Page:The Hambledon Men (1907).djvu/99

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LORD FREDERICK BEAUCLERK
61

stand against such steam-engine bowling as Brett's; and yet Lear and Sueter, in their several departments, were safer men than their opponents. Yalden, too, was in other respects an inferior man to Sueter. His word was not always to be depended on when he had put a man out—he would now and then shuffle, and resort to trick. In such estimation did the other stand with all parties, so high" an opinion had they of his honour—that I firmly believe they would have trusted to his decision had he ever chosen to question that of the umpire. Yalden was not a fine but a very useful and steady batter. He was a thin, dark-looking man.

The Duke of Dorset, or Lord Tankerville, sometimes both, would play, to complete the eleven. Neither of these noblemen were to be compared to Lord Frederick Beauclerc. Whether in batting, bowling, or indeed in any department of the game, he would have distanced them; yet they were pretty players. Each usually played in the slip when the other was not present. This station was the Duke's forte. He was in height about five feet nine, very well made, and had a peculiar habit, when unemployed, of standing with his head on one side.

About the period I have been describing, Noah Mann joined the Hambledon Club. He was from Sussex, and lived at North Chapel, not far from Petworth. He kept an inn there, and used to come a distance of at least twenty miles every Tuesday to practise. He was a fellow of extraordinary activity, and could perform clever feats of agility on horseback. For instance, when he has been seen in the distance coming up the ground, one or more of his companions would throw down handkerchiefs, and these he would collect, stooping from his horse while it was going at full speed. He was a fine batter, a fine field, and