1803 English cricket season

1803 was the 17th season of cricket in England since the foundation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Thomas Howard made his debut in important matches.

Honours

 * Most runs – Lord Frederick Beauclerk 284 at 35.50 (HS 74)
 * Most wickets – Lord Frederick Beauclerk 12

Events

 * Prime Minister William Pitt referred to cricket when introducing his Defence Bill.
 * With the Napoleonic War continuing, loss of investment and manpower impacted cricket and only three first-class matches have been recorded in 1803:
 * 21–24 June: All-England v Surrey at Lord's Old Ground
 * 4–6 July: Nottinghamshire & Leicestershire v Hampshire at Lord's Old Ground
 * 11–12 July: All-England v Surrey at Lord's Old Ground
 * Another match that has sometimes been regarded as important is H. C. Woolridge's XI v W. R. Capel's XI at Clifford's Park, Rickmansworth, on Friday 26 August. It was originally classified as an important match by the ACS (and thus with first-class status), but the ACS subsequently downgraded its status because of the weak standard of Capel's XI (only three players are known to have played in other first-class matches) and it was possibly scheduled for only one day.

Debutants
1803 debutants included:
 * Thomas Howard (Hampshire)
 * Goddard (Hampshire)
 * John Pointer (Hampshire)
 * John Sparks (Surrey)
 * Joseph Dennis
 * James Lawrell