"There is no such noble or manly game as cricket. To judge by the numerous games which are continually going on on the Common, on the Recreation Ground, or in the Park, it would seem that our village need not fear any lack of defenders - from those who may wish to wrest from it the laurels of victory with bat and ball.

Cricket has long been the national game, but it is only of late years that it has taken such a hold of the national mind. Nowadays the cricket matches between Eten and Harrow, or Oxford and Cambridge at Lords, are looked upon as events in which the whole community is interested. The contest for the county supremacy for the year is watched with keen interest; and when the Australians pay us their biennial visit, cricket enthusiasm culminates in those great struggles when one of the best county elevens or a selected English team, enters the field to defend our national honour. The cold and wet summer has not been favourable to cricket, and perhaps for this reason, the contrast which was presented the other day was the more appreciated. A real August sun shone out warmly over the far-famed cricket ground at Kennington Oval, and there were collected there upwards of 15,000 people to witness the second contest between England and Australia. The wet and dead ground has, through a large part of the season, given a great advantage to the bowlers, and especially it has seemed to favour the fast bowlers of Australia. The scores have been small, and Australia has won a great many matches, and amongst others, defeated the England eleven at Lord’s. On this occasion, however, the honours came back to England, and Australia was easily beaten in one innings. Cricket, however, is a game to be played as well as watched, and it is this view of it which many of our younger men and boys take. Time was when apart from the greater contests between the universities and schools, counties and the greater clubs, cricket was very much tied down to village games - in the country - a day was given up, and from morning to night the struggle was kept up. In the busy suburban districts such matches would only be possible in rare instances. The weekly half-holiday however is utilised in the cause of cricket, and every Saturday afternoon scores upon scores of matches are played, and many a hard-worked business man is refreshed and invigorated in the pleasant cricket field. Long may cricket flourish and continue to be our national game."

Source: The Hampton Hill Parish Magazine - 1888 September

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