THE VILLAGE CRICKET CLUB. 303 



leg, but was not a certain player. I pass over the 

 remainder, to come to three brothers who really 

 were our support, and would have been an effec- 

 tive assistance to a club far superior to ours. 

 Their names were Ashley ; they did not live 

 in our village, but in a small market-town about 

 four miles off, from which they invariably walked 

 over, returning every practising day ; for their 

 ardour was unquenchable. They were all three 

 brought up to the medical profession, and lived 

 with their elder brother who practised as a sur- 

 geon. The names of the three were remark- 

 able, Hector, Herod, and Hamlet, on what cause 

 given, I never discovered. Herod and Hamlet 

 were good cricketers at all points, and understood 

 the game scientifically, but Hector was a master 

 of his art. His bowling was tremendous, and it 

 required a most steady and accomplished batter 

 to stand long against it; he bowled with great 

 speed, and with considerable bias, or twist of the 

 ball ; and this he would maintain 



While summer-suns rolled unperceived away.' 



To excel in cricket was the great aspiration of 

 these three brothers ; and it was the constant topic 

 of their conversation ; every form of hit underwent 

 a close, severe scrutiny ; and the subject was ana- 

 lysed with the most scrupulous minuteness. Often 

 we have heard them say, have they sat up till two 



