Cricket 1900

Nov. 29, 1900. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 461 SU SSEX CR ICK E T AN D CR ICKETER S . B y F. S. A s h le y -C o o p e r . I .— T h e R is e o f C r ic k e t in S u s s e x . As a cricketing county, Sussex is unable to boast of so great an antiquity as either Surrey or Kent. Matches were probably played in various villages in the county at quite the commencement of the eighteenth century, but, not causing much interest except to the players themselves, were not considered worthy of mention in the newspapers of the period. It is not until 1730 that we come across any reference to the game being indulged in within the borders of the county, but in that year mention is found in old newspapers of a projected match at Lewes, between elevens organ­ ised by the Duke of Richmond and Sir William Gage, which was to have been played on August 5th, but was abandoned at the last moment owing to Waymark being unable to appear on account of illness. Charles Lennox, second Duke of Richmond, is the earliest, as well as one of the most liberal, patrons of the game in Sussex of whom there is any record. He frequently promoted matches in Surrey as well as his own county, whilst his enthusiasm caused him to keep in his service as retainers several well-known players, of whom Stephen Dingate, of Reigate, Thomas Waymark, of Bray Mills in Berkshire, Joseph Budd and Pye were the chief. In September, 1749, his sons played the boys of Halnaker (a neigh­ bouring village to Goodwood, the family home of the Dukes of Richmond) on which occasion the famous Waymark stood um­ pire. His grandson, the Hon. Col. Charles Lennox (afterwards fourth Duke of Rich­ mond), was a celebrated player, his name being found iii great matches for a period of over twenty years, commencing in 1785. Another great Sussex enthusiast of those early days was Sir William Gage, Bart., of Firle. He, too, promoted many matches, in several of which he himself participated. The meetings of Sussex and Kent in 1734 and 1735 were princi­ pally due to his love for the game, whilst in 1737 he headed a side against Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, in which the best players of Sussex and Surrey were prob­ ably pitted against each other. In September, 1734, Kent defeated Sussex at Sevenoaks, but only after a hard struggle. The return, which was to have been played a few days later at Lewes, fell through owing to several of the players leaving for Bath. The two sides met again in August of the following year, Sussex winning easily at Lewes but losing the return at Sevenoaks. In each of these three matches Sir William Gage assisted Sussex and the Earl of Middlesex and Lord John Philip Sackville Kent. After this we hear no more of Sussex, as a cricketing county, until 1745, when three matches were played against Surrey : on August 19th, in the Artillery- Ground, London, for two hundred guineas; on August 21st, on Moulsey Hurst; and on August 26th, on Berry Hill, near Arundel, in Sussex. The results of these matches are, unfortu­ nately, unknown. In the meantime the game was increas­ ing in popularity by leaps and bounds in all parts of the county. The early forties are memorable for the rise of the Slindon Club, which, owing to the skill of Cuddy (a tailor) and three brothers, Messrs. Adam, John, and Richard Newland, became powerful enough to meet all­ comers. On September 6th, 1742, Slindon played their first match in the Artillery-Ground—which was then to cricketers what Lord’s is to-day—and it was then stated that they had played forty-three matches and lost but one. Richard Newland may safely be regarded as the first really great cricketer the county produced. Mr. Charles Cowden Clarke, in dealing with Richard Nyren, the “ Geneial ” of the Hambledon Club, in “ The Cricketers of My Time,” says of him :—“ He owed all the skill and judg­ ment he possessed to an old uncle, Richard Newland, of Slindon, in Sussex, under whom he was brought up—a man so famous in his time, that when a song was written in honour of the Sussex cricketers, Richard Newland was especi­ ally and honourably signalised. No one man ever dared to play him.” He was famous both as batsman and bowler, being left-banded in either respect, but it is as a batsman that he is the better known. His highest recorded score is 88, for England against Kent, in the Artillery-Ground, July 15th and 16th, 1745. By profession he was originally a farmer, but afterwards a surgeon. A tablet is erected to his memory inside Slindon Church, beariDg the following inscription :—“ Mr. Richard Newland, late an eminent Surgeon in the City of Chichester, who died at Bath on 29th May, 1791, aged 73 years.” In June, 1744, he and his two brothers were chosen to represent England against Kent, and it was not until September, 1880, that three brothers were again selected for an England eleven, when Messrs. W. G., E. M., and G. F. Grace played for England v. Australia, at the Oval. As far as one is able to judge, the glories of Slindon were short-lived, owing possibly to the removal of Mr. Richard Newland to Chichester, or being perhaps merely one of the changes effected by the whirligig of time. Be that as it may, however, but little is heard of the club after 1747, about which date several other villages came to the front. So popular had the game become in the county that Hastings, Eastbourne, Battle, Pevensey, Lewes, Lindfield, Chailey, Warbleton, Mayfield, Brighton, Newick, Ringmer, East Hothley, Rotting- dean, Hamsey, &c., all possessed repre­ sentative elevens in the middle of the eighteenth century. Ladies also took an active part in the game, and in July, 1747, the Maids of Charlton and Single­ ton played two matches in the Artillery- Ground, London, against the Maids of Westdean and Chilgrove. By 1750 the gaue may be said to have become firmly established in the county, and, this being so, it is curious that “ Sussex ” should for years afterwards have been a name almost unknown in cricketing circles. In October, 1752, the county was beaten at Longdown by Surrey by over eighty runs, and in September, 1768, the third Duke of Richmond twice led a Sussex eleven against Hambledon, losing the first match but winning the second, “ and near a thousand pounds besides.” The first of the last-mentioned matches was played on Broad-Halfpenny Down, Hambledon, on September 5th, and was completed in one day, Hambledon winning by seven wickets. It was stated that the immortal John Small made “ above four-score notches in this match, and was not out when the game was finished.” Whether it was over the full strength of Hambledon that Sussex proved successful in the return is doubtful, for in those days Hambledon was at its zenith, as is evident from the fact that four years later the club was able to beat twenty-two of England with ridiculous ease on Moulsey Hurst. About this time the county produced two cricketers who took part in many of the best matches of the day, namely, William Barber, of Warbleton, and Noah Mann, of Northchapel. Both, however, were induced to throw in their lot with the Hambledon Club. Barber was a very famous bowler, and was landlord of the Bat and Ball Inn, Hambledon, for twelve years. Noah Mann excelled in every branch of the game, especially in bowling, for he was able in some extra­ ordinary manner to impart a curve to the 'ball the whole way, which proved very deceptive. Although a member of the Hambledon Club he never lived in that neighbourhood, but kept the Half-Moon Inn at his native village. He used to go, in the summer time, every Tuesday to Hambledon, to practise, a distance of about twenty miles. He died at the early age of thirty-three, and but few cricketers will be found to have done so much in such a short career. It was not until quite the end of the century, however, that Sussex obtained a prominent position in the cricketing world. In the seventeen-eighties the Prince of Wales, afterwards King George IV., fixed upon Brighton as a place of residence. He was very fond of cricket, and under his patronage the game flourished exceedingly. It was said that “ he would be often engaged in this manly game, with the noblemen and gentlemen of his suite, and was esteemed a very excellent player,” and that “ he played with great condescension and affability.” On August 19th, 1789, the birthdays of the Dukes of York and Clarence were celebrated at Brighton in a lively manner. In addition to rustic sports there was “ dancing by young men and women,” and a “ game at foot ball.” The Duke of York played during the day a game of cricket for a hundred guineas with Colonel Tarleton, and lost. Two oxen were roasted on this latter occasion. In 1791 the Prince of Wales had a ground to the north of the town set apart expressly for cricket. Until 1822 it was merely railed in, but in that