Cricket 1882

AUGUST 10, 1882. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 207 may most reasonably look to regain for us the laurels we have lost. The following summary, in decades of years for the present century,Hill the year 1878, will show the fluctuations, and latterly the decadence, of Sussex cricket. In 1808—1818 no record exists from which any just comparison can be instituted on the subject. In 1828 Sussex played, and was beaten by, England twice, once by ten wickets, and the other time by 90 runs; whilst of the Kent matches, one was drawn, and the other—remarkable for having 14 noughts in the 2nd innings of Sussex—she lost by 35 runs. In 1838 Lillywhite gives five matches, one against Marylebone (with Pilch, Wenman, and Redgate), in which the M.C.C. won in a single innings and 36 run?—and which was remarkable for Mr. E. Grimston’s score in his only innings exceeding the whole of the 1st innings of Sussex— one against Marylebone (with Pilch and Wenman), resulting in a victory for Marylebone by 6 wickets ; one (with Pilch) against England, Sussex winning by 85 runs; and the two Kent matches, both won by Kent, by two wickets and 76 runs respectively. In 1848 one match was drawn, and Sussex won three, defeating Kent by one wicket, M.G.C. by 24 runs, and Nottinghamshire by 32 runs. In 1858 Sussex beat M.C.C. by 41 runs, and of the Kent matches each county won one. In 1868 Sussex beat Middlesex by 9 wickets ; in the 1st Kent match was defeated by 10 wickets, and, in the return, won by 133 runs. In the 1st Middlesex match Sussex won by 9 wickets, and, in the return, lost by an innings and 44 runs ; whilst, against Surrey, Sussex lost botb ; the first by 7 wickets, and the return by 9 wickets. In 1878 out of 10 matches she lost eight, viz., the out and home matches with Gloucester (the first by an innings and 67 runs, and the return by an in­ nings and 24 runs); the out and home matches with Surrey (the former by an innings and 44 runs, and the latter by 9 wickets) ; the out and home with Yorkshire (the first by an innings and 3 runs, and the latter by 266 runs) ; and the out match against Kent by an innings and 36 runs ; whilst the Aus-. tralians defeated her at Brighton by seven wickets The M.C.C. and Ground liiatch at Lord’s was drawn. Her only victory Was the home match against Kent at Brighton. (To be continued.) ^ C 0 I W $ P 0 p E N C E - > We are not responsible for the opinions expressed by our cor­ respondents. No communications can be inserted unless they bear the name and address of the writer, as a proof of good faith, not necessarily for publication. AUSTRALIAN MATCHES. TO THE EDITOR OF “ CRICKET.” S ir , —No one will take objection to “ A Bar­ rister’s ” wish (expressed in your last issue) that a return match should be arranged between Surrey and the Australians. But I fail to see on what precedent your correspondent founds his argument that the team of players he enumerates to repre­ sent Surrey would show to better advantage than did the Yorkshiremen in the matches recently played. It is a well-known fact that Yorkshiremen consider the match v. Surrey about the easiest fix­ ture on their card; and it was a rather singular fatality that at the very time “ A Barrister’s ” letter appeared in your columns, a Yorkshire team, much weaker than those vanquished by the Australians, were literally extinguishing the team he mentions as likely to beat the Australians. It would have been much better if your correspondent had simply made his suggestion and left it to the consideration of the “ powers that be,” than to attempt to support it by such illogical reasoning as he resorted to. Of course in cricket we must allow a little for “ hopes and chances” (to use a Gladstonian ex­ pression), but it is going beyond even probabilities to expect a Surrey team to conquer the Australians, or, if I were to speak in the same confident strain as that adopted by “ A Barrister,” I should add, Yorkshire either.—I am, sir, yours faithfully, July 29. SAML. COOKE. the example of Sherborne, better fielders would then be turned out than we at present possess.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, TANC0CK,S ZULU. TO THE EDITOR OF 1‘ CRICKET. ” S ir ,—In common with the majority of lovers of Surrey cricket, I should very much like to see a return match played between Surrey and the Aus­ tralians. At the same time I find it quite im­ possible to agree with “ A Barrister” in his selection of the Surrey team which he thinks might prove successful. Surely he does not seriously think any eleven would be thoroughly representa­ tive of Surrey cricket which did not include S. W. Cattley. The last-mentioned gentleman is without doubt one of the finest fieldsmen in England at the present time. Indeed, I myself think there is only one man who is'his superior at cover-point; I refer of course to the Rev. V. K. Royle. Those who have seen Mr. Cattley fielding this year will readily agree with what I say. The way in which he ran G. B. Studd out in the Surrey and Cambridge match was a “ fair caution.” Coming to a later date, did “ A Barrister” see the Surrey and Middlesex match at Lord’s ? Mr. Cattley’s fielding in the first (I did not see the second) innings of Middlesex was simply splendid, winning for him repeated bursts of applause, in which even the Middlesex men joined. His batting in that match was also worthy of notice, as he succeeded in scoring 28 in the first, and 24 in the second innings, just when runs were badly wanted. Hoping you will insert this (although I should prefer some abler pen than mine to have done what I consider a simple act of justice), I remain, yours respectfully, JAGO. THE TOURING SEASON. TO THE EDITOR OF “ CRICKET.” S ir ,—Now that the tour season has commenced it would be a great boon if you would call attention in your columns to yet another evil which militates against good cricket. I allude to the excesses in­ dulged in during a tour. Anyone, I think, who has been a tour, will acknowledge that the living is more free, the hours kept later, card playing more ex­ tensive, and drinking deeper than during any other period of the cricket season. And the captain of the te-un has over and over again the mortification of finding his best bowler “ slack and chippy ” and utterly incapable, or his most reliable bat a failure, and if he attempts to check these excesses he is rewarded (behind his back, or even to his face) with the epithet of “ schoolmaster,” or some other epithet equally ill deserved. It is quite possible to make the tour perfectly festive, without sitting up till the small hours of the night, and every true sportsman must lament the utter feebleness and uselessness of many of his team consequent upon these indulgences. I enclose my card, and beg to sign myself EX-CAPTAIN. ONE AGAINST ELEVEN. TO THE EDITOR OF “ CRICKET.” S ir , —In your third number, issued May 25th, you treat your numerous readers to an account of a cricket match under the heading of “ Two against Eleven.” I have been waiting for some of your readers to send you an account of a match of ‘ ‘ One against Eleven,” but as they have not done so, and as such might interest your readers, I forward it myself. In the autumn of 1860 H. H. Stephenson took out the first English cricketing team to Australia, among whom was Geo. Griffith— “ Big Ben,’ or the “ Surrey lion hitter,” as he was called. On New Year’s Hay, ’61, they played their first grand match in Melbourne against 18, G. W. Griffith making 61 (corresponding, please remember, with the year of our Lord); the Eleven made 305, the Eighteen 113 and 94. On Monday, the 6 th of January, the Eleven started on their first up-country trip. A coach had been specially put on for them, their destination being Beechworth, an inland town, some 200 miles from Melbourne. The Eleven will not readily forget their first experience of a colonial bush road with the thermometer over 100 in the shade, besides being almost jolted to death, and they were in anything but cricket trim when they arrived at their journey’s end. They met with a very hospitable and kind reception; nearly all Beechworth and surrounding neighbourhood came to see the match, which was Twenty-two against Eleven. The Twenty-two made 20 and 56, the E.even 264. Geo. Griffith was top scorer with 46. An enthusiastic Australian said he would back Griffith to beat any eleven on the ground, he having three to field, a feat he accomplished easily, the Eleven getting only one run among them. The following is the score:— WHAT DO THE AUSTRALIANS TEACH US ? TO THE EDITOR OF “ CRICKET.” S ir , —In “ Optime’s ” article in your issue of August 3, he asks, “ Is there a single school where these two points (stopping hard hits and returning them) are attended to?” And then gives ashis answer, “ We don’t believo there is one.” In this, however, he is mistaken. At Sherborne School in Dorset­ shire, from which W. H. Game, and in later years, F. E. Lacey and A. O. Whiting came, fielding is practised regularly three times a week for from half to three-quarters of an hour. Two of the eleven are deputed to hit while the rest field out at different distances, and have to throw in properly. Certainly I agree with ‘ ‘ Optime ” that what we really are defi­ cient inis fielding, and if more public schools followed Orr, 1b w, b Griffith.. .. 0 S. A. Blown, b Griffith .. 0 Ward, b Griffith................ 0 Dunsford, b Griffith .. .. 0 C. Rice, b Griffith .. .. 0 J. Reid, b Griffith .. .. 0 Hughes, b Griffith .. .. 0 O. Daniel, c Mortlock, b Griffith....................... 0 Weston, b Griffith .. .. 0 W. S. Brown, 1 b w, b Griffith........................0 Baldock, run out .. .. 0 N b l ....................... 1 ] Total..................1 G. Griffith scored (c Reid, b Daniel) 6 j w, 2; total, 8. It is evident from the above that Murdoch, Horan, Massie, McDonnell, and Spofforth were not “ knocking about.” They might have been in the field, though, looking on and saying to themselves, “ Wait until we are men.”—Yours, &c., Liverpool. J. A. WARDLE. B righton C lub v . O ld C a rth u sian s . —Played on the Sussex County Ground on Friday and Satur­ day. Drawn. Brighton, 378 (A. Blackman, 116, R. T. Atthill, 112) ; Old Carthusians, 208 and 210 (W. H. Lipscombe, 69 and 37) ; Messrs. Blackman and Atthill made 196 for Brighton before a wicket fell. C r ic k e t . —A song, written and composed by J. H. Smith, and dedicated to A. N. Hornby, Esq. “ It will be welcomed heartily by all lovers of the manly and truly national British game.”— Era. Post free, 18 stamps, of the author, 22, Clifton-stree t W olverhampton.— A d v t . T he C anadian C ricket F ield . — A weekly Record and Review of Canadian Cricket. Published every Wednesday during season except May and September, when there will be only two issues. Advertisements and Subscriptions will be reoeived at the office of “ C ricket ,” the London Agency.— Advt. _ S core sheets for forwarding matches to C ricket can be had at the Office, 17, Paternoster-s juare, London, E.C., price 9d. a dozen— A dvt ,