28 Memoir of Tom Smith. 



bleclon matches. Mr. Ward in one match at 

 Lord's scored 272 runs. On one occasion 

 Mr. Smith was opposed to him at a match in 

 the Isle of Wight. Ward was bowling, and 

 Smith hit the ball back nearly straight ; Ward 

 attempted to catch, but could only reach the 

 ball with the tip of one finger, which was 

 broken back flat on his hand, and he could 

 play no more that season. 



The Hambledon club were tolerably suc- 

 cessful in theu' matches, and whether successful 

 or not, the little place was always a scene of 

 gaiety on such occasions, as it was Mr. Smith's 

 custom to invite all the strangers to his house, 

 and the evening was usually finished up with 

 a dance. One match played is worth record- 

 ing. The Hambledons had to go in the last 

 innings against nearly 200 runs. Mr. Smith 

 held his bat during the fall of nine wickets, 

 when seventy-two runs were to be got. The 

 tenth player. Colonel Hogg, having left the 

 groimd, believing it to be a lost game, the 



