Capable of hitting the ball powerfully, he combined an excellent eye with an unorthodox style to be regarded at his peak as one of England's finest batsmen.

A disagreement over whether play should take place on a sodden pitch in the match against the Australians in 1893 led to Hewett's departure from Somerset at the end of that season.

He played first-class cricket for three more years, during which time he scored centuries against both Oxford and Cambridge Universities, appearing for a variety of amateur and representative sides.

[4] Hewett was part of the school's cricket first eleven in 1882 and 1883,[5] and appeared in the annual contest against Eton College in both years, but did little on either occasion, his highest score being six, made in the first-innings in 1882.

"[11] After appearing in The Freshman's Match in 1884, during which he scored zero and eight and took two wickets,[12] Hewett made little impact in his first season at Oxford and was not selected for the university eleven.

[4] An 1893 write-up in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack said: "early in the season of 1886 [Hewett] showed signs of the brilliant hitting which has since made him famous".

[20] He finished the season fourth in the Oxford University batting averages with his 160 runs being scored at 22.85, and was described in James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual as being: "Sometimes a most dashing left-handed hitter, but not at all dependable; hard-working field.

[4][24] The next year, 1888, he scored successive half-centuries for Somerset early in the season against Warwickshire and Staffordshire before making his debut for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

He played a lot of club cricket, being a regular for Harrow Wanderers,[4] and scoring 201 not out for Senior Common Room against Christ Church in 1888.

Having dismissed the visitors for 43, Hewett remained 203 not out when he declared the Somerset innings closed, scored in four hours, "a remarkable display of powerful and well-timed hitting".

[42] Hewett led Somerset's batting averages in 1890, during which the club won twelve and tied one of their thirteen matches against county opposition.

Lionel Palairet, Bill Roe and Sammy Woods were all missing for various reasons, leaving Hewett with a depleted side and only two real bowlers; Ted Tyler and George Nichols.

[47] When Surrey travelled to Taunton later that season, most likely expecting an easy win to secure a second consecutive championship, Hewett top-scored for his team with 55 in the first-innings as Somerset reached 194.

The same trio of Somerset bowlers proceeded to bowl the champions out for a second time, the final wicket falling two minutes from the close of play, and their team recorded a 130-run victory.

[18] Following the close of the 1891 County Championship, Hewett was part of Lord Hawke's party which toured North America, playing six matches in the United States and two in Canada.

[18] In late August, playing Yorkshire, Hewett scored 201 out of a partnership of 346,[60] establishing a record for the first wicket in first-class cricket, surpassing W. G. Grace and Bransby Cooper's 1869 total of 283.

[11] He was named as one of the Five Batsmen of the Year by the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 1893, in which it was claimed that "had it been necessary last August [1892] to put a representative England eleven into the field, Hewett would undoubtedly have been given a place.

[14] 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.

[69] 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.

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.

[71] 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.

[71] 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.

Unlike his first appearance, made at Hastings, the match was played at Lord's Cricket Ground,[14] which was generally considered to be the more prestigious Gentlemen v Players fixture of the season, being the more representative.

[88] During this season Hewett appeared in his first match for the amateur side I Zingari, who had strong links with both Harrow School and Somerset president Sir Spencer Ponsonby-Fane.

When he belatedly led his side onto the field, the spectators threw insults at him until the Yorkshire captain, Lord Hawke, angrily shouted "Keep quiet or I'll think about calling the game off".

"[100] When Hewett was named as one of the Five Batsmen of the Year by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 1893, the publication described him as "the finest left-handed batsman in England".

[11] In Somerset, Cider and Sixes, David Foot described that he was "possessed of an eagle eye, considerable meat and the ability to make his forcing shots attractive.

[102] Hewett's batting received praise in H. S. Altham and E. W. Swanton's A History of Cricket, where he is described as a "singularly determined and venomous" batsman who "hit the ball in unexpected and demoralizing directions.

Teammate Frederic John Poynton characterised his captain as a player who suffered "from a deep, difficult nature, which once upset, took long to recover".

[102] In 1885, Somerset County Cricket Club had failed to field eleven players for some of their first-class contests, and in most of their other matches were a poor side.