A HISTORY OF KENT and the Earl of Middlesex for ;Ci,ooo in July 1735, the latter's winning side was composed of Kentish men, whilst in 1744 there ' was played in the Artillery Ground the greatest cricket match ever known, the County of Kent playing against All England, which was won by the former.' Sir Horatio Mann was ' a batter of great might,' and the Duke of Dorset was another keen amateur, who when ambassador at Paris invited the earliest touring team, but the outbreak of the Revolution prevented this friendly invasion of France. There is no record of Kent having played a match during the Napoleonic wars, but the county met, and was defeated by, England a month after Waterloo. The West Kent Club soon began its distinguished history, and it is notable that Mr. John Willes of Sutton Valence in Kent was the earliest exponent of round-arm bowling. The club was inaugurated at Town Mailing ; Fuller Pilch became the ground-man and such cricketers as Mr. Herbert Jenner and Mr. A. Mynn played, while Wenman is the oldest of the great wicket-keepers. The last sur- vivor of the giants who took part in the four matches that Kent played with England in 1 841 was Lord Bessborough, who died in 1895. In 1837 Fuller Pilch, one of the very greatest of batsmen, scored 160 at Reigate for Town Mailing. Felix, Hillyer, Mr. C. G. Whittaker, Mr. Percyvall Hart-Dyke and Mr. H. Norman belonged to this epoch. Many mighty matches played at Gravesend and at Tunbridge Wells, led to the formation in 1859 of a county club, of which the sixth Earl of Darnley became the first president. After losing five out of six matches in the first season, Kent was undefeated in i860, and in 1861 twice beat England, Sussex and Surrey, only losing to Cambridgeshire. Willsher was the famous bowler of a rather precarious period which was closed in 1870 by amalgamation with the Beverley Club at Canterbury, Mr. de Chair Baker becoming secretary. Long before this time the annual Canterbury Festival had become the most charming feature of each season. Mr. G. M. Kelson shared with Willsher the burden of the cricket and proved a very fine bat with terrific hitting powers. What we may call the modern history of Kent cricket begins with the appearance of Lord Harris in 1 87 1. A fine bat who played splendid cricket and an excellent captain, he exercised remarkable influence over the game to which he has been so devoted. Of those with whom he first played Messrs. Yardle), C. L Thornton and Ottaway liave imperishable names. Mr. M. A. Troughton was an excellent bat, whose son showed much promise in 1907. Henty was a good wicket-keeper; George Ben- nett proved himself one of the earliest success- ful slow round-arm bowlers ; and Tom Sewell was a very fast bovler. A little later another good bowler was discovered in Mr. Foord Kelcey, whose pace was in marked contrast to that of Mr. A. Penn or Mr. C. M. Cunliffe. Mr. Frank Penn was a very punishing bat gifted with great defensive power, and Mr. C. A. Absolom played in characteristic if erratic fashion. Mr. Renny- Tailyour, a tremendous scorer in minor matches, was never quite successful in county cricket, but Mr. E. F. S. Tylecote was in the forefront as a bat and behind the wicket. Other useful run-getters were Mr. F. A. Mackinnon and Mr. V. K. Shaw. Junior to these was the Hon. Ivo Bligh, afterwards Lord Darnley, whose career as a prominent cricketer was shortened by ill-health. Few even of old Etonians could cut more bril- liantly, and if he had curbed undue eagerness to score rapidly he might not have been so delightful to watch. The Hearnes rendered yeoman service to Kent cricket. George Gibbons Hearne, one of the best young professionals of his day, was a capital left-handed bat and medium-paced bowler, but, good as he was, he never perhaps attained to the full what he promised. Frank Hearne, an aggressive bat and fine field, eventually went to South Africa where he had much to do with the development of the game. Alec Hearne appeared to possess the secret of never growing old. He was a patient painstaking bat and an admirable slow bowler who achieved the Kentish aggregate in each department. lU- health materially prejudiced the career of that very clever medium-paced bowler Walter Hearne. All the "Hearnes were ex- ceptionally popular and universally respected. In 1873, Kent met Sussex at Lord's to play the only Champion Cup match, the com- petition initiated by M.C.C. happily proving futile. When Kent and Gloucestershire played England at Canterbury, Oscroft received a blow in the face while batting and in falling put out his thumb. In the match against Sussex in 1876, 27 runs were needed — and successfully obtained — when the last man, Henty, joined Lord Harris. Against Kent, Dr. W. G. Grace, playing for M.C.C. in that year, scored his famous 344 at Canterbury. In 1878 Mr. A. Penn took six Sussex wickets for three runs and Mr. C. F. Tufnell created a record
