Richard Nyren

Richard Nyren was to all intents and purposes the heart and soul of the Hambledon club from the time he joined in 1772 through to the club's eventual demise in the last years of the 18th century. He was a good rather than excellent player - a left-hand allrounder - but his forte was in acting as a link between players and patrons, and in ensuring that the club functioned , whether as captain, secretary, groundsman or landlord of the famous Bat and Ball pub. "Such esteem did the brotherhood hold his experience and judgment," wrote his son, John, "that he was uniformly consulted on all questions of law or precedent - and I never knew an exception to be taken against his opinion or a decision reversed." When Nyren finally left Hambledon, the club broke up almost immediately.
Martin Williamson