Page:Seventy One Not Out.pdf/30

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
OLD LILLYWHITE.
15

best was slow-medium, but at the time of which I write he was considerably slower. His bowling was not difficult if one played the game correctly, but was most destructive to a batsman who tried to take liberties with it. Lillywhite was a little stout man with a most kindly expression of face. The portrait of him in the old picture of "Sussex v. Kent" is a wonderfully good one. He always played in the regulation tall hat and never discarded braces. His delivery was one of the easiest I ever saw, and he never seemed to tire. He did not appear at Lord's till he was thirty-five, but contrived to play in first-class cricket for more than a quarter of a century after that event.

My next great match was for Players of Surrey v. Gentlemen of Surrey at the Oval (11 a side), when I scored 40 and 15, and made my first appearance at Lord's shortly afterwards. I played for the M.C.C. on that occasion in their match against Sussex. I had very short notice given to me about playing in this match, on the morning of which I received a letter from Mr Dark (then the owner of Lord's ground) asking me to become a member of the staff there; and if I agreed to do so, I was to let him know at once and then I could play in the match M.C.C. v. Sussex on that day. I went at once to see Mr Dark, and told him I could not engage myself permanently to the M.C.C., but would be pleased to play in the Sussex match which was