Lives in Cricket No 17 - Fuller Pilch

of seven wickets. But the last three wickets fell without a run being added and the match was tied. Directly after the Kent match at The Oval, Fuller renewed acquaintance with old friends from Bury and Suffolk at Lord’s on 5 and 6 July, playing with them against MCC for the first time since 1831. Then he headed off down with William to Colonel Milner’s Preston Hall for the return game with Surrey on 15, 16 and 17 July. This time there was no doubt about a clear result with Kent winning by exactly 100 runs, with Fuller top-scoring in the second innings with 26 out of 99. They both went straight back up to Lord’s to appear in the Players eleven that beat the Gentlemen by 147 runs on 19, 20 and 21 July. Although veterans, William Lillywhite aged 55, who took eleven wickets, and William Clarke aged 48, who took the other nine wickets, claimed the credit, and William Pilch played an important part with top score of 32 in the Players first innings of 126. It had been announced earlier in the season that James Dark was offering the use of Lord’s ground for a testimonial in honour of Alfred Mynn. Everyone agreed that only a match between Kent and England would be worthy of such an occasion. MCC had appointed a special committee to supervise the arrangements, and it was reported that ‘the Marylebone Club have adopted this plan to show the great esteem in which Mr A.Mynn is held as a gentlemen and as a cricketer, and there is no doubt but all cricketers, as well as the admirers of England’s national game, will nobly respond to the call of their great leader at Lord’s.’ On 26 and 27 July most of the best players available turned out for England: Kent too were at full strength to win by seven wickets after two days during which, according to Bell’s Life , was ‘one of the largest assemblages ever witnessed congregated at Lord’s, not less than 5,000 of the friends and supporters of Mr Mynn rallying round to give him honour.’ Two days later Kent were at Tunbridge Wells to beat Sussex again by 86 runs. And two days after that it was time to be at Canterbury for the Cricket Week and big-match inauguration of the new ground at St Lawrence on 2 August. The Kentish Gazette enthused: Marquees and pavilions, and refreshment booths, erected in different parts of the ground, forming a ring fence, the Union Jack and Royal Standard gaily floating in the breeze, gave a picturesque effect to the ‘tout ensemble’, and the appearance on those days when the company was most numerous it is impossible to adequately paint. The view produced an indescribable impression. Brilliant galaxies of Kent’s famed beauties promenading or reclining in their carriages, the well-dressed beau, the moustached militaire, the commanding figures and noble mien of the representatives of Kent’s ancient houses, the honest bluff countenances of the more staidly attired yeomen - all combined to perfect a scene only to be witnessed in merry England, and in which Kent is unsurpassed by any other county in the Kingdom. The new St Lawrence Ground 97