Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

30 The Prodigy who had been involved in a resolute stand of 54 for the eighth wicket, then enabled his county to record a victory by 26 runs. Two good performances on his first two appearances at ‘Headquarters’ seemingly impressed selectors, for he was now chosen for his first representative match. On 10-12 September, as Wisden reports, ‘For the first time for more than a hundred years Broadhalfpenny Down was the scene of a game between elevens styled Hambledon and An England Team. The match proved a great attraction and we have C.B.Fry’s enthusiastic testimony to the keenness with which it was played.’ On the first day the well-known granite column commemorating the Hambledon Club was unveiled by E.M.Sprot, the Hampshire captain, apparently because W.G.Grace was absent. Leicestershire’s A.E.Knight batted at No.1 for the England side and Astill at No.12; and the young man’s thrill at opening the bowling and taking two economical wickets in each innings was hardly likely to have been much marred by being on the losing side.