Cricket 1883

MAY 24, 1883. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME, 121 - ^ P / I Y I M 0 J S v G ^ I P ^ The abstract and brief chro licle of the time.— Hamlet. “ Th e Committee of the M.C.C. have decided that the objection to Crossland’s residential qualification to play for Lancashire has not been sustained, but the Committee are of opinion that the Notts County Committee were quite justified in having the matter investi­ gated.” T his is the decision of the High Court of Appeal in reply to the protest of the Committee of the Notts County Club that Crossland was not eligible to play for Lancashire under the residential qualifi­ cation. While the case was still sub judice any comment would be improper, and now I should be sorry to express an opinion in the matter. A c c o r d i n g , though, to the ruling of the Marylebone Club, the Nottinghamshire Committee were justified in instituting an investigation of Crossland’s creden­ tials, and it would be of value to those interested in County Cricket, to have the evidence on both sides for future reference. The revision of the laws of the game is already well in progress, and from the way in whieh the provision in the third of the laws governing County Cricket was read, in the only case I know of, the claim of Mr. P. H, Morton two years ago to represent Surrey, I am sure that the code, short as it is, either wants re-wording or official interpretation. At least the case re Crossland might be fully stated to form a precedent. T he mysterious stranger who made a big score of 129 for the Orleans Club against the Bevellers on Saturday, besides taking some wickets, has been causing a little mild excitement. Who was G. W. Simpson ? that was the ques­ tion. A great many clever people with one consent rushed to the conclusion that it was our old friend, W. G. Grace. Un­ fortunately had the champion ever shown a desire to conceal his identity, which he wisely has refrained from doing, there was satisfactoryevidence of an alibi, as he was playing at Clifton on the same afternoon, and fond of cricket even as he is, the step from Gloucestershire to Twickenham was beyond his powers. I fancy a reversal of the three initials could give a clue to the real name of of the fictitious Simpson. The amateur in question, unless I am wrong in my surmise, has played for Surrey. A curious termination is recorded in the Olasgoiv News, to a match played on Saturday between two clubs named Albyn and Tullisvale. The game, so says the News, came to an abrupt conclusion owing to one of the Tullisvale players being put out leg-before-wicket and re­ fusing to leave his ground after the umpire had given his decision. I could name not a few very prominent cricketers who would never have been given out according to their own ideas had it not been for a gross conspiracy of umpires, but this defiance of the sacred authorities is a little amusing. I remember well a story of a very,well known player, no less than one of the two famous “ Surrey boys,” who objected on principle on one occa­ sion to retiring from the wicket. In playing back he knocked his stumps down, and under ordinary circumstances would have retired. It was his annual benefit, at his native place, though, and he proceeded leisurely to re­ arrange the wickets. Heedless of remonstrances as to this extreme atten­ tion, the stumps were scrupulously pre­ pared, even to the minutest detail of affixing the bails. “ Ou t! ” was his exclamation, when it was gently hinted to him that his innings was over— “ Out, not me, not at Dorking,” and he did not go out, as the field subsequently found to their cost, a cost of 74 runs. I tell the atory as it was told me. I do not abso­ lutely vouch for its accuracy, but I can quite believe it, and at the worst it reads well. A nother of the Hon. Ivo Bligh’s Aus­ tralian team has safely arrivedin England. Mr. C .F .H . Leslie was at Lord’s on Mon- dayandin the bestof health. The Captain and Messrs. A . G. Steel, G. F. Yernon, and G. B. Studd are the only ones still absent. A v a l u e d correspondent writes to me as follows :— “ A curiosity of the kind named in your Pavilion Gossip occurred in a match in which our club (Addis­ combe) was engaged against Blackheath Morden. R. J. Perring, a fast left- handed bowler, bowled a ball which hit the off bail so full on the top that it failed to remove it. The ball was a very fast one, and hit the bail only. On another occasion, W. Lemmon, who is very fast, bowled a ball which shot dead, hit the leg stump hard at the bottom and glanced off at a great pace, but failed to disturb the wicket. The batsman at the other end, fancying the ball out of long- stop’s reach, called and was run out by the longstop fielding and returning the ball hard to the far wicket. I may mention that the batsman who was thus bowled, but who was luckily not out, had made 10 when this occurred, but being thus let off | he improved the occasion to the tune of 74 runs, and won the match.” S urrey is truly out of luck. Mr. A. P.Lucas, its safest batsman,unwilling,and Jones, its best bowler, unable to pla y. Pooley ,too, with an injured thumb obliged to stand out, there could hardly be a worse combination of ill-fortune. Jones, I understand, will hardly be fit enough to take his place in the eleven for another month, and then Mr. C. E . Horner, who would have proved just now so valuable a substitute, will be available. A new amateur, Mr. E . J. Diver, makes his debut at the Oval to-day. Since the above was written I hear that Mr, A. P. Lucas has thrown in his lot with the county of his birth (Middlesex) for this season, and that he will represent it at Lord’s on Monday against Gloucester­ shire. His desertion of Surrey is hardly a surprise. I prefer, though, to offer no comment on his change of front. T he Melbourne Leader, in alluding to a recent long score Of G. E . Palmer, gives Sam Cosstick as its authority for the oft quoted truism that “ cricket is a funny game.” The remark was the outcome of a series of batting performances by the famous Australian bowler for the South Melbourne Club. Since his return from England, G. E . P. has played four innings for his favourite club. These were 0, 0, 0, and 204 not out. His last score was against Williamstown on April 7, and among his hits were four clean over the boundary. T he largest score of the season.— On Saturday, Western College, Brighton, on the Sussex County Ground, scored 506 for six wickets against Arundel Collegiate School. Harman’s 240 is the highest individual contribution as yet recorded. T he best batting performance of the season. The 118 by Ulyett and Emmett without a wicket for Yorkshire v. M.C.C. and Ground at Lord’s, on Tuesday. O n Saturday Mr. G. W. “ Simpson” scored 129 out of 279 for Orleans Club v. Bevellers, at Twickenham. F or Putney v. Surrey Club and Ground, at Oral, on Monday, T. S. Webb scored 15 out of 22 from the bat. F ok Surrey Club and Ground v . Putney, on Monday, at Oval, Beaumont, in Putney’s first innings, took seven wickets for nine runs. F ob the St. Clement’s Club v. Holloway Boyers, played at Highbury on the 19th, M. Sweetlove, one of this year’s Middlesex Colts, took six wickets for 10 runs. J esse H id e , of Sussex, who has been engaged at Adelaide (South Australia) for the last two or three years, has reached England. He plays for Sussex against Hampshire next month.