Cricket 1884

j u n e 12,1884. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE CAME. 397 Thornbury v. Stroud, at Thornbury, June 12, 1883.—E. M. Grace 117, W. B. Gilbert 129, H. P. Thurston 102— Total 457 for seven wickets. Blenheim v. Eton Park, Eton and Mid­ dlesex Ground, May 17, 1880.—H. Stoddart 115, G. K. Poulter 104 re­ tired, A. Stoddart 110 retired—Total 517. St. John’s v. Christ Church College, Ox­ ford, June 2, 1874.—R. T. Thornton 116, G. P. Elwes 149, W. W. Pulman 249 not out—Total 681. Liverpool v. New Brighton, Liverpool.— D. Q. Steel 111, G. Bird 127, A. G. Lyster 128—Total 500 for seven wickets. Emmanuel v. Trinity Hall, Cambridge, at Cambridge, July 17 and 18, 1874.— B. Wilson 131, H. C. Phillips 106, S. C. Collin 103 not out. I Zingari v. School of Gunnery, at Shoe- buryness, July 19 and 20, 1878.—P. Crutchley 159, H. N. Tennant 106, Hon: B. Lawler 120—Total 573. Richmond v. Hornsey, at Richmond, May 31, 1883.—A. Springett 102, P. B. Shadwell 104, W . Lindsay 104. Gentlemen of Cheshire v. Gentlemen of Shropshire, at Shrewsbury, August 27, 1868.—A. N. Hornby 201, E. K. Hornby 177, F. H. Birley 106 not out —Total 548. Clifton Club v. Cam Wanderers, 1876.— F. Townsend 140, R. F. Miles 108, E.J. Taylor 105—Total 465. Mention has purposely been omitted of the big innings of 1,238, said to have been made at Sydney about 1876 in a match between the Ulster and Mac­ quarie Clubs. In this J. Flynn made 249, G. Mullens 247, M. Brereton 186, J. White 178, H. Brown 147, and extras 100. No date has ever been mentioned in connection with this match, and it does not seem to be properly authenticated. T he following are the highest bat­ ting averages of not less than five completed innings in all county and first - class matches up to Saturday last— Cmpltd. Innings. Runs. Most in Innings. Avrg. W. W. Read .. 9 566 162* 62.8 A. G. Steel . 5 254 134 50.4 Barnes . 11 520 105* 47.3 M, C. Kemp . 7 298 95 42.4 Lord Harris .. 10 388 112* 38 8 Bates .. 8 299 133 37.3 I. D. Walker .. 8 285 83 35.5 J. E. K. Studd. . 5 173 82* 34.3 Hall .. .. .. 9 292 116 32.4 C. T. Studd 8 259 141* 32.3 G. G. Hearne .. 11 330 116 30 Tester . 6 168 73 28 Briggs.. 248 112 27.5 G. F. Vernon .. 15 395 60 26.5 W. R. Gilbert .. 6 155 40 25.5 M. P. Bowden . 11 269 89* 24.5 Shrewsbury .. 7 169 70 24.1 F. H. Sugg . 6 142 73 23.4 T. C. O’Brien .. 11 255 92 23.2 C. W. Wright .. 6 134 61 22.2 Abel .. .. 12 264 93 22 W. G. Grace .. 13 264 101 21.11 J. G. Walker .. 12 256 92 21.4 A n o t h e r instance of fast run-get­ ting was recorded in the match be tween the Richmond and Pallingswick Clubs, at Richmond, yesterday week. Richmond were batting four hours and a quarter, and scored 510 runs for the loss of eight wickets. The eighth batsman was dismissed with the total at 338, and 172 runs had been added without the fall of another wicket, when rain stopped further play. The runs were nearly all run out. A v a l u e d correspondent has sent me the following on the subject of the Australians’ objection to Price in their match with the Gentlemen at Lord’s, on which I commented in my “ Gossip” of last week : In common with many staunch lovers of our national game, I was not a little sur­ prised to hear, and read in various papers, the anything but complimentary remarks on our colonial visitors, on the fact of their having objected to Price acting as umpire in the recent match at Lord’s. A moiety of the Australians being personal friends, I had an innings with them yesterday on the matter in question, and, on the authority of Mur­ doch, have much pleasure in stating what actually took place. On going out to field, and seeing that Price was one of the selected umpires, Murdoch remarked to Lord Harris, that he was sorry Price had been selected to stand, inasmuch as some of the team had no confidence in him, whereupon bis lordship immediately replied, “ I was not aware of this,” and at once sought Mr. Perkins with the result now so well known, and out of which so much capital has been made to the detri­ ment of the Australians. All old cricketers know that Price is far above suspicion for integrity, &c., &c., &c., but there does not exist two opinions, I think, but that in the decision which gave rise to the unpleasant contretemp (to use a racing term) he was caught napping, and the Colonials could only judge his capacity from what they saw, and not on his own reputa­ tion, of which they knew little or nothing. Audi alteram partem is one of the first principles of justice, and I am pleased to publish “ Veteran’s ” state­ ment. I, myself though, can name not afewexperienced cricketers,all of them quite impartial, more than one in good positions for adjudicating, who assert positively that the decision of Price, which appears to have given umbrage to the Australians, was strictly correct. And even if it were not, “ Veteran” himself knows well that if e\ery umpire who gives one wrong decision were to be debarred, matches would have to be played entirely without the assistance of these necessary officials. I am rather surprised to find a paper like the Yorkshire Post so far behind the age as not to be aware that the wickets can now be rolled on the second and third mornings of the match even though the innings is un­ completed. At least the writer of “ Cricket Notes” in the Post of Tuesday, to judge by the following remarks, is evidently under a wrong impression : Then again,though the wickets are allowed to be rolled between the innings, they cannot be touched at any other time, so that a side which continues its innings in the morning cannot touch the pitch, no matter how much ithas been cutup. —I would call his attention to the first part of Rule 9, which contains a provision — the words in italics— carried last year. The ground shall not be rolled, watered, covejed, mown, or beaten during a match, except before the commencement of each innings, and of each day's play, when, unless the in-side object , the ground shall be swept and rolledfor not more than ten minutes. A n o t h e r best performance! I refer to the big innings of 303 not out made by W. P. Holms, for Blair Lodge against Campsie Glen on Satur­ day week. This is the largest in­ dividual score ever made in Scotland: Holms, who is a nephew of the late member for Paisley, I understand goes to Oxford next spring. Holms and H. L. Fleming went in first and put on 333 before the latter was stumped for 168. I h e a r on good authority that the once famous Yorkshire bowler George (now Mr. George) Freeman has been asked to represent the Gentlemen of England against the Australians at the Oval on the 26th of this month. I know a similar invitation was sent to him for the same match at Lord’s on May 29tli, but business prevented his acceptance. One of the best judges of the game assures me that when he thoroughly warmed to his work, his bowling last year, if it had not quite the same “ devil ” as of old, was in quality far above the class of any of the higliest esteemed amateur fast bowlers of the day. I am glad to be able to announce the arrival in this country of the Hon. Ivo Bligh and his Australian bride. Mrs. Bligh will have the very best wishes of English cricketers, high and low, and I can suggest no better wish than the good old-fashioned one of long life and happiness in her new home, I am asked to publish the following letter which Lord Bessborough has addressed to some of the papers :— 3, Mount-street, London, W.—Arrange­ ments having been made for the publication