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on a beautiful sunny day at the Red Lion at Chalton which we visited after a trip to Petersfield to take a couple of photos that are already freely available online and in books but I wanted my own copy. The gravestone outside St Peter’s Church in the Square is the only one still standing there and commemorates the great Hambledon/Hampshire cricketer John Small. The Blue Plaque on the wall of the shop adjacent to the church marks the house and shop that Small lived and worked in.
It is easy enough to find much information online about Small – he is often considered the finest of the ‘Hambledon’ 18th century cricketers; he was top-scorer in the historic inaugural first-class 1772 season, which we celebrate this year; he was the first man to pass three figures in a major match, and he is said to have been the first man to master the straight bat. He was also on the receiving end of bowling by Lumpy Stevens which passed between his two stumps without dislodging the bail and led to the addition of the third stump.
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Hampshire Cricket History 