number of the stumps was in consequence increased from two to three. Many amateurs were of opinion at the time that the alteration would tend to shorten the game; and subsequently the Hampshire gentlemen did me the honour of taking my opinion upon this point. I agreed with them that it was but doing justice to the bowler; but I differed upon the question that it would shorten the game; because the striker, knowing the danger of missing one straight ball with three instead of two stumps behind him, would materially redouble his care; while every loose hard hitter would learn to stop, and play as safe a game as possible. The following record of a match, played shortly afterwards between the Hambledon Club and All England, at Sevenoaks, will prove whether my opinion were well or ill founded.
It was upon this occasion that Aylward fetched the extraordinary number of 167 runs from his own bat—one of the greatest feats upon record in the annals of cricket; for it must be borne in mind that his success did not arise from any loose playing or incompetence on the part of his opponents—there would then have been no merit in the triumph; but he had to stand against the finest bowling of the day—that of Lumpy.
The reader will not fail likewise to remark the difference of amount in the score between the first and the second innings on the England side; the men were either disheartened at the towering pre-eminence of the adverse party; or, which is more probable, the latter, like good generals, would not throw away a single chance; but although the odds were so greatly in their favour, they, instead of relaxing, or showing any indifference, fielded with still greater care than in the first innings; and, in consequence, their opponents did not score half their previous
