Cricket 1885

434 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. o o t . 29 . 1885 . the invitation of the Surrey Committee, he was invited to represent the Gentlemen against the Players at the Oval. Though his style is peculiar and unattrac­ tive, Mr. Rock has unwearying patience and as he plays very straight, his wicket is very difficult to get. His bowling is medium pace, and as he is always on the sticks and of an excellent length he is rarely ineffective. WOODFORD WELLS CLUB. Matches played 39, won 23, drawn 7, lo3t 9, RESULTS OF MATCHES. F irst E levhn . May 2—v. Stoics. Won by 116 runs. W W.C.C, 167 ; Stoice, 51. May 9—v, Hon Artillwxy Co., Lost b j 14 runs W .W. C.C. 67; H.A.C. 81. May 14—v. Ongar. Won by 7 wickets. W. W.C.C. 53 and 81* ; Ongar, 64 and 69. * Three wickets down. May 16—v. Upton Park. Drawn. W.W.C.C. 216; Upton Park, 81.* * Three wickets down. May 23—v. Hight ury. Drawn. Highbury, 170.* * Seven wickets down. May 25—v. .Eolians. Drawn. W.W.C.C. 42.* * Three wicket? down. May 30—v. Loughton. Won by 32 runs. W.W.C C. 79 ; Loughton, 47. June 6 —v. Brookfield. Drawn. W.W.C.O. 110.* * Three wickets down. June 10—y. Monkhams. Won by 159 runs. W.W.C.C. 218; Monkhams, 59 and 70.* * Nine wickets down. June 13—v. Upton Park. D*awn. W.W.C.C. 122’ ; Upt. n Park, 129. * Three wickets down. June 18—v. Ivanhoe. Won by 8 wickets. W.W.C.O. Ill and 17*; Ivanhoe, 37 and 83. * Two wickets down. Jane 20—V. Buckhurst Hill. Lost by 29 rune. W .W, C.C., 42 and 133* ; Buckhurtt Hill, 71. * r?ix wickets down. June 27—y. Kenley. Drawn. W.W.C.C., 78* ; Ken­ ley, 119. * Nine wickets down. June 27—v. Dreadnought. Won by 14 rung. W.W.C.C,, 85; Dreadnought, 71. July 4—v. Chigwell. Won by 9 wickets. W.W.C.C., 75 and 34* ; Chigwell, 80 and 23. * One wicket down. July 8 —v. Essex Ciub and Ground. Lost by 7 runs. W.W.C.C., 133 and 117*; Essex C. and G., 140. * Five wickets down. J*uly 15—v. Oogar. Won by 8 wickits. W.W.C.O,, 122 and I1?* ; Ongjr, 66 and 72. * Two wickets down. July 18—v. Buclhurst HiU. Won by 42 runs. W.W. C.C., 1U7 ; Buckbmst Hill, 95. July 25—v. Ca o.is. Won by 2i7 runs. W.W.C.C., 261; Chloris. 34. Ang. 1 —v. Highbury. Woo by 22 runs. W.W.C.C., 125; Highbury,103. A 'ig.S —v. Lowtr Clapton. Won by 221 runs an 14 wicktfe*. VV.W.C.C, 1.81*; Lower Clap­ ton, 163. * Six wickets down A ig. 5—v. Knighton. Lost bj an ii.nings and 56 runs. W.W.C.C., 58 ani 9i ; Knighton, 205. Aug. 8 —V. W n^tesd. Won by 141 runs. W.W.C.C., 212; W.nstfad, 71. Aug. 12—v. Monkhann. Lo-t bj 2 runs. W.W.C.C., 75 and 84*; Monkham*, 77. * Two wi keis down. Aug. 15—t. I-ou^hton. Won by 41 ran* and thr*« wickets. W.W.C.C., HO*; L>ughton , OJ * Seven wi kets d-.jwn. Ang, 20—V. Kenlty. Won ty 83 runs. W.W.C.C., 1*10 an 8 **; Kenley, 100, * Six wickets down. Aug 22-v . H n. Artillery Co., Won by 3J runs. W.W.C.C. >0; H.A.C 48. Aug 29—v. Dr adnought. Won by 45 runs. W .W . C.C. 73 ; Dreadnought, 28 and 51.* * Five wickets d.wn. Fept. 5—v. Cbigwell Drawn. W.W.C.C. 172. S econd E leven . May 2—v. Fo'esfc House 8 chool. Lott by 64 runs. W W.C.C., 41 and 83*; Forest Hou e, 1(*5, * Nine \iictets down. Mj y 13—v. Snaresb'ook. Won by 27 run 3 . W.W.C.C., 47 and 36; Saaresbrook, 2 *. May 23—v. St. Jude's. Lost ly 34 runs. W.W.C.C., 28; 8 t. JudeV, 62. Muy 80—▼. Craven Park. Lost by 45 run;. W .W . C.C., 47 and 51* ; Craven Park, 92. * Seven vickfts down. June 2C—v. Burkhimt Hill 2nn XI. Won ly61 ruai. W.W.C.C., 152; Buckhurst Hill, fc9. July 18—y. B'’ckhurst. Hill 2nd XI. Lost by 4' runs. W.W.C.O., 77 ; Buckhur.it Hill, 118. July 25—v. Forest House School. Won by 97 runs. W.W.C.C., 138; Forest House School, 41 and 37*. * Three wickets down. Aug. 1—v. Cliybury. Won by 7 runs. W.W.C.C., 41; Claybury, 84. Aug. 1—v. St. Jude’s. Won by 11 run*. W.W.C.C., 97; St. Jude's, 66 . Aug. 15—v. Craven Park. Won by 80 runs anl 3 wickets. W.W.C.C., 140* ; Craven Park, 110 . * Seven wiokcts down. BATTING AVERAGES. F irst E leven . Times Most in Inns, not outRuns an Inn*. Aver. E.C Palmer.. 22 .. 2 .. 544 .. 215 .. *7 2 H. H. Tween.. 22 .. 4 .. 462 .. 89* .. 25.7 S.E. Palmer.. 15 .. 1 .. 248 .. 105 .. 17.7 L. H. Gunnery 25 .. 3 .. 857 .. 51 .. 16 2 W .W . Tween 27 .. 6 .. 288 .. 45 .. 13 7 W. Kemsley ..2 9 .. 2 .. 891 .. 46 ..11.9 Ekins .. ..1 1 .. 1 .. 118 .. 55 .. 11.8 F. S. Carter .. 17 .. 2 .. 1*3 .. 89 ..1 0 .9 A. E. Kemsley 10 .. 1 .. 95 .. 26 .. 10.5 Edmund Swift 19 .. 5 .. 131 .. 22 .. 9.3 A. A. Tween .. 15 .. 2 .. 95 .. 80 .. 7 3 A. Mason ..1 3 .. 1 .. 71 .. 19 .. 5.9 The following played in leS9 than eight innings— L. Bond, 1, 9, 0. 2, 0, 3. 2 : E. Boni, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 14 ; H. Davies, 5, 1, 1.11. 7 ; W. F. Trctt, 0,1, 1.0, 0 ; T. Brodie, 4, 0*, 0, 2,0 ; H. B. Tidswell, 52, 7, 51, 0, 4 ; B. Hutchinson, 5, 12, 18, 0, 11; R L. Allport. 7. 36. 2 ,1 ; A. Bigger*. 8 *, 0, 4. 2; F. Kaye, 2, 1*, 4*, 0 ; H. O. Ellis, 3, 72, 18, 85; F. H. Thorpe, 0*. 9, 0 ; John Blows, 0, 31, 0; A. Wohlgemuth, 0,8*, 3*; D. J. Noad,1,4,3*; G. Buxton, 103*, 2, 0; H. Morris, 0, 1*, 0 ; James Blows, 17,1,8; R. T. Budworth, 26, 2, 0 ; E. P. Barlow, 23, 87* ; G. Hartley, 28, 0 ; R. W. Muir, 2. 0 ; W. Blows, 8 , 0 : C. Stevens, 5*, 21; W . Mason, 3, 0; A. E. Hi 1, 4 532; W . Havers, 12*, 1 ; W. S. Matthews. 16. 16 ; H.Boyton,11, 1 ; J. E Hor’,15*; B. Charnen, 9: B. Litchfield, 0 ; G. Godrich, 3 ; E. Mills, 18; 0. b. Buxton, 8 ; H. Philipaon, 2: H Powell,0 ; A. Bonn«tt,0 ; A. W, Breading, 0; 13. H Cook, 6 ; G. Gain, 0. * Signifies not out. BOWLING AVERAGES. First E leven . Balls.Mdns. Buns. Wkts. Aver. W. W. Tween .. 1099 .. 65 .. 409 .. 6 ) .. 6.8 W. Kemnley .. 1422 .. 8 .* .. 516 .. f3 .. 8.19 Ekins................... 555 .. 22 .. 263 .. 32 .. P.’i2 L. H. Gunnery.. 1051 .. 40 .. 510 .. 60 .. 8.5 F. Kaye .. .. 105 .. 5 .. 51 .. 5 .. 10.8 E.C. Palmer .. 413 .. 24 .. 169 .. 14 .. 12.1 A. Mason .. .. 190 .. 8 ..1 1 5 .. 6 .. 191 The following bowlel less than 103 balls : C. D. Buxton, 34 runs, 8 wickets; John Bl ws, 84, 5; G. Hartley, 15. 5 ; D. J. Noad, 16, 4; A. E. Kemsley, 17, 3; H. O. Ellis, 12,2; E. Sainsbury, 25, 1 ; F. S Carter, 19,1; W. S. Matthews, 12, 1; G. Godrich, 19,1; R. L. Allport, 11,1. In the becond match with Loughton, no aDalysis wns kept. W , Kemsley took 4, and W. W. Tween 5 wickets. DEATH OF EDGAR W ILL SH ER Another link between the cricket of the present and a past generation has been broken by the death of this once famous cricketer. Edgar Wiilsher was born Novem­ ber 22, 1828, at Polveuden in Kent, and his connection with tbe game dates from the time, when in his teens, ho was to be found in the same match with Alfred Mynn, Hillyer, Wenman, Pilch, and others famed in Kentish cricket history. In bis earliest efforts, though, be was looked upon more in the light of a promising batsman than as a coming bowler, and it was not until 1851 that he came to the front, in the match Kent v. England, as a bowler. On that occasion he brought off an exceptionally good per­ formance in getting rid of such batsmen as Guy, Parr, Caffyn, etc., which at once estab­ lished him as a fcowler above the average. Since that time for over twenty succeeding years he held his position in Kent, in Gentlemen and Players’, and in All-Enpland and United South matches, as one of the best and meet effective fast left-hand bowlers that had ever thus far appeared for Kent, or in fact in England. “ There is very little doubt,” writes Robert Thoms, an old comrade, to whom we are indebted for this biographi­ cal sketch, “ that his bowling would not at all times stand the scrutiny of a *Binocular ’ in the then existing law, which enacted that the hand should not be above the shoulder. Wiilsher often pathetically remarked that he had been born too soon : and, perhaps, to a certain extent he had cause to think so, for he lived to see *chuckers, balf-chuckers, windmills, and pounding down bowlers ’ have a good time of it, whilst he, a bowler with a strictly fair delivery, as regards bowling, had to be settled for occasionally delivering the ball above the shoulder. This to me is not a pleasant theme to dwell upon, and to I will at once run it short with a full stop. Wiilsher, during his long career, did some wondrous feats, too numerous to record here. One, though, in particular, deserves prominent notice :—It was in 1867, whilst playing for the United South v. XVI. of Southgate—in one of-those grand matches, •so dear to Metropolitans, which used to be layed annually for consecutive years in outligate Park, the seat of that esteemed and much lamented gentleman, the late Mr. John Walker, so long known as one of the most liberal supporters of Middlesex cricket. The team, as can be well imagined, con­ sidering the locality, was a strong one, and the wickets perfect. In spite of this double disadvantage, Willrher—from my end— trundled down twenty-seven overs, twenty- six of which were maidens , for two runs and a wicket. In July, 1871, in recognition of his long and trustworthy services, the M.C.C. granted him Lord’s for his benefit match, and headed his subscription list with a most liberal donation. The match, though, was not a success, as a great deal of rain fell during the three days; and to compensate him for this loss a second match was played in the autumn at Mote Park, Maidstone, which was well patronised, and with a most satisfactory result. It is worthy, too, of passing remark, in the way of an old story re-told, that the ‘ Demon of Demons’ (W. G. Grace) was not got out from start to finish in either of these matches. Going in first at Lord’s he was not out for a contribu­ tion of 189, the only innings he had. At Mote Park he again repeated the dose with scores of 81 not out in the first and 42 not out in the second innings, thus making in both matches a total of 312 runs without being once out, not a very bad performance when it is recollected that the chief item in a benefit match is what the gate draws. After Wiilsher had retired from County play— although he was for some time engaged as manager at Prince’s charming crioket ground at Sloane-square—he was chiefly engaeed as an umpire in county matches. It was observed during the past season that he was in a very bad state of health, and after officiating in August last in the match of Derbyshire v. Hants at Buxton, poor Wiilsher went from that cricket field, literally speaking, to die, for after arriving home he took to his bed and never went out again. Kent has hau aMynn and Hillyer and other good bowlers, of whom it is to be hoped as the years roll by there wiil b many more. The bowler, though, who surpasses or equals Ted Willsher will indeed be a ‘ demon.’ ” Hampstead N ondescbipts C lu b . —The officers for 188G a reC a p ta in , C. Braith­ waite; Vice-Captains, W. J. Haycraft and J. S. Haycraft; Hon- See. and Treasurer, J. S. l faycraft. Next I s s u e . 26