Nyren apparently dictated his memoirs to what would today be called a 'ghost', Charles Cowden-Clarke, and they were originally published in 1832, first in a weekly periodical, The Town. In March, 1833 they appeared, slightly altered and much extended, in book form. The manuscript, the work of a professional handwriting copier, differs slightly in places from both the magazine articles and the book.

It was found in superb condition in the home of Christine Pardoe, grand-daughter of Edward Whalley-Tooker, who was the doyen of Hambledon Cricket Club in the early part of this century.

The specialist cricket book-seller John McKenzie said yesterday: ``This is a tremendous find. If it were to be authenticated as the personal copy of John Nyren's original manuscript it might fetch perhaps £100,000 at an auction. Even as a contemporary copy without Nyren's actual signature one would certainly be talking four figures.''