Articles

Landlord of The Bat and Ball, 1734 – 1797

Richard Nyren was the inspiration and the driving force behind all that happened on Broadhalfpenny Down during “the glory days” between the late 1750s and 1791. He is, ultimately, responsible for all that happens there to this day. So long as cricket is played, and cricketers want to see its early roots, Broadhalfpenny Down and The Bat and Ball Inn will remain as living memorials to Richard Nyren. A man of integrity and enterprise; a man of stout build and great energy. He was called “The General”, which must have amused him.

He was an exceptional cricketer; four skills in one – a good left-handed bowler, a safe attacking batsman, a born tactician, and a natural leader of men. It was Richard Nyren who first experimented with length bowling. The previous norm was along the ground. That simple, revolutionary idea, which he honed to perfection, triggered the evolution of a country pastime into a national sport. Richard Nyren is the true father of the modern game.

But it was as a captain that Richard Nyren excelled. Here was the ideal man: a player fully worth his place in the side; one who could out-think the opposition; a man who could earn and keep the devotion of his team; and a man with the ability to marshal their collective resources to deliver victory time and again. Many’s the side, since, even at the very pinnacle of the first-class modern game, that has wished for such a player.

He also had an exceptional knowledge of the game, and was one of the most influential contributors to any discussion of the laws. And amendments to the laws were quite a regular occurrence in those formative days. He also looked after the ground opposite, and collected overdue subscriptions from members of the Hambledon Club. Truly, “the club’s head and right arm”.

Richard Nyren’s talents as an innkeeper were almost as legendary as his exploits on the cricket field. He was the life and soul of The Bat and Ball, and turned it into a vibrant centre of local entertainment. He regularly advertised the great matches on Broadhalfpenny Down in the Hampshire Chronicle, inviting the crowds to watch “little” Hambledon take on “all” England yet again.

When Richard Nyren and his friends weren’t thrashing “all” England, they were out to all hours hunting, shooting and fishing. These were men who lived life to the full. Winter was not going to be dull, just different. And after their sport, back to the warmth of the pub, for songs and more ale.

Richard Nyren was a true sportsman, an inspirational cricketer, and a great character. Long may his memory live in this place and across the road.

There are no known pictures of Richard Nyren.

This account is posted on a wall at The Bat & Ball