Cricket 1885

NOV. 26,1885. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 45? the scene of the principal Bugby Union football fixtures in the South, is going to be utilised for cricket purposes, for which, I may aid, it is eminently suited. The Blackheath Club, known previously as the Black- heath Morden, is fortunate, indeed, in being able to secure such comfort­ able head-quarters, and no effort will be spared to make Rectory Field as popular among cricketers as it iswith footballers. T h e r e are about seven or eight acres available, and the centre Qf the ground, which, under tho supervision of s'uch an expert as George Hearne, is sure to be thoroughly well laid, is already finished. The whole area is to be levelled, and as the existing turf is of the best description there is no difficulty iu the relaying. I have myself been favoured with an inspec­ tion of the design for the Pavilion, which will be provided with every accommodation and convenience, in­ cluding baths, a boon which will be thoroughly appreciated by cricketers. George Hearne is confident that the new grouud will play thoroughly well even as early as May, and I under­ stand that Mr. F. S. Ireland has already arranged the greater part of a heavy list of matches. Mr. W a l t e r R e a d , the well-known Surrey cricketer, was married on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Parish Church, Reigate, to Miss Florence Wells, youngest daughter of Mr. A. Wells, of Mead Lodge, Reigate. Though the weather was miserable, with continuous rain throughout the day, there was a large party of friends to witness the ceremony, including Sir Henry and Lady Knight, Messrs. C. W. Alcock, Secretary of the Surrey County Club, John Shuter, Captain, C. E. Horner, E. J. Diver and F. W. Bush, of the Surrey Eleven, and Dr. Jones, of the Surrey Committee. The service was most impressively read by the Rev. S. Minton-Senhouse, a well- known member of the Surrey Cricket Club, who was assisted by the Rev. J. N. Harrison, Vicar of Reigate, and the Rev. E. Thorpe. There were over sixty guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wells at the subsequent breakfast at Mead Lodge. Mr. and Mrs, Read left in the afternoon for the Isle of Wight, where they spent the honeymoon. I b e l i e v e it is pretty well settled that the Surrey eleven will commence the season of 1880 on Monday, May 17, with a match against Essex, at the Oval. With the exception of the omission of the Somersetshire fixtures, the County matches will, I understand, be precisely the same as last summer. Assuming that the Australians do not come, the Surrey programme will consist of twenty-two County matches in addition to the usual trials with the University elevens. The old contests between Gentlemen and Players, and Gentlemen of the South and Players of the South will be re­ peated at the Oval, which will also be the scene of a match for the benefit of E. Barratt, whose bowling for many years was of inva'uable service to the Surrey eleven. I t will be of interest to Secretaries of clubs to know that in all probability the Inter-University match will be played at Lord’s, on June 28 and two following days, though the date is not absolutely fixed. The Secretary of the Marylebone Club has, though, had information that Eton will meet Harrow at Lord’s on July 9 and 10, and I understandthat thetwo matches between Gentlemen and Players will take place on July 1 at the Oval, and on July 5 at Lord’s. T he executive of the Kent County Club has decided to confine its pro­ gramme for 1886 to fixtures with Notts, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Surrey, Sussex, Derbyshire, Middlesex and M.C.C. and Ground. Should the Australian Team come they will in all probability appear at Canterbury on the August Bank Holiday, and in their absence the week will open with a county match, and close with one against M.C.C. and Ground. The other home matches will, I believe, be decided at Mote Park, Maidstone, Gravesend, and Tonbridge, with probably one fixture on the ground of the Beckenham Club. If the last arrangement is carried out, I should think that the Surrey match would be the most suitable, as well as the most popular, at Beckenham. A c o r r e s p o n d e n t located in Sydney has been good enough to send me some particulars of the opening of the season in that city in the early part of last month. C. Bannerman, who was one of the First Australian Team, which visited England in 1878, com­ menced well with a score of 108 not out for the Carlton Club against Car- lingford, out of a total of 2-58 for seven wickets. S. P. Jones, T. W. Garrett, W. C. Wilkinson, A. ani C. Banner- man, P. McDonnell and C. W. Beal all took part in the match between the two crack clubs of Sydney, the Carlton and University. The turf, though, was in very bad condition, and the scoring was generally very low. C ric k e t in Sydney is evidently played under considerable difficulties, and indeed this can be shown by the fact that the match between the Carl­ ton and Carlingford, two senior Club3 already referred to, was played on a fibre matting wicket. Cricket upon turf in Sydney, according to ‘ ‘ Censor’’ in the Sydney Mail, is onlypracticable on the Association Cricket Ground, and elsewhere matting has to be re­ sorted to. “ The Domain,” he adds, “ was only afewyears back famous for the excellence of its turf wickets, but for the past few seasons it has been so rough that to play on it without netting was an extremely hazardous proceeding. Owing to the scarcity of water, combined with the frolicsome cricket of the small boy element, and the grazing of the cows, the sward of the Domain is so terribly cut up that it is quite unfit for cricket.” “ Dost like the picture ?” T he meeting of the Secretaries of theminor CountyClubs held at Lord’s on Saturday last, would seem to suggest a certain grievance that more is not done by the older counties to encourage their younger brethren, particularly those anxious to develope their cricket, and eager to try their strength against opponents occupying a higher position in the public esti­ mation. I have every possible sym­ pathy with rising talent of every kind, and am certainly of opinion that it would help cricket materially if opportunity were given to everyone of the younger counties of acknowledged capacity to meet yearly at least one of those of older standing or higher repute. A t the same time I would stipulate that there should be some tangible proof of the stability of any county club desirous of entering the lists. It would be easy to point out several instances in which of late years the rising counties have been taken in hand and encouraged, and I am_not at all clear that there has been any real ground for the grievance which Next Issue December 24.