Lives in Cricket No 17 - Fuller Pilch

Chapter Five Round-Arm bowling proves its case The 1827 season would prove to be one of the most important years in the history of the cricket as well as an outstanding year for the Bury St Edmunds club. Fuller Pilch was at the heart of both. He began with two games for Bury against the Cambridge undergraduates on May 17 and 18. In the first he made top score of 48 out of 86 in Bury’s only innings, followed by one and nought in the second game in which a total of only 72 runs were scored by both sides. He was then called up for the first of the three ‘trial’ matches arranged by MCC to test out round-arm bowling in ‘big match’ conditions. Supporters of the round-arm method were determined to convince their opponents that it was not ‘throwing’ and offered no more danger of physical injury to batsmen than traditional under-arm. Fuller travelled to Sheffield with another Bury player, the bowler William Mathews, to join the team chosen to represent All England and found the city in a state of great excitement at the prospect of the match due to start on Whit Monday. An advertisement had appeared on the front page of the Sheffield Mercury : CRICKETING THREE GRAND MATCHES FOR 1,000 SOVEREIGNS W.H.Woolhouse RESPECTFULLY informs his Friends and the Public that the First MATCH of the THREE, between Players of Sussex and the best of ALL ENGLAND, will commence Playing on the New Ground, Darnal, on Whit-Monday. June 4 1827 This was followed by the names of the players, umpires and the ‘Gentlemen Backers’ for each side. The game would be played between eleven o’clock in the morning and half-past six in the evening. Accommodation would be provided for spectators: ‘The Public are respectfully informed, that the Grand Stand is now completed, and presents every accommodation for select parties. Convenient Tents have likewise been erected on the right hand of the Ground, from which an excellent view of the game may be obtained.’ Tickets for admission to the grandstand cost a gentleman two shillings and sixpence, 5 the equivalent ladies were charged one shilling, but only if accompanied by a gentleman. 21 5 Around £6.20 in 2010 prices according to the currency converter at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency.