshire CCC was founded in 1863.
• Bramall Lane, now known mainly for football (Sheffield United), originally opened as a cricket ground in 1855 — first for Sheffield Cricket Club, then for Yorkshire matches.
• Sheffield produced many players who would play in “North vs South” games — the top showcase matches of 19th-century English cricket.