The Summer Field

15 Clubbing Together drawn-out arrangements, and men quick to take offence. Spencer and his Chesterfield counterpart Mr Thompson exchanged a list of playing members, as was usual. Next, Thompson wrote asking to include Thomas Hunt (‘whom he pretended was a bona fide member of their club’, Spencer complained). Derby authorised Spencer to write back that ‘as amateurs in the game’ they felt unable to compete against Hunt; if he played, they wouldn’t. Hunt withdrew. Yet on the day, ‘to the utter astonishment of all, this champion of the north was announced one of the Chesterfield eleven.’ Chesterfield threatened to go home unless Hunt played. Derby played a professional of theirs, Dakin, but lost 103 to 115 (Hunt made 56). Spencer wrote with the hurt pride that a Victorian could put on so well: ‘And now sir, upon this consideration I ask you and a discerning public, what real credit is there due to the cricketers of Chesterfield for winning a match in this mean under-hand manner?’ Chesterfield’s ‘vain boasting’ in the rival Derbyshire Courier upset Derby too. Chesterfield turned down Derby’s challenge to play again for a sovereign a man, and £2 besides towards travel (hundreds of pounds in 21 st century money). Spencer blustered to his climax: ‘This I apprehend is an evident proof of their cowardice. In fact I consider the whole to be a dastardly affair. It is in short a diabolical breach of faith which is but creditable to the gentlemen comprising the Chesterfield cricket club.’ Why such disagreement, over a game? Chesterfield may have wanted to get even after the first match, in August 1845. Derby were 11 for four after leading on first innings, 58 to 52. As rain spoiled the second day, Derby won on first innings, ‘according to the rules of cricket’ (so the Derby Mercury reported). Cricketers needed rules like anyone else. The Ham Hill club in Somerset around 1830 agreed on ‘the Mary-le-bonne Rules as far as An 1849 print of a match between Sussex and Kent at Brighton. Plenty of top hats on the fielders and spectators.