Cricket 1883

Kov. 29,1883. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 441 C O U N T Y C R I C K E T IN 1884. x is early as yet, perhaps, to write anything definite with regard to the arrangements of the different County Clubs for next season. The annual meeting is not to be held at Lord’s until the 11th of December, and as nothing conclusive is done until the representa­ tives of the Counties meet in solemn conclave, it is quite possible that some alterations may be made in the programmes, as at present arranged. The business of the conference on Tuesday week will be of more than usual importance, and several causes combine to invest the proceedings with exceptional interest. The circular forwarded by Lord Harris to the Secretaries of the various clubs, with regard to some definite action by the Counties towards the discouragement of “ throw­ ing,” and a reduction of the generally oversized bats now in use, appears in another part of this paper, and the discussion of remedial measures will entail the assemblage of the delegates an hour earlier than usual. The addition of the Australian fixtures, too, will cause the arrangement of the general programme to be a much more difficult task than is ordinarily the case, more especially as we believe it is the universal wish that a much larger number of really representative matches should be played, to test thoroughly the relative merits of English cricket. At present the arrange­ ments of the various Counties cannot be con­ sidered as conclusive. At the same time, a glanoe at the programmes proposed, cannot fail to be of general interest, and the details which follow are in every case official. The Yorkshire Committee are satisfied with the extensive card they carried through so satisfactorily last season. The eight Counties they met in 1883 will again be played home-and- home ; these were Notts, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex. There is every reason to believe that the usual fixture with Cambridge University at Cambridge will also be arranged. A return with the University at Sheffield it was hoped would be fixed, but there are some difficulties in the way. The Committee have arranged to give the pro­ ceeds of the home match between Yorkshire and Lancashire at Sheffield, to Allan Hill, and if practicable, it will be fixed for July 14 and two following days at Sheffield. Some of the County fixtures will be decided at Huddersfield, Bradford, and Dewsbury, but the distribution has not yet been finally settled. In all probability the Yorkshire eleven will meet the Australians twice during the season. The Committee of the Notts County Club met on Saturday last, and in addition to two matches with the Australians, it was decided to arrange home-and-home fixtures with Surrey, Gloucester­ shire, Yorkshire, Middlesex, Sussex, and, if possible, with Kent. The omission of the usual engagements with Lancashire will be noticed. This action was taken on a discussion of the circular sent out by Lord Harris, to which reference has already been made, and it was resolved unanimously, “ That this committee expresses its entire concurrence with the views expressed by Lord Harris, and resolves not to play matches with any county having bowlers with delivery open to suspicion. The committee also agree with Lord Harris’s observations with .reference to unfair bats, and their representa­ tives will be glad to attend the proposed meeting previous to the meeting of the county secretaries on December 11.” The committee have also decided to play a match for the benefit of J. C. Shaw, the left-hand bowler, who did such ex­ cellent service to the County some years ago. They also hope, if possible, to arrange fixtures with the Universities and the Marylebone Club and Ground. Tha Lancashire Committee arranged to play home-and home matches with Gloucestershire, Derbyshire, Kent, Surrey, Yorkshire, and Notts, but it will be seen that there is a difficulty in the way of fixtures with the last-named. It was proposed also to renew the match with Sussex, but the latter could not manage another engage­ ment next season, and in all probability another County will be substituted. The committee intend to play several Colts’ matches during May, at Burnley, Liverpool, and Accrington, with a view to test the capacities of the most likely youngsters against the County eleven. Lanca­ shire will also meet the Australians at Old Trafford, and home-and-home matches have been again concluded with Oxford University. Nothing has as yet been definitely arranged by the Middlesex County Club, but there is every likelihood that the same programme as last season will be arranged. The large number of representative matches to be fixed for the Australians, will probably interfere with the Middlesex list, more especially as there is a un­ animous feeling that the elevens in the chief matches against the Australians should be thoroughly representative. The Middlesex eleven, it is intended, will play the Australians once at Lord’s. The Surrey committee, satisfied with the success of their experiment last year in con­ siderably enlarging their programme to admit fixtures with some of the minor counties, are bent on a continuance of that policy. They have the assurance that in extending a helping hand to the shires struggling to improve their position they are materially encouraging county cricket, and there are substantial proofs that their new departure of last year bore good fruits. Cricketers generally will be glad to learn that the old match with Oxford University, at the Oval, will again figure in the Surrey programme. The committee have decided, if practicable, to play home-and-home matches with Middlesex, Kent, Sussex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Notts, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and in addition Oxford and Cam­ bridge, as well as Essex and Norfolk, will ap­ pear at the Oval. The Somersetshire matches will not be played, but as the programme pro­ posed contains as many as twenty-four fixtures, the Surrey eleven, if the card can be carried out in its entirety, will be booked for seventy- two days, or twelve weeks of the cricket season. Jones, who was incapacitated last year, seems now to be in a fair way for recovery, and it is hoped that he will be able to strengthen the eleven in one of the only two points it appeared to neid material improvement last season. Incited by the improvement shown in the cricket of their county eleven last year, the Hampshire authorities are bent on enlarging their programme, and it is hoped that out-and- home matches will be arranged with Kent as well as with Surrey, Sussex, and Somerset­ shire. Fixtures also will be made with M.C.C. and Ground at Lord’s, and Uppingham Rovers at Southampton, and the Hon. Secretaries, Major Fellowes aud Mr. Russell Bencraft, are desirous, if possible, of concluding engagements with the Australians, at Southampton, to play Hampshire and tho Uppingham Rovers. The Gentlemen’s matches will be against Gentlemen of Devon, Gentlemen of Dorset, Old Clifton­ ians, Aldershot Division, and Winchester Col­ lege. Hampshire, we are very sorry to ltarn, will lose one of its very best batsmen of last year,E. G. Wynyard, also known as a footballer with the Old Carthusians, who sails for India on the 12th of December. As far as we can learn,Sussex is likely to have the services of all those who helped to produce the marked improvement in its cricket last year, and there is consequently every reason for the hope that the impetus given will lead to a still further advance. The old home-and-home matches with Gloucestershire will be revived, and Notts, Yorkshire, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Derbyshire will be met twice, as in 1883. The county eleven will also try conclusions with the Australians, and though not successful against the last team the excellent cricket shown against their predecessors in 1878 and 1880 should give them confidence for the next meeting. Despite their ill success in 1883 the Glou­ cestershire authorities are sanguine that next season will see a great improvement. The Somersetshire matches have been given up, which seems certainly a pity, and instead two fixtures have been made with Sussex. Home- and-home matches will also be played with Surrey, Middlesex, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire, and in addition to two engage­ ments with the Australians, one meeting, if it can be arranged, with the Philadelphians. The Derbyshire authorities have always been enterprising, and their programme for 1884 shows that they are bent on a busy season. Home-and-home matches will be arranged with Lancashire, Yorkshire, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and M.C.C. and Ground, and one, if not two matches, it is hoped, will be concluded with the Australians. Two Colts’ matches will also be played at Derby, and the list of the Derby­ shire County Club and Ground will conclude engagements with the Harrow Wanderers, Uppingham Rovers, and Incogniti. As far as can be seen at present Derbyshire’s available forces will be—Messrs. R. P. Smith, L. C. Docker, Maynard, Walker, and the brothers Evershed, with Chatterton, Cropper, Marlow, Foster, Platt, and Sugg. The last-named was tried in 1883 for Yorkshire, but it has been found that he was born in Derbyshire, and as the York­ shire authorities are very keen on the birth qualification his services would not be engaged. He did not come off very well last year, but still we are of opinion that he will develop into a good cricketer, and both as a bat and a wicket­ keeper he will very probably be of use to Derby­ shire. The Committee of the Kent County Club con­ template an enlargement of their programme, and as at present arranged home-and-home matches will be played with Lancashire, York­ shire, Derbyshire, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, Hampshire and Somersetshire. This makes in all sixteen county matches against ten of last year ; the additional fixtures are those with Hampshire, Somersetshire, and Derbyshire. Kent will also play the Australians on the three first and M.C.C. and Ground on the three last days of the Canterbury week. There is some fear that the County will lose the valuable ser­ vices of Mr. E. F. S. Tylecote, but there is, on the other hand, a chance that Mr. C. M. Cun­ liffe will be in England again next summer. Mr. Frank Penn, too, all cricketers will be glad to hear, is regaining his strength. Every one will hope to see the latter thoroughly restored to health, though there is, we fear, small hope that either Mr. Cunliffe or he will be able to take the field. Wootton will join the ground staff at Lord’s, and Frank Hearne, whose cricket showed a decided improvement last season, may be of use next year to the County. It is sai d that there is a promising colt at Canterbury, named Twynam, and it is to be hoped that he will train on. The Committee of the Leicestershire Club con­ template a material addition to their programme next year. In addition to one match with the Australians, they propose to arrange home-and- home fixtures with Surrey, Derbyshire, if possible, Norfolk, Warwickshire, and they hope to get on matches with another Southern shire. Besides these, it is proposed for the Gentlemen of Leicestershire to play the Harrow Wanderers, the Uppingham Rovers, the Gentlemen of Notts, and probably other amateur teams. Lord Curzon, who was unable to play last season, will this year appear in the eleven. He will in all likelihood be supported by Messrs. C. Marriott, J. A. Turner, W. H. Hay, H. T. Arnall, A. W. Crofts, and, Rylott, Parnham, Wheeler,