 Hewett began the 1893 season in good form , reaching his half @-@ century in each of his first three matches for the county , including a total of 94 against Oxford University in late May . Hewett missed most of the match against Kent shortly after , returning to Taunton due to the death of his brother @-@ in @-@ law , during which time George Wood replaced him as a substitute . In July 1893 , the touring Australians played Somerset at Taunton for the first time since 1882 , when both the ground and the county team were barely established . After the success of the 1892 season , and because talented , Australian @-@ born Sammy Woods was playing for Somerset , the match was eagerly anticipated . Thousands arrived in Taunton for the match , but after overnight torrential rain , the umpires inspected the pitch at 11 : 00 and abandoned play for the day . In his history of the county club , Roebuck suggest that they may have been put under pressure by the Australians or by Hewett himself . The Somerset fans and members were angry at the decision , but the Australians packed picnic baskets and after exchanging strong words with the locals , departed for the Quantock Hills . Hewett , along with Woods and Vernon Hill , arranged to play golf in Minehead . The crowd continued to show their dismay at the decision , and eventually the Somerset officials asked the umpires to take another look at the ground . Woods supported this decision in his reminiscences , claiming that " the decision not to play was premature . " At 14 : 00 , after their second inspection , the umpires retracted their previous decision and announced that play could start . Hewett reacted angrily , and argued unsuccessfully against the decision with the Somerset committee . The Australian players were recalled from their picnic , and play began at 16 : 00 , although neither team particularly wanted to play . Roebuck recorded that " Hewett , in particular , was in high dudgeon and ... he threw away his wicket for 12 runs , having been dropped once . " David Foot offered a more tempered opinion , saying simply that Hewett 's " mind wasn 't on the game . " No play was possible on the second day , and on the third , Australia won the match by six wickets . Hewett felt let down by the Somerset committee , who he felt had undermined his authority , prompting him to say that " if a captain can 't lead at Taunton , this is no place for him . " Although friends thought he was overreacting , he declared that he would resign from the captaincy and the club at the end of the season . Both Foot and Roebuck suggested that Hewett reacted in an over @-@ sensitive and extreme manner , but that his lack of self @-@ control may have limited his long @-@ term captaincy prospects . 
