Hambledon Cricket Club

“ Hambledon, birthplace of Nyren, 43; old cricketers buried at, 185, 198, 210, 212; inscription on church door, 211.
Hambledon Club, ix, 6, 17, 37, 44-5, 47, 87-9, 203-4, 207, 213-7; its great players, 44-83, 121-7, 141-2, 205-10; its caravan, 49, 136; its grand matches, 58-60, 63-4, 100-2; the beginning of, 100, 136; match at Southsea, 106; old players beaten by the new, 128; at its zenith, 135; its break-up, 101, 141-3; forbids round-arm bowling, 151; law-givers of cricket, 193 ”

“ I think I may fairly say that I Zingari and the All England Eleven have contributed much to establish the good feeling that now exists towards Cricket, and Cricketers, in all parts of the kingdom, by showing the science as well as the true spirit of the game; that is, by playing with all their skill and determination to beat their opponents, and at the same time to be the best of friends with them. Their system allows them to play in all parts of the kingdom more than any other Club, and wherever they have once been, I believe they are always welcome again. ”

“ He is mentioned in Nyren's book, as being a wicket-keeper opposed to the Hambledon Club, but no record (except in one instance) is found of his having stumped any one out. The same occurs with Tom Sueter of the Hambledon Club, and therefore it is believed that stumping out was first scored down as 'run out' or 'put out'. He left off cricket for one season because he thought his eyesight was failing, but the Earl of Tankerville saying to him 'Try again, Yalden', he resumed play with better success than before. ”

“ Wrecclesham near Farnham, Surrey 5 Feb. 1766; professional cricketer; the “crack” batsman of England many years, excelled also in bowling, fielding, wicket keeping and single wicket playing; played in the Gentlemen versus Players match 1787 to 1821; the last surviving member of the once far famed Hambledon cricket club; had 39 children, 28 by his first wife, all of whom died young leaving no issue. d. Tilford near Farnham 20 Feb. 1862. Nyren’s Cricketer’s Tutor (1833) 93–96.
BELFORD, William Rowles. b. Easton near Bristol Dec. 1824; made his début in London at Sadler’s Wells theatre 22 Dec. ”

“ Small's downfall is not remarkable. However, though Hambledon was the best club and Hants the best county, England was too strong to be tackled single-handed. Surrey first met Kent in 1772, and beat the county of cherries and hops, having previously done the same for Hants, though in the latter case the nuisance of "given men" crops up on both sides; yet such games were clearly popular, strength being thereby equalised, for we find numerous matches between Hambledon and England in which the former club was supported by the presence of outsiders. ”

“ Nyren was once in with Noah Mann, on Windmill Down, when "by one stroke from a toss that he hit behind him we got 10 runs." Standing here, you can believe it, and if you have any imagination you can see the old farmers looking on, and hear again the deep mouths of the multitude "baying away in pure Hampshire—'Go hard! go hard! Tich and turn! tich and turn!'" The Hambledon Club's ground was changed from Broad Halfpenny to Windmill Down somewhere in the seventeen-eighties. ”

“ There are several large towns in Yorkshire, such as Sheffield, Leeds, and other manufacturing centres, where the traditions of the place are in favour of cricket; but it is curious to observe that, though it was not so in the days of Noah Mann, David Harris, and the Hambledon Club, the modern professional now springs entirely from populous centres. The only reason we can give for this is that for young players between the ages of eight and eighteen practice is everything, and of this youngsters can generally make sure in populous places. In a rural district the same chances may seldom occur. ”

“ Lord was, however, by no means discouraged, for in 1814 the present site in St John's Wood Road was secured, and it is a singular fact, though often overlooked by chroniclers, that the cricketers of the present day actually play on the same sward as did old Small, the crack batsman of the famous old Hambledon Club—in fact the turf, after it was taken from the old ground in Dorset Square and relaid on the North Bank pitch, was transferred to the St John's Wood enclosure. The old pavilion unfortunately was destroyed by fire just after the conclusion of the first Winchester v. ”

“ Hambledon Club, the, 4, 6, 8, 13, 14, 20, 154, 155
Hammond, 20
Hampshire, 20, 155, 158, 168, 174
Hankey, Mr. Reginald, 304
Hargreave, 410
Harlequins, the, 197, 357
Harris, David, 4, 13, 31, 39, 40, 42, 46
—— Lord, 150, 167, 224, 312, 338
Harrison-Ward, Mr. E. E., 311
Harrow, 313, 326
Wanderers, 355
Hartley, J. C, 332
—— Row, 20
Hartopp, Mr. E. S., 304
Hawke, Lord, 75, 312, 321, 352, 383, 384, 388, 396, 397, 409
Hay, 170
Hayward, Tom, 97, 115, 160, 199, 212, 213, 269, 273, 274, 276, 280, 281, 282, 284, 286, 287
Hearne, J. T., 81, 105, 210, 264, 272, 273. ”

“ My father, John Nyren, was known to the cricketers of his time at the Marylebone Club as 'young Hambledon'. He was a constant player of that manly game, and excelled in all its points, generally carrying out his bat, often keeping the bat two whole days, and once three. [This would be, I assume, in minor matches.] When fielding, by the quickness of his smart, deep-set eyes, he would catch out at the point; this was his favourite feat, and his fingers carried the marks of it to his grave. With some batters one might as soon catch a cannon-ball. ”

“ When you are perfect in playing in your ground, then, and then only, try how you can play out of it, as the best means to scatter the enemy and open the field.
'As to bowling,' continued Beldham, 'when I was a boy (about 1780) , nearly all bowling was fast, and all along the ground. In those days the Hambledon Club could beat all England; but our three parishes around Farnham at last beat Hambledon.'
It is quite evident that Farnham was the cradle of cricketers. 'Surrey,' in the old scores, means nothing more than the Farnham parishes. ”

“ If the batsmen are running, the ball should be thrown straight to the wicket, about as high as the top of the stump. The wicket-keeper should leave the wicket between himself and the ball; take the ball before the wicket, and, as he receives it, his hands should be drawn back, putting the wicket down with one motion. This should be done steadily; if it be done in a hurry it can seldom be well done.
Sueter, of the Hambledon Club, and Hammond, a Sussex man, were the two best wicket-keepers I ever saw. ”

“ I agreed with them that it was but doing justice to the bowler; but I differed upon the question that it would shorten the game; because the striker, knowing the danger of missing one straight ball with three instead of two stumps behind him, would materially redouble his care; while every loose hard hitter would learn to stop, and play as safe a game as possible. The following record of a match, played shortly afterwards between the Hambledon Club and All England, at Sevenoaks, will prove whether my opinion were well or ill founded. ”

“ There, the play was nearly all professional: even the gentlemen made a profession of it; and therefore, though cricket was far more extensively spread throughout the villages of Kent than of Middlesex, the clubs of the metropolis figure in the score-books as defying all competition. Professional players, we may observe, have always a decided advantage in respect of judicious choice and mustering their best men. The best eleven on the side of the Players is almost always known, and can be mustered on a given day. ”

“ Some years after this, the fashion of the bat having been changed to a straight form, the system of stopping, or blocking, was adopted; when John Small, Sen., of Petersfield, in Hampshire, became signalized as the most eminent batsman of his day, being a very safe player and a remarkably fine hitter; and Edward Stevens, or, as he was commonly called, Lumpy, was esteemed the best bowler.
About the years 1769 and 1770, the Hambledon Club, having had a run of ill success, was on the eve of being dissolved. ”

“ Haygarth thought it worth while to gather together with such patience and industry his facts about obscure villagers whose only claim on his notice was that they were adepts at hitting a ball or bowling one. How well, according to our modern standards, they played we shall never know; but we know that they played as well as they could, and, so doing, laid the foundations not only of sound cricket theory, but of sound cricket character. The game has always assayed very thoroughly, and only the fittest survive. ”

“ In our days there were no padded gloves. I have seen Tom Walker rub his bleeding fingers in the dust! David used to say he liked to rind him.
'The matches against twenty-two were not uncommon in the last century. In 1788 the Hambledon Club played two-and-twenty at Cold Ash Hill. "Drawing" between leg and wicket is not a new invention. Old Small (b. 1737, d. 1826) was famous for the draw, and, to increase his facility, he changed the crooked bat of his day for a straight bat. ”

“ Not half the balls will be playable, so that half the time will be lost. Therefore there ought to be a good wicket. The roller should always be run over the ground at the pitch of the ball before commencing practice, it's well worth ten minutes' patience to get good Cricket instead of bad.
I recommend Practice Bowlers to take a little pains with their batting, and also to study the science of the game, for they will then be good men to be engaged, even if their bowling is not quite tip-top. Clubs, it is true, when first established usually begin by applying for a first-rate bowler. ”

“ For mind you, it is the Gentleman that makes Cricket by his countenance and support. Besides, what's the merit in bowling out a person who has not learned to play? It don't add anything to the reputation of the Bowler, while the Gentleman may be so disgusted, that he won't play any more: and so no one left for you to bowl at.
In practice it is often the way to pitch wickets anywhere. That is a bad system. You ought to be particular and have a good wicket, if you mean to have a good practice and be of any service to the person you bowl to. ”

“ No tombstone was erected to his memory, at least none was standing in Dartford churchyard in 1858. No further particulars of this famous bowler could be obtained; and what trade he followed is now unknown.
Richard Francis was a cricketer of much celebrity, both as a batsman and bowler. His bowling was considered a jerk, but was allowed by the Hambledon Club, the then law-givers. He was a Surrey man, but resided some time at Hambledon, and formed one of that famous Eleven; also playing for Kent. He was in stature a closely-made, firm and active little man. ”

“ John Small make bat and ball,
Pitch a wicket, play at cricket
With any man in England.
John small, Jun.'s last recorded match was on Highdown Hill in Sussex, in 1811, for Sussex against Storrington. He was son of John Small, sen., and was born at Petersfield, in Hampshire, where he resided all his life. Like his father, he was a capital field at middle-wicket, an excellent judge of a short run, besides possessing a superior knowledge of the game ”

“ He is still a sort of youth at seventy, hale and vigorous, and with a merry twinkle of his eye, in spite of an accident some years ago—a fall—that would have shattered most men of his age to pieces. A long innings to him in life still, and to all friends round the wicket.'
It was a few weeks after this review of Nyren's book that Leigh Hunt printed in the London Journal a letter from the old cricketer (not so old as he had been called, however) , describing a cricket festival, which is notable chiefly for the masterly way in which he avoids describing the match itself. ”

“ On the following day, June 25, 1791, the Marylebone played eleven yeomen and artisans of Leicester; and though the Leicestrians cut a sorry figure, still the fact that the Midland Counties practised cricket sixty years ago is worth recording. Peter Heward, of Leicester, a famous wicket-keeper, of twenty years since, told me of a trial match in which he saw his father, quite an old man, with another veteran of his own standing, quickly put out with the old-fashioned slow bowling a really good Eleven for some twenty runs—good, that is, against the modern style of bowling ”

“ William Fennex's first recorded match was for the Hambledon Club against Kent in 1786. He was a fine, free, and elegant batsman, hitting well from the wrist, and being also able to drive well forward. He was one of the first (or nearly so) who introduced the practice of forward play, the old cricketers before his time seldom or never adopting that style or going out of their ground to meet the ball at the pitch. He was also a very fine field and a fast bowler, with a short run up to the crease, and an easy action. ”

“ Next in importance to the Kent matches were those of Hampshire and of Surrey, with each of which counties indifferently the Hambledon men used to play. For it must not be supposed that the whole county of Surrey put forth a crop of stumps and wickets all at once: we have already said that malt and hops and cricket have ever gone together. Two parishes in Surrey, adjoining Hants, won the original laurels for their county; parishes in the immediate vicinity of the Farnham hop country. The Holt, near Farnham, and Moulsey Hurst, were the Surrey grounds. ”

“ He was a member of the Hambledon Club when in its prime, being a slowish bowler of a good length, his balls getting up uncommonly well. He was also a fair hitter, and a tolerable field. He had no cunning about him, nor was he up to the tricks of the game; in playing, as in all other actions in life, he was the same straightforward, honest fellow. Once in a match (score not preserved) , Richard Purchase and William Harding, of Frensham, in Surrey, went in first in the second innings for 228 runs. ”