Page:The Hambledon Men (1907).djvu/289

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'CLEAN OUT OF LORD'S'
221

past seventy years of age. His career as a batsman, bowler, wicket-keeper, single-wicket player, and field, has been most brilliant, his average, altogether, being one of the highest on record. As a field, he was most active, generally taking middle-wicket, being a very fast runner. In the England v. Twenty-two of Nottingham match, June 23, 1817, he caught out nine, a number equalled at present (1860) by H. Wright, and exceeded only by R. C. Tinley. He was also very successful as a bowler, being one of the best of his day; it was of middle speed, a sort of half-round-armed, with his hand slightly extended from his side. As a proof of the tremendous power of his hitting, it may be mentioned that, in the Surrey v. England match, June 6, 1808, he hit clean out of Lord's ground. Again, June 15, 1818, in the M.C.C. v. Woolwich match, he drove a ball forward for nine, it being a clean hit and no overthrow, though Mr. Parry, a very fast runner indeed, went after it. He also got a nine in a match on the Vine, at Sevenoaks. When playing, he generally used a bat of 3 lbs. weight; but at that period of under-hand bowling much heavier ones were required than on the introduction of the round-armed delivery. Mr. Budd joined the M.C.C. soon after his first match, and continued to be a member till 1825, after which his name for some time was kept on the list as an honorary member. In a Purton v. Lansdown match he once got four wickets in six balls, and another time he bowled five wickets in an over of six balls. Once, on Ripley Green, he and W. Ward, Esq., bowled seventeen overs (of four balls) and no runs were got from either end! He also shot with a licence for fifty years, which can be recorded of few sportsmen. 'Squire' Budd was born at Great Missenden, in Buckinghamshire, February 23, 1785. Height 5ft. 9 in., and weight 12st. In 1860 he was residing at Elcombe House, Wroughton, near Swindon, when the compiler of this work [Lillywhite's book] was greatly indebted to him for much valuable information about cricket during the early part of the present century.'