CRICKET REMINISCENCES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 67, 16 September 1922, Page 12

CRICKET REMINISCENCES

WHY LORD HARRIS PLAYED FOB 1 KENT,

Cricket-lovers owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. H.T. Knatchbull-Hugessen, who haß., just died, 1 the " Manchester Guardian," for it,was.he who persuaded Loi'd Harris to make his first appearance for Kent. In "A Few Short Bums" Lord Harris relates that, although his father was the first president of the Kent County Club, and he himself was in the eleven -both at Eton and he never played for his county until a day in 1873, when " at Faversham station I met Herbert Knatchbull-Hugessen on his way 1 to .see Kent y. Lancashire at Gravesend. I was, going up to London to see Eton and Harrow, aiid, on the day before, to play for Lords and Commons v. I Zingari— a regular match in those years —and. ho had. my cricket-bag with me. Seeing my bag, he was .delighted, supposing I was also on my way to Gravesend, 'Impossible;' I said, 'I'm already engaged to .play to-day, and I can't miss Eton and Harrow.'' He reasoned with me all the way. to Strood like & father that it was legitimate to throw over an engagement in a second-class match for a county match, and that, as for.Eton v. Harrow, what was that now .to. me goropared to ,the county? , '.Beasoned with such effect, top, that at Strood I got out, wired- to Lord's explaining my defection, with profound apologies, and turned up unexpectedly at the Bat and Ball Ground. Someone moat kindly stood out, I got 26 and 6, and we won the match. That was the turning-point. . In 1874 I was requested to act as honorary secretary for the conduct and management of the county matches. . < . In 1375 I-took the field as . captain "■ of the county eleven-, and'held it until 1887,."