William Lambert (cricketer, born 1779)
Lambert in old age | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | William Lambert |
| Born | 1779 Burstow, Surrey |
| Died | 19 April 1851 (aged 71–72) Nutfield, Surrey |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right arm slow (underarm) |
| Role | All-rounder |
| Domestic team information | |
| Years | Team |
| 1801–1817 | Surrey |
| 1804–1817 | England |
| 1806 | Kent |
| 1806–1807 | Hampshire |
| 1807–1816 | MCC |
| 1816–1817 | Sussex |
William Lambert (1779 (christened 14 March 1779) – 19 April 1851) was an English professional cricketer who played for numerous teams between 1801 and 1817. He was born at Burstow in Surrey, and died at Nutfield, Surrey. A right-handed batting all-rounder, he is widely recognised as one of the greatest batters of cricket's underarm era. Using an underarm action, he bowled pitched deliveries at a slow pace (it is not known if he used spin). He generally fielded in close catching positions, mostly at slip and often played as wicket-keeper.
Lambert played mainly for Surrey and was a regular choice for England teams. In the first two Gentlemen v Players matches, he played for the Gentlemen as a given man. In 1817, he scored two centuries in the same match and is the first player known to have achieved this feat. Soon afterwards, he was implicated in a match-fixing scandal and was banned from playing at Lord's by Marylebone Cricket Club. This ended his career in top-class cricket.