Lives in Cricket No 17 - Fuller Pilch

tells us: ‘Fuller Pilch’s enormous innings – which is, perhaps the most wonderful on record, because obtained against William Lillywhite’s bowling – exceeded the whole of the twenty-two innings of the Reigate party.’ Fuller joined Redgate and Wenman at Brighton to play against Sussex on 14 and 15 August and helped MCC to a six-wicket victory. In the return match between Town Malling and Reigate on 17 and 18 August Fuller could only manage three and nine, although none of the two clubs four innings totalled more than 47. Then Fuller went up to Chislehurst to play as a given man for the Gentlemen of Kent against MCC where his twelve runs as recorded in the scorebook attracted the attention of Scores and Biographies : ‘Pilch’s runs were made by a five, a six and a one.’ The start of Fuller’s closer association with Sussex began with his last appearance of the season on 18, 19 and 20 September as a given man for Sussex against England at Brighton where top scores of 38 and 84 helped them to a victory by 79 runs. Kent supporters were not alarmed by what they assumed was a one-off engagement. Further engagements in 1838 and 1839 would, though, create more concern when they feared they might be about to lose their ‘Champion’. Kent become the greatest team in England 58