William Bedster

{{short description|English cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024|cs1-dates=ly formats}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2016}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = William Bedster

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = 1734

| birth_place = Walberton, Chichester, Sussex

| death_date = {{death year and age|1805|1734}}

| death_place =

| club1 = England XI

| year1 = {{nowrap|1777–1792}}

| type1 = FC

| debutdate1 = 8 September

| debutyear1 = 1777

| debutfor1 = England

| debutagainst1 = Hampshire XI

| lastdate1 = 13 August

| lastyear1 = 1794

| lastfor1 = MCC

| lastagainst1 = Oldfield

| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/william-bedster-535118 CricInfo

| date = 23 June

| year = 2022

}}

William Bedster (1734 – 1805) was an English cricketer who played during the late 18th century.

Bedster was born in 1734 at Walberton near Chichester in Sussex.[https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/william-bedster-535118 William Bedster], CricInfo. Retrieved 2022-06-23.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/79/79358/79358.html William Bedster], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2022-06-23. {{subscription required}} He made his first appearance in first-class cricket in 1777, playing in an England side{{efn|During the time Bedster played, England sides were not representative of the country. Instead, they were sides composed of players from a range of locations brought together to play against another side.Birley D (1999) A Social History of English Cricket, p. 364. London: Aurum Press. {{isbn|978 1 78131 1769}}}} against a Hampshire XI. In a career which lasted until 1794 he played in 59 matches which have been given first-class status, scoring 1,335 runs and taking at least 26 wickets.{{efn|name=wickets|In the period during which Bedster played, wickets taken by bowlers were normally only recorded if they were bowled. Other means of dismissal were not credited to any bowler.Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), p. 31. ([https://archive.acscricket.com/books/Kent_Cricketers_A_to_Z_Part_One_Revised_Expanded.pdf Available online] at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 2020-12-21.). Retrieved 2022-04-08. As a result the number of wickets he took is uncertain, with the total of 26 being a minimum.}} He played for a wide variety of sides, appearing most frequently for England and Middlesex sides in first-class matches.

Bedster was employed as a butler for five years by Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville at his Mount Felix estate at Walton-on-Thames.Hutton J (2012) [https://www.moleseyhistorysociety.org/SPORT%20ON%20THE%20HURST%20Article.pdf Sport on the Hurst - Cricket], Molesey Local History Society. Retrieved 2022-06-23.[http://www.historicalportraits.com/Gallery.asp?Page=Item&ItemID=1481&Desc=Countess-of-Tankerville,-Daniel-Gardner-%7C-Daniel-Gardner Portrait of Emma, Countess of Tankerville (1752–1836)], Philip Mould Fine Paintings. Retrieved 2022-06-23.Haygarth A Memoirs of the Old Players, p. 212 in Lucas EV ed (1907) The Hambledon Men. London: Henry Frowde. ([https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Hambledon_Men Available online] at Wikisource. Retrieved 2022-03-20.) During this time he played for Chertsey Cricket Club.[https://chertseycc.org.uk/pages/history The History of Chertsey Cricket Club], Chertsey Cricket Club. Retrieved 2022-06-23. He was frequently used as a given man by other sides. After his playing career was over, Bedster moved to Chelsea where he was an innkeeper. He died in 1805. A road in Molesey in Surrey is named after him.