nother proof of the long-established love of the people of Town Malling
for cricket we subsequently find in the fact that the parlour of the
Swan Hotel, which is an old cricketing house, and probably represents
the "Blue Lion of Muggleton," has in it many very fine lithographic
portraits of all the great cricketers of the middle of the nineteenth
century, including:--Pilch, Lillywhite, Box, Cobbett, Hillyer (a native
of Town Malling), A. Mynn, Taylor, Langdon, Kynaston, Felix (_Felix on
the Bat_), Ward, Kingscote, and others. Several of these names will be
recognized as those of eminent Kentish cricketers. About a quarter of a
century ago--my friend and colleague Mr. E. Orford Smith (himself a
Kentish man and a cricketer) informs me that--the Kentish eleven stood
against all England, and retained their position for some years.

As we stand on the warm day in the centre of the ground, and admire the
lights and shadows passing over the surrounding scenery, we can almost
conjure up the scene of the famous contest, when, on the occasion of the
first innings of the All-Muggleton Club, "Mr. Dumkins and Mr. Podder,
two of the most renowned members of that most distinguished club,
walked, bat in hand, to their respective wickets. Mr. Luffey, the
highest ornament of Dingley Dell, was pitched to bowl against the
redoubtable Dumkins, and Mr. Struggles was selected to do the same kind
office for the hitherto unconquered Podder."

Everybody remembers how the game proceeded under circumstances of
the greatest excitement, in which batters, bowlers, scouts, and
umpires, all did their best under the encouraging shouts of the
members:--"Run--run--another.--Now, then, throw her up--up with
her--stop there--another--no--yes--no--throw her up! throw her up!" Mr.
Jingle himself being as usual very profuse in his remarks, as--"'Ah,
ah!--stupid'--'Now, butter-fingers'--'Muff'--'Humbug'--and so forth."
"In short, when Dumkins was caught out, and Podder stumped out,
All-Muggleton had notched some fifty-four, while the score of the
Dingley Dellers was as blank as their faces." So "Dingley Dell gave in,
and allowed the superior prowess of All-Muggleton," Mr. Jingle again
expressing his views of the winners:--"'Capital game--well played--some
strokes admirable,' as both sides crowded into the tent at the
conclusion of the game."

Yes! We are convinced that Muggleton and Town Malling (except for the
mayor and corporation) are one. At any rate we f