Robert Eures

Robert Eures (dates of birth and death unknown) was an English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period. He came from Bexley in Kent, and played for both Bexley Cricket Club and the Kent county team, as well as for England. A top-class player, Eures made numerous appearances in historically important matches, both eleven-a-side and single wicket. He is known to have been a good batsman, and was frequently involved in single wicket events, which were very popular during his career, attracting high stakes.

Career 1746 Robert Eures played in several matches on the Artillery Ground, here pictured in 2008. On 23 June 1746, Kent and Surrey were scheduled to play on the Artillery Ground. Kent's team consisted entirely of players from Bromley, Bexley, and Sevenoaks; they included Eures, Robert Colchin, George Kipps, John Bowra, James Bryant, and John Bryant.

1747 Two games between Kent and England were due to be played at Bromley Common on Monday, 29 June, and at the Artillery Ground on Wednesday, 1 July, but both matches were "deferred on account of the gentlemen subscribers being engaged at several Elections";

1749 Eures played for a strong England team in two matches against Surrey, which was the leading county team that season. Surrey won the first by 2 wickets; the second was drawn.

Members of London Cricket Club arranged two select XI matches on the Artillery Ground. The first on 26 June was between Long Robin's XI and Stephen Dingate's XI for 100 guineas a side, the second was on 28 August between Long Robin's XI and Tom Faulkner's XI for sixty guineas a side. Eures played for Long Robin's XI in the first match, and for Faulkner's XI in the second. The results are unknown.

In a single wicket match at the Artillery Ground on Monday, 10 July, Five of England defeated Five of Addington. The match was played for fifty guineas a side, and was the result of a challenge by the Addington players to meet any other five in England. Betting was 8–1 in favour of Addington. The Addington five were Tom Faulkner, Joe Harris, John Harris, George Jackson, and William Durling. Eures played for England alongside Robert Colchin, John Bryant, John Bell, and Thomas Waymark.

A return match was played Monday, 17 July, also on the Artillery Ground. Both teams were the same, and this time Addington won. The prize was again fifty guineas. A decider was played Wednesday, 26 July, again on the Artillery Ground, which England won by 2 runs. They scored 11 and 12; Addington replied with 16 and 5. The prize this time was 100 guineas. England had made two changes to their team with James Bryant and Val Romney replacing Bell and Waymark. Addington's five were unchanged.

1752

In 1752, Eures was named as one of the three principal players when the famous Dartford Cricket Club issued a challenge to "the rest of England". Dartford's challenge was that with William Hodsoll, John Bryant, Robert Eures, and "eight players from the parish of Dartford", it could take on and defeat any eleven players from the rest of England. The match was due to be played on 29 July 1752 at Dartford Brent, but no result has been found.

A second match was to be played 11 August, again on Dartford Brent. The announcement said: "Dartford with 4 men allowed against 11 men to be picked out of All England, for £20 a side". As before, the result is unknown.

Eures is not found in the sources after 1752. Nothing is known of his later life.