William 'Silver Billy' Beldham's 144* — Surrey v England, Greenwich, July 1804

Centuries in major cricket were rare in 1804: pitches were rough, bats narrow and bowling was almost entirely fast underarm. Fewer than a dozen are recorded for the whole decade.

Surrey were considered second favourites for the match. Beldham had been out of form through May and June and there was talk before the game of dropping him; he insisted on his place.

Beldham had been a regular in major cricket since 1787 and had carried the Hambledon batting tradition into the MCC age. By 1804 his hair was white — hence the nickname Silver Billy — and his style was the model that younger players studied. The Greenwich match was raised by London backers as a Surrey-versus-England contest with stakes of 500 guineas. Surrey, batting first, were 35 for 3 when Beldham came in. He played all of the second day and most of the third, scoring 144 not out from a Surrey total of 246. The bowling — Harris was already retired, but the attack included Tom Walker and the young John Hammond — was the strongest available. Beldham used the cut, the off-drive and a peculiar wristy flick through midwicket that contemporaries called 'the Beldham draw'.

“Beldham was a battery in himself. With him in, no bowling, however fierce, was safe.”

Surrey won the match by an innings. The 500-guinea stake was paid out at the close.