Page:The Hambledon Men (1907).djvu/302

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
230
THE HAMBLEDON MEN

Lord George fired into the air, and Mr. Osbaldeston put a bullet through his hat.

Of Lord Frederick Beauclerk we have seen much from time to time, for no name is so influential in early cricket. Here is Mr. Haygarth's account of him in Lillywhite: (Lord Frederick Beauclerk's first match at Lord's was for the M.C.C. against Kent in 1791, he being now but 18 years of age. After one more match this season, his name does not again appear till 1795. He was introduced into the cricketing world by the Earl of Winchilsea, who had seen him bowl at Cambridge, where he was one of the Eleven's best bowlers, Colonel Allen, formerly M.P. for Pembroke, being the other. At first he was no batsman, but subsequently became the most accomplished and graceful performer of his day. His hitting (especially to the off) was very fine indeed, though he sometimes lost his wicket by trying to cut straight balls. His average will, it is believed, be found one of the highest on record; but it must be remarked, that several of his longest scores were made against very inferior bowling and fielding. It must also be observed, that (like other cricketers of former days) he had during the greater part of his career to defend wickets of smaller dimensions than those afterwards used. It is believed he never made two noughts, or "a pair of spectacles", in any match of note! This must be considered a wonderful feat, especially as his career extends, from first to last, for 35 seasons, scoring well up to the finish. His under-hand bowling, which was slow, was wonderfully accurate as to pitch, and with a remarkably quick rise from the ground. In addition to those he bowled, he got many wickets by catches from, and stumpings off, his balls; all these, however (owing to the imperfect way scores were compiled in his day), are lost to him, and they were not a few. He retained his precision of pitch to the last, though he latterly lost the sudden leap from the ground which his bowling once had. His place in the field was mostly slip, but he was a very fast runner between wickets,