Cricket 1882

190 CEICKET; A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. a u g u s t 3, l m . SU S S E X C R ICK E T—P A S T AND P R E S E N T . B t an O ld S ussex C ric k e ter . Published by permission o f the Author. J a m e s D a l e , a surveyor of taxes at Brighton, and previously in the West Division of the County —surnatned “ The Cat ” from his extreme activity at his favourite place of “ point ”—was born at Coultershaw Mill, Petwortb, in 1788, and piayed his first match also at Lord’s, in 1823. He died from a fall from his gig, at Crawley, on returning home from shooting, in 1840. He was a successful right hand bat, though he fielded with his left, and possessed the remarkable faculty of beii.g able to use both arms and hands equally well, even to ■writing with them. Geo. Meads and Charles Lanaway both came out together in 1828. The former was a native of Lind- field, and by trade a baker, at Brighton; the latter was born at Henfield, and became a master butcher at Brighton. r George Millyard and James Dean, sen., appeared first at Lord’s—the test of the beginning of a cricketer’s career—in 1835 ; and the two brothers Picknell in 1837. Millyard was introduced by his cousin, William Broadbridge, who, it may be here noticed, married James Dean’s aunt. He, too, died quite young, at Petworth, in 1840, and having suffered from epileptio fits, did not play after he was 27. But as long as he was before the public, none gave greater promise of excellence, or more pleasure to the connoisseurs of the cricket field. The writer of this remembers having played with him in 1840, at Brighton, when he was at his best. He batted left, and well; but was a right-armed round-hand bowler. His chief excellence, however, was in the field, where he was pronounced to be nearly, if not quite, the best in England, and could throw a ball 108 yards with the wind, and 103 against it. He was quiet and unassuming in his manners, and a general favourite. James Dean, a sawyer by trade, called “ The Plough Boy,” and “ Jemmy,” was born in 1816, at Duncton, where, I am glad to say, he is still alive to talk of his former powess, though, from his resent weight and size, it is difficult to imagine im the ripping fast round-hand bowler which he was when he first came out, throwing his whole weight into the ball; though he afterwards got slower. As a bat he began badly, but afterwards made large scores. He had a long apprenticeship of 25 years at Lord’s as a ground bowler. He started, with his friend Wisden, the U.E. Eleven. In the field he was good anywhere, generally taking point or long-stop, and thus performed the rare feat of bowling at one wicket, and then “ stopping ” at the other—a task which few will be found equal or dis­ posed to undertake, since the chief object of “ overs ” is to -relieve a bowler. George Picknell, born at Green Farm, Chalving- ton, in 1813, and a farmer by occupation, was 20 years in the County Eleven, and one of its “ crack” bats, with a back play He bowled fast round, approaching his hand to his ear in the delivery, and it is said that the great “ Fu.ler,” whom he often bowled out, was much afraid of him. He performed the singular feat, too, in two matches played in the same week, of being “ not out ” iu all his four innings, in the last of which he was first “ in.” He was also a good single wicket player, and resided afterwards at Rype. Robert Picknell was inferior to his brother, but serviceable in the County Eleven, where he made a good cover point. He afterwards lost his middle finger from an accident in shooting, and kept t-ie “ Lamb Inn,” at Eastbourne. Mr. Langdon, to whom we have alreadv referred, Charles Hawkins, and James Hodson, came oat in 1839. The former, bom in 1817 (the same year as Charles Taylor) at Winchester, and educated there, in which diocese his father held an important liv­ ing, resided, after leaving sohool and college, with his elder brother, the Incumbent of a church 111 Brighton. During this time, conjointly with Charles Taylor, he was Secretary of the Sussex Club. With the exception of Kent perhaps, Sussex could then boast of possessing the strongest Eleven of any County in England. When a mere boy and at home for his summer holidays, he played in a “ scratch ” team, at Brams- hill Park, the well-known residence of the 1 te Sir John Cope. Lord Frederick Bsauclerk. who was then on the ground, remarked to his friend, the late celebrated Wm. Ward, “ That parson’s boy plays in good style, and is not unlikely some day to make himself a name at Lord’s.” This remark was ex­ pressed in consequence of a leg hit for six, and will not surprise those who remember Mr. Langdon’s hitting at Lord’sand elsewhere in after years, which required all a man’s nerve to field to. He is now, as I have said, the Rector of St. Paul’s Cray, in Kent, and Domestic Chaplain to Lord Syduey. In 1841 Mr. Langdon had the honour of being chosen to play in the Gentlemen v. Players, then a new match, and worth playing in, for there was but one such—and not three—and it was th e match of the season! James Hodson was a successful county bat and bowler, born at Streat Place, Ditchling, and a miller by trade, at Brighton. In him it is remarkable that lie was “ no balled” in the second innings of the County v. Marylebone by Caldecourt, though his delivery had been allowed by Good, the umpire at the other end, in the first innings. This decision is said to have caused great excitement at the time among the Sussex party. Charles Hawkins, by trade a hairdresser, and born at Cosham, in 1817, was a “ crack ” bat, free, elegant, and scientific, and said to be the finest “ point ” in the county. He took his guard within an inch of the stumps, then came forward with the bowler, holding his bat over his shoulder, and is said, notwithstanding tlie above-named habit, to have been, next to Charles Taylor, the most elegant bat Sussex has ever produced. He appeared seldom, from ill-health, and died at the early age of 29, in 1846. and is buried at Fittleworth. Of Edwin Napper we first hear in 1840. He still lives “ to tell the tale,” and looked last year, I am glad to say, as hale and sturdy as ever, when I saw him at Lord’s, to which, no doubt, his fondness for his saddle, and for going across country with Lord Leconfield’s hunt, much conduces. No one was more regular for 20 seasons in his attendance in his place in the County Eleven, or more useful in it; for he was a steady and dependable bat (left- handed), good in his off-cuts, and also in drives, and could be always counted on for runs, while he was also a very useful change medium bowler, and his delivery was so pretty and easy, that it was quite a pleasure to watch him. Born at Lee Farm (not Leigh Parish, as Lillywhite has it), Pulborough, in 1816, he now resides at “ Tisman’s,” near Horsham. The next year produced at Lord’s three very ser­ viceable players—Mr. H. M. Curteis, of Windmill Till, born 1823, Mr. Barton, and Mr. A. Smith. Mr. Curteis was good at mid-wicket off, cover and long-leg, and was a free, forward batsman. His mantle has descended on two sons, who, we shall see b.y-and-bv, belong to the present generation of cricketers. Educated at Westminster, he was after­ wards M.P. for Rye, and Master of the E. Sussex Foxhounds. Mr. Barton, though he did not appear at Lord’s before this year, had played for the county since 1835, and, like Edwin Napper, continued to do so for 20 seasons. He, too, was a free bat and a capital field, wherever he was require 1. He was born at Dartford, in 1810, and afterwards became a tutor at Brighton, where he lived, and fortunately was always a sure field, and glad to obey the sum­ mons of his “ captain,” Mr. Alfred Smith, born in 1812, at Henfield, which has produced many of our best cricketers, where he resided, was an excellent lon^-stop, and for many seasons also scored well for the county about the year 1852, et seq. It would ill become me here to omit the name of one who combined literary accomplishment with proficiency in athletic sports, the late Rev. Wm. de St. Croix. I do not find that he ever played away from home after 1844, and understand that he gave up public cricket when he became Vicar of Glynde, and his principal performances undoubtedly were before he became connected with Sussex But that does not appear to me to alter his claim to notice. A Sussex man he was during a large portion of his life, and a Sussex man he continued to be till the day of his death. I find his name in the Eton matches, and he played for his University (Cambridge) in 1839, ’40, ’41, and ’42, bowling in the three latter years, and getting 8, 6, and 11 wickets in those matches. In 1843 he played at Lord’s, and at Canterbury for the Gentlemen of England v. Kent, getting five wickets at Lord’s and six in the return match at Canterbury, and for some time he was Secretary of the Southdown Club, so that he must have been a really conspicuous player. Edward Bushby also belongs to 1843—a fine forward bat, useful long-stop, and entitled to the appellation of a “ crack,” though not much men­ tioned till he was 24. He was one of those obliged to abandon the game from ill-health. Born at Sompting, in 1817, he died at Henfield, where he was gamekeeper to Mr. A. Smith, in 1856, at 39, and was buried in the churchyard of his native village. In 1845 Wm. Napper made his cricketing debut. Though inferior as a bat to his brother, he was his superior as a bowler. Beginning thus early, his scores reach down to 1868, so that he was a most serviceable player for the county for upwards of 23 seasons, and is almost a greater evergreen than bis elder brother, Edwin. Though left-handed with the bat, he was a right-hand bowler; slow, with a high action, holding the ball high in the air just before delivery, with his arm at nearly full length. Being also a good field and sure catch, few were more valuable coadjutors in a toilsome uphill match. 1846 was rendered famous by the appearance of John vVisden, of whose praises we have already spoken. Mr. George Wm. King, the present respected and popular Secretary of the S.C.C.C., also “ put in his appearance ” this year. Born in London, in 1822, he was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambrilge, and resides at Brighton. Long-stop and long-leg were his principal watches, his batting was steady, and he had a good defence. Few know more of the game, or can better unfold its annals, or can tell pleasanter anecdotes of the green-sward, or are keener lovers and judges of it; in proof of which we need only mention that he started the Brighton Club and became President of it, and has contributed a good deal to what may be called the literary side of cricket. There is a pause now of four years before any celebrity i( comes to the fore; ” and the first who do so are John Lillywhite, in 1850, and James Lillywhite, in 1851 (of whom see pedigree, No. 12 of “ C r ic k e t ” ). James was the elder brother, but is less kvown of the two, though an average bat and a good twisting round bowler. They had both the great advantage of learning under their father, when he played and practised in front of his Hove cottage, in company with such men as Meads, Morley, Lanaway, and Box. John was so long before the public, both on the cricket field and at his cricket repositories, that we seem to see him now, though gone from us at last, with something of the well-known strut of the father, by which you might have known him any­ where. He was good all round, splendid at cover- point, a good shot at the wicket, though near­ sighted, a fine powerful off-hitter and driver ; whilst at the wickets he was fast round at first, subsiding afterwards into slow twisters. (To be continued.) B ooks or M agazines on C r ic k e t .— The Manage1 of C bicket is prepared to bu y an y old books on cricket subjects.—Adyt.