Bayley was educated at Eton college where he was in the cricket team for four years and captain in 1840 and 1841.

[1][2][4] Bayley played for MCC against Cambridge University in 1842; his father was President of the club in 1844.

[2][3] In total Bayley played in 29 first-class cricket matches, appearing 12 times for MCC and six for the Gentlemen of Kent as well as once for an England team.

[1] After being ordained as a deacon at Oxford in 1846 and a priest in 1847, Bayley became the vicar of North Wheatley in Nottinghamshire from 1847 to 1849.

At the time he was believed by Wisden to be the oldest living cricketer "of any note in England".