Cricket 1883

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron, No. 24. VOL. 2. Ilcgigtered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1883. PRICE 2d. W A L TER W IL L IAM READ. T h e brillliant cricket shown by Mr. \Y. W . Read during his tour in Australia with the Hon Ivo Biigh fully entitles him to a foremost position even among the many excellent all­ round cricketers forming that party. Of the whole team his batting has been the most reliable, the most con­ sistent. As far as we are able to judge he has the best average of the whole band, and this is in itself a great feat considering the acknowledged strength of the team in this depart­ ment. Few cricketers have such good cause to be proud of their successes as Mr. Read. He was born at Eeigate on November 23rd, 1855, and has been closely and actively iden­ tified with the cricket of his native place. Reigate,indeed, can claim him as wholely and solely its own. It may fairly be said too that he owes his pro­ minent position to nothing but his own ability and perseverance. With, at the outset, no advantage of skilfui tuition, such as those who have en­ joyed the benefit of a cricket educa­ tion at one of the public schools or zz universities, he has been the founder '•& of his own reputation. As a boy he soon began to show ability as a cricketer, and although the practice he was able to get was not of the very best, the straightness of his bat, the excellence of his defence, and his general aptitude for the game made it clear that were opportunity offered he would make his mark. If we mistake not it was Jupp who in reality was sponsor for Mr. Read on his first ap­ pearance in the County Eleven. He was only seventeen when he made his debut for Surrey, and the writer can remember well his opening match at the Oval against Yorkshire on August 1] th, 1873. In alluding to his play on this occasion the compiler of “ Scores and Biographies ” describes him “ As a steady batsman, likewise a sound and free hitter, bidding fair if he continues the same to arrive at the top of the tree.” This prophecy of the biographer, it must be admitted, has been duly fulfilled. In his first match he had to be con­ tent with scores of three and fourteen, but in the following week against Kent he batted in really good form for thirty-nine, and this mainly decided his place in the Eleven. Scholastic duties prevented him from helping the County much in 1874, but in 1875 he had fairly estab­ lished his name, and at the end of that season had gained the distinction of the highest batting average for Surrey. Unfortunately pro­ fessional duties did not permit his appearance in the County Eleven until late in the season, but each year showed an improvement in his play and in 1876 he had an aggregate of 588 for fourteen completed innings, or an average of 42. His best performance of that season was his 106 against Kent, but he also scored 94 and 41 against Middlesex, and against Yorkshire at the Oval he made 60 not out in a total of 118 on a very difficult wicket. In the following year he was one of the eleven selected by Mr. W. G. Grace to represent the Gentlemen against the Players at Prince’s, and he more than justified his selection by a brilliant innings of seventy-two with­ out a chance. A few weeks later he performed the best feat that has ever been recorded of him. He went in first with Jupp for Surrey against Yorkshire at the Oval in August of that year (1877) and before they were parted 206 runs had been scored with o very difficult chance by Jupp. His 140 in this match was his highest score for some years, but his cricket never varied, and in 1S78, though un­ able to play very much, his batting for England v. Gloucestershire at the Oval was the best on the side. His batting indeed had much to do J|r with the defeat of Gloucestershire, and his innings of forty-three not out and not out twenty were two really brilliant displays. In 1879 his ap­ pearances for Surrey were few, but in 1880 he was again well to the fore, and among several good scores his chief performance was one of ninety- three against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. His best innings in 1881 was his 180 against Kent at Maidstone, and for hard driving and well-timed off-hitting this was one of the best innings we have ever seen. The acceptance of the post of Assis­ tant Secretary to the Surrey County Cricket Club last spring brought him perma­ nently to the Oval, and with better opportunity for practice his play further developed. His best record was pgain made from Kentish bowling to the tune of 117 at the Oval, but he