William Palmer (1737 – February 1790) was an English cricketer who played during the 1760s and 1770s. He was born and died in Coulsdon, Surrey. As a top-order batsman, he was a member of the local Coulsdon Cricket Club and also played county cricket for Surrey. Most of Palmer's career was before cricket's statistical record began in the 1772 season so relatively little is known of him. However, he regularly played in noteworthy matches until 1776. He has been recorded in 24 eleven-a-side matches and in one top-class single wicket match. He was last recorded playing for Coulsdon against Chertsey in 1784 when he was 47 years old.
Career
1768 to 1772
Will Palmer was born at Coulsdon, Surrey in 1737 and christened on 7 January that year (Julian calendar). He was already 31 years old when he played for Bourne Cricket Club against Caterham Cricket Club at Westerham Common on 10 June 1768. The match is the earliest known mention of him in cricket sources. Caterham batted first and were all out for 63 but Bourne were dismissed for 60 in their first innings, Palmer scoring 12. In their second innings, Caterham totalled 150 for a match total of 213, so Bourne needed 154 to win. Palmer scored 23, which was the second-highest score after Richard Simmons' 45, but Bourne were all out for 139 and Caterham won the match by 14 runs. As Palmer was a Surrey man, it is possible that he played for Bourne as a given man. This match is not included in the ACS guide.
In 1769, Palmer played for Caterham against Hambledon at Guildford Bason on 31 July and 1 August. The team totals are known but there are no individual scores or details of dismissals. Caterham scored 104 and 137. Hambledon replied with 99 and 143/6 to win by 4 wickets. The match was originally recorded by H. T. Waghorn but with some transcription errors. The report found by Waghorn described the match as "the finest that ever was played" and calculated an attendance of 20,000. G. B. Buckley discovered an additional report which mentioned that the first day's play was interrupted by rain and that Hambledon in their first innings had scored 51/4 at the close. According to CricketArchive, however, the match was played in 1768 and Hambledon won by 86 runs after scoring 137 and 142 while Caterham (who batted first and third in reality) replied with 104 and 99. Hambledon's match total by the database's reckoning was 279 and Caterham's was 203, a difference of 76, not 86. Furthermore, CricketArchive calls the match "Surrey v Hampshire". In the ACS guide, the match is correctly dated and called "Caterham v Hambledon".
There is no mention of Palmer in reports from the 1770 and 1771 seasons. In 1772, he played in two matches for an England XI against Hampshire. The first was at Broadhalfpenny Down on 23–25 June; the second at Bourne Paddock on 19–20 August. Although Palmer's team was called England by some sources, others called it Kent, Middlesex and Surrey, as the players were from those counties only. In the first match, Hampshire (146 and 79) defeated England (109 and 63) by 53 runs, Palmer scoring 13 and 8. At Bourne Park, England won by 2 wickets. Hampshire were all out for 123 and England replied with 136. Palmer top-scored with 29. Hampshire scored 113 in their second innings. Palmer scored 14 as England made 101/8 to win by 2 wickets. The result of this match gave cause for celebration in Kent as most of the England team were Kent players. A song was written by a Kent supporter which named all the England players in one quatrain:
1773
1773 was the best of Palmer's known seasons. He appeared in eight noted eleven-a-side matches and in one top-class single wicket match. The latter was played on 2 June at the Artillery Ground between Five of Hambledon and Five of England, including Palmer. It was a low-scoring match which England won by 1 wicket. Palmer was dismissed for 1 in both innings. He made his first known appearance for Surrey at Laleham Burway on 21–22 June in a match against Kent. He scored 8 and 5 as Surrey won by 35 runs.
Palmer then had an outstanding match on 2–3 July at the Artillery Ground as England defeated Hampshire by 6 wickets. Hampshire batted first and were all out for 132. England replied with 187, of which Palmer scored 52 not out, a first innings lead of 55. Hampshire scored 154 in the second innings. Palmer with 30 not out and John Boorman with 55 led England to victory at 100/4. Palmer had a match total of 82 and was not out in both innings.