Page:VCH Hertfordshire 1.djvu/443

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SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN were famous cricketers, the family home being at Rickmansworth. Mr. Walter Fellowes was a slashing batsman. While at Oxford in 1856 he hit a ball in practice off Rogers which fell at the distance of 175 yards to the pitch. He formed one of the Gentlemen's eleven against the Players of England in 1855, 1856 and 1857, but only made 21 in six journeys to the wickets. Mr. Harvey Winson Fellowes was the elder brother. He too was a punishing bats- man, but he was chiefly famous for his terrific fast bowling, being chronicled in verse thus And Fellowes, whose electric speed with due precision blends. He formed one of the Gentlemen of England against the Players in 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850 and 1851, scoring 37 not out in 1848, and taking 7 wickets in 1 849, when W. Lilly- white refused to face his deliveries. In September, 1848, for I Zingari v. Gents of Worcestershire he hit Nixon 132 yards before the ball pitched. In later years he raised his arm and bowled slower. In the year 1863 on the ground near the railway at St. Albans an eleven of England contended against twenty-two of Hertford- shire. The match, which was played for the benefit of Benjamin Roberson, was unfinished, the totals being England, 1st innings, 77 ; and innings, 37. Twenty-two of Herts, 68 and 33 for 9 wickets. Two years later the United South of England eleven played twenty-two of St. Albans, the local players winning by 10 wickets. At Lord's in May, 1870, Hertfordshire again met the M.C.C. The two clubs had been opposed as far back as 1814. At Gorhambury on August 12, 1871, in a twelve-a-side contest between I Zingari and Hertfordshire, Hughes and J. Silcock proved too much with the ball for I Zingari, dis- missing the visitors in the first innings for 44, and in the second venture for 79. Herts scored 108 and 17 for i wicket, winning by 9 wickets. The following year however at Lord Verulam's seat (Gorhambury) the tables were turned, I Zingari being victors by 5 wickets. In 1873 ' W. G.' visited Herts and played on the side of M.C.C. against the county at Chorleywood, the crack club winning by 1 1 1 runs. ' W. G.' for the victors scored 47 and 26, and captured 12 wickets. A match at Alexandra Park in July, 1873, between teams styled Middlesex and Hert- fordshire, resulted in a victory for the latter by 173 runs. A finely contested game was the match with I Zingari at Chipperfield in August, 1873, Herts, owing mainly to the ex- cellent bowling of Hughes and Good- year, winning by 25 runs. Two years later at Chorleywood witnessed yet another close game. The fixture was Herts v. M.C.C. Sixteen cyphers were made, the scores being M.C.C., 60 and 63 ; Herts, 19 and 90. Only 232 runs were made for 40 wickets lowered. John West and Rylott were the bowlers for the victorious visitors. In 1876, Mr. C. E. Keyser, the hon. secretary, was instrumental in arranging a capital match at Cashiobury, the fixture being Mr. Keyser's Eleven v. Gentlemen of Herts with the two Westells. Mr. Keyser's side included Mr. G. H. Longman, the Old Etonian and Cambridge batsman ; Mr. A. W. Ridley, Eton and Oxford ; and Mr. S. E. Butler, Oxford. Mr. Keyser's side won by 9 wickets, Mr. A. W. Ridley being very effective with bat and ball. In order to place the Hertford County Cricket Club on a more substantial and popular basis a public meeting was held at the Town Hall, St. Albans, on March 8, 1876. The Earl of Verulam was voted to the chair. Mr. R. A. Fitzgerald (for many years the popular hon. secretary of the Mary- lebone Club) set forward the basis on which the club should be established, and proposed the following resolutions, which were unani- mously agreed to a. That the Herts County Cricket Club be now established. b. That the Earl of Verulam be ap- pointed president. c. That Viscount Maiden be appointed treasurer, and Mr. C. E. Keyser honorary secretary. d. That the following form the acting committee : The president, treasurer and secretary, Earl of Clarendon, Hon. R. W. Grosvenor, A. Anderson and R. A. Fitz- gerald, Western Division ; Baron R. Dims- dale, Joseph Phillips, Percy Taylor and Rev. H. Wood, Eastern Division. e. That there shall be no county ground or headquarters. /. That no subscriptions be solicited, but that the expenses of the club be defrayed by voluntary donations (in no case to ex- g. That the qualification for the county be fixed according to the rules of the Marylebone Club, viz. birth or two years' continuous residence in the county. The president, the Earl of Verulam, joined the Marylebone Club as far back as 1830. He played his first match at Lord's, July 373