Lives in Cricket No 17 - Fuller Pilch

in England’s favour. His first ball bowled opener Stearman and Redgate celebrated with a glass of brandy brought out to him while waiting for Alfred Mynn to take his place at the wicket. One ball later he was drinking another brandy as Mynn returned to the marquees and a potential England victory prompted a flood of wagers from their supporters. Fuller was next and he survived the third ball of the over before the fourth shattered his wicket and the bowler had another brandy in his hand while even larger sums were being wagered on an England victory. Then Lillywhite got to work and claimed five victims while Redgate, showing no ill-effects from his earlier celebrations, bowled another 56 balls to take two more wickets. England only needed 80 to win and when last man Lillywhite was at the wicket they were only three runs short. A gentleman offered Hillyer five pounds if he could dismiss Lillywhite in the next over and the first ball just missed the wicket. The next ball shattered the stumps and Kent were winners by two runs. After the match Fuller revealed that he had indeed received a generous offer that was too good to ignore from Sussex who had now formally established themselves as a County Cricket Club. Kent sponsors put their heads together and then convinced him that there were plans in progress to develop cricket in Kent even further, also including formation as a County Cricket Club, and that he stood to gain financially if he stayed where he was considered the county’s prime asset. An official announcement followed. The Kent history by Lord Harris and F.S Ashley-Cooper, published in 1929, reported it thus: Pilch mentioned at the termination of this match that he had received such an encouraging proposition from the county of Sussex that he should not feel justified in rejecting it. The gentlemen present, however, determined that, whatever proposition Sussex might make, Kent would exceed it. It gives us great pleasure to announce that, Mr Pilch has determined to remain in Kent. Our cricketing friends will rejoice at this, for we believe that a more respectable, well-balanced, and generally respected man never came into the county. In later years Fuller would reveal to Gale that leaving Kent was never really an option: … bless my soul! As soon as any man had been twelve months amongst the cherry orchards and hop-gardens and the pretty Kent girls, he couldn’t help becoming Kent to the backbone. Why, look at the support we had, and look at the money in the county. All the land almost was held by rich noblemen and gentlemen; and the farmers many of them were worth their twenty thousand pounds, and farmed very high, and had leisure to enjoy themselves. Why the cherries would go on a-growing, and the hop-bine keep on creeping, night and day, whilst they were looking at a cricket match. Think of our supporters – Mr Wykeham Martyn, Mr Twisden Hodges, Lord Sondes, Lord Harris, Mr Selby of Town Malling, and half a score more in the county. Attracted by the seaside charms of Sussex 65