As the village cricket team prepares for its annual match against rivals Hambleston Indian doctor Chandraty steps in as its captain to the annoyance of bigoted club secretary Peter Wallander, who also suspects that loutish Vince Lennon, the team's star bowler and adopted son of academic Jane Milton is having an affair with his young wife . Lennon is murdered and turns out to have been blackmailing several of the villagers whilst an ancient law states that the team's defeat could lead to the new squire of Hambleston, parvenu Max Scullion, acquiring the cricket ground for sale to property developers. For Father Brown and Lady Felicia there is a double task - to solve the murder and save the cricket pitch.

Father Brown suspects an ulterior motive is at play when his old adversary Flambeau is incarcerated for murder.