SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



bowled the previous year, and smashed a globe 

 on the same lamp ! 



BRIGHTON AND DISTRICT 



Cricket has long flourished at Brighton. The 

 old Brighton Club, which enjoyed royal patron- 

 age, was formed in 1791. In the following 

 year Brighton played the M.C.C. at Lord's and 

 won by nine wickets, the totals being Brighton 

 155, 131 (for one wicket) ; M.C.C. 180, 105. 



In July the same season Brighton tried con- 

 clusions with Hampshire at Windmill Down but 

 suffered defeat, the once invincible Hampshire 

 team claiming the victory by six wickets. The 

 actual scores were: Brighton 71, 77; Hants 

 71, 78 (for four wickets). In the return fixture 

 at Brighton the tables were turned, the home 

 side proving victorious for seven wickets. The 

 Hants team, however, was far from being strongly 

 represented, inasmuch as the two Smalls, Scott, 

 Purchase, Taylor, Harris, and Freemantle were 

 absent. 



The return match against M.C.C. was played 

 on the Prince of Wales's Ground at North 

 Brighton. Brighton won this contest by three 

 wickets, the following being the totals : Brighton 

 51, 80 (for seven wickets) ; M.C.C. 68, 62. 



The present Brighton Club was established in 

 1848 by the late Mr. G. W. King, who for 

 many years acted as hon. secretary for the 

 Sussex County Club. In 1887, in order to 

 celebrate the opening of the Preston Park 

 cricket ground, the late Mr. Alderman Saunders 

 successfully organized the Brighton Cricket 

 Association, and to encourage and improve 

 local cricket he presented to the association a 

 handsome silver cup for competition among 

 clubs in the borough. The following year 

 (1888) the proprietors of the Argus newspaper 

 presented a challenge cup to be competed for 

 among junior cricket clubs. 



Two matches were played against Middlesex 

 in September 1792, Brighton winning the first 

 engagement at home by five wickets, while in 

 the return at Lord's the match, owing to bad 

 weather, was unfinished. 



Cricket was flourishing very considerably in 

 the early years of the nineteenth century in 

 many parts of Sussex. Storrington with the 

 assistance of the Hammonds was particularly 

 strong, in fact the village actually challenged 

 and played with success the Rest of Sussex. 



In 1816 Lewes Priory Club boasted a strong 

 combination. The club had in its ranks several 

 local celebrities, notably the two Baxters, Raynes, 

 Martin, Verrall, Rider, Green, and Lambert. 

 An engraving of the famous Priory cricket 

 ground is given in the first edition of Lambert's 

 Cricket Guide, issued in 1816. 



Chichester, too, has ever been a cricketing 

 centre. In the early days the cathedral city had 



the assistance of the redoubtable Daniel King 

 and William Ayling. The present Priory Park 

 Club was organized in 1830 and is one of the 

 best clubs in the county. Two of the most 

 prominent players in connexion with Chichester 

 cricket are James Lilly white and Charlie Howard. 



Petworth and North Chapel were alike famous 

 for cricket talent, playing matches against the 

 M.C.C. and other strong clubs. 



Midhurst too could lay claim to a powerful 

 side. William Hooker was the Midhurst crack 

 player in the days of old. Although not quite 

 so flourishing at the present time the Midhurst 

 Club is still an institution. It is interesting to re- 

 cord that in the long period of eighteen years 

 during which Mr. John Packham was connected 

 with Midhurst cricket, the club played 213 

 matches, in all but one of which Mr. Packham 

 took part. He commenced batting in 270 

 innings and obtained 5,563 runs, having an aver- 

 age of just over 23. 



The Henfield Cricket Club was established 

 3 May, 1837. One of the original rules of the 

 club states : 



In all practice matches every Member not fetching 

 five runs each innings, should forfeit one penny, and 

 the same in missing a fair catch, these fines all to be 

 paid to the general fund. 



Rule XIII is explicit : 



That any Member degrading himself and party by 

 getting in liquor before the match is played out he is 

 under the forfeit of two shillings and sixpence. 



Henfield was the home of Mr. Alfred Smith, 

 a great supporter of the game. Subsequently 

 Mr. Charles H. Smith of Whaphams became 

 captain of the Sussex County Eleven in the 

 sixties, while of late years Mr. C. L. A. Smith, 

 his son, has represented his county. Henfield 

 too claimed Richard Fillery, one of the best 

 all-round players in the Sussex eleven. 



The little village of Chalvington to the east 

 of Lewes was a famous nursery of county cricket 

 fifty to sixty years ago. The brothers Picknell, 

 the Greys and other prominent Sussex players 

 came from this district ; in fact Chalvington 

 was one of the strongest local clubs in Sussex. 

 The renowned Fuller Pilch, of Norfolk and Kent 

 county fame, assisted Chalvington in a few 

 matches, one of his best batting feats being a 

 three-figure innings of 114 for Chalvington 

 against Brighton in 1839. 



SCHOOL CRICKET 



Sussex has always been a cricketing county, 

 and it is not surprising to find that so many boys 

 from Sussex schools have become great men in 

 the cricket-field in after life. Brighton College 

 must feel proud of having educated such men as 

 S. M. J. Woods, captain and secretary of 



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