1861 English cricket season

1861 was the 75th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Sheffield Cricket Club oversaw the creation of the match fund committee that would become Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Important matches
 1861 match list

Events
7 March.  A Match Fund Committee to run Yorkshire county matches was established in Sheffield, which had been the home of Yorkshire cricket for nearly 100 years. It was from this fund that Yorkshire County Cricket Club was founded two years later: an exact parallel with the formation of Sussex County Cricket Club from a similar fund (1836–1839).

H. H. Stephenson captained the first English team to tour Australia. No first-class matches were played on that tour.

Leading batsmen
Robert Carpenter was the leading runscorer with 883 @ 30.44

Leading bowlers
Edgar Willsher was the leading wicket-taker with 87 @ 11.65

References

Annual reviews
 Fred Lillywhite, The Guide to Cricketers, Lillywhite, 1862
 Arthur Haygarth, Scores & Biographies, Volume 7 (1861-1862), Lillywhite, 1863

External links
 CricketArchive – season summaries

Category:1861 in English cricket
Category:English cricket seasons from 1816 to 1863