As elsewhere in south east England, cricket became established in Hampshire during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the English Civil War.
A Latin poem by Robert Matthew in 1647 contains a probable reference to cricket being played by pupils of Winchester College on nearby St Catherine's Hill.
Wilson subsequently found an earlier version of the report in an English newspaper, the 18 June 1733 edition of Parker's Penny Post.
Hambledon produced Hampshire players including batsman John Small and the two fast bowlers Thomas Brett and David Harris.
Hampshire County Cricket Club was founded on 12 August 1863 and played its initial first-class match against Sussex at the Antelope Ground, Southampton on 7 and 8 July 1864.