Cricket 1883

“ Together joined in cricket’s man ly toil.”— Byron. Registered?or^Eran8E»is^oi?Abroad. THURSDAY , OCTOBER 25, 1883.PRICE2 W IL L IA M B A RN E S . SuTTON-m-AsHFiELD, in Notts, is entitled to a position almost without a parallel in the cricket of the time. Exception might perhaps be made in favour of Lascelles Hall, but it is open to doubt whether the Nottinghamshire village, on the verge of Sherwood Forest, can not claim the foremost place as a nursery for cricketers. It ha 3 been stated that Sutton-in-Ashfield sends out every year more professional bowlers than any similar district in the kingdom, and, as far as we know, there is no reason to challenge the statement. There are abundant pi oofs of its fertility in the production of cricketers. Cross- land and Briggs, who have been so useful to Lancashire of late years, are both natives of the village. Morley was born there, and, among others, J.C.Shaw, Farrands, Gregory, who rendered such service_to Derbyshire some years ago,and Shore, a player whom many think ought to have had a thorough trial in the Not­ tinghamshire Eleven, can all claim it as their birthnlace. William Barnes, the subject of „he present sketch, too, first saw the light there on the 27th of May, 1852. The compiler of “ Scores and Bio­ graphies ” mentions his first engagement as with Winchester Garrison, in 1872, and in the following year he acted as the professional to the Victoria Park Club, at Leicester. In 1874 and 75 he was em­ ployed by the Nottingham Amateurs, and it was no doubt the cricket he showed in connection with this club which secured liim a trial in the County Eleven during the latter season. His debut for Notts was at Nottingham against Gloucester­ shire, on July 29, and his form was evi­ dently considered promising, as he took part in all the six matches remaining on the programme. His nine completed in­ nings realised an aggregate of 126 runs, but by far his best performance was his 45 in the return with Gloucestershire, at Clifton, and on that occasion the three new hands in the County Eleven, Barnes, Selby, and Arthur Shrewsbury, contributed 167 out of 208 from the bat. His all-round cricket, in 1875, was so satisfactory hat the following season saw him a regular member of the Nottinghamshire Eleven, and he took part in all the eleven matches for a very creditable average of 18 runs. His best show was his 53, not out, v. Middlesex, at Prince’s, but he rarely failed to get a respectable inningB, and in testimony of his general utility it is only necessary to quote the character given of him in Wisden’s Almanack, “ he is so fins a saver of runs that he well merits a place in the Eleven.” In 1877, though his average was not quite so good, he was again successful. He opened the season with a well-played score of 45 against Lancashire, but his aggregate of 305 for nineteen completed innings was in a great measure due to his very fine score of 109, not out, against Kent, at Canterbury, an innings- got without anything like a chance. The following season of 1878 found him second in the batting averages to Selby, and throughout he was very consistent in his run-getting. Though he got spectacles both at Derby and at Sheffield, he had a very credit­ able aggregate of 412 runs for 18 completed in­ nings, an average of nearly 23. Hia highest contribution was his 98 against Leicestershire, but he also got 56, not out, against Gloucestershire, at Nottingham ; 20 and 29, not out, besides taking eight wickets, against Middlesex, at Lord’s, and he was not out in all seven times during the year. The acceptance of an engagement with the Marylebone Club found him one of the ground staff at Lord’s in 1879, and the advantage of more regular prac­ tice was soon shown in the improvement of his cricket. For Notts his best innings was his 54 against Kent, at Nottingham, and he also made 53 for M.C.C. and Ground against the same County. The Marylebone authorities were so satisfied of his form, even at this time, that he was chosen to represent the Players against the Gentlemen, at Lord’s, and also one of the England Eleven to meet Kent in the first match of the Can­ terbury week. Though his highest score for his County was 54, he was more sue • cessful on the whole than he had yet been, and his average showed 20 J runs for seventeen completed innings. By this time his ability as an all-round player had been fully proved, and the autumn of 1879 saw him starring with consider­ able sueeess in the United States and Canada, as one of Daft’s English Eleven. The following year witnessed a still fur­ ther improvement in his position, and he was one of the very best all-round cricketers of 1880. For the Marylebone Club and Ground against Oxford, he went in first and carried out his bat for 118 out of 236, and he was also credited with 107, not out, for M.C.C. against the Cambridge Long Vacation Club. His 143 against Glouces­ tershire, at Cheltenham, was the best of many excellent innings for Notts, and at the close of the season he found himself in the proud posi­ tion of first batsman of the County, with the creditable average of 34. He signalised his