Cricket 1885

60 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME, a p k i l ie,lseu. C OUN TY C R ICK E T IN 1885 . ( Contir.ucd from page 46.) The matches with Kent and Lancashire will this year be absent from the programme of the Somersetshire Club. In their stead, though, the fixtures with Surrey and Gloucestershire will be renewed, so that the supporters of the County are sure to see good cricket. Though unsuccessful as yet, the eleven have on several occasions shown up well, and lack of energy can certainly not be charged to the executive. Most of last year’s players will be available and there are hopes that Mr. A. E. Newton, the Eton wicket keeper of 1881, who will be in resi­ dence at Oxford this summer, will be of great use to the County. There is a chance, it is said, that Mr. A. H. Evans, who has had a mastership at Winchester College for some time, may play for Hampshire under the resi­ dential qualification. He will be a loss to Somersetshire cricket, though he only appeared in the County eleven once last year. Lancashire does not figure on the Leicester­ shire card, and Surrey alone of the more influential shires will visit Leicester. Home and home matches with Surrey, Warwick­ shire and Cheshire, in addition to one en­ gagement with M.C.C. and the usual Gentle­ men’s fixtures against the Harrow Wanderers and Uppingham Rovers, form the programme for this summer. All last year’s players will be again available, although the fact that more than one Colts’ match has already been played shows that the committee are doing their utmost to find new talent of promise. The Corporation of Leicester have decided to lay out a first-class cricket ground of twelve acres. This example might be well imitated by corporate bodies in other parts of the kingdom to the benefit of the public health. Essex, under the fostering care of such a keen sportsman as Mr. C. E. Green, is bent on making a bold bid for a permanent posi­ tion in County cricket. Surrey will be met twice instead of once, as last year, and a home and home match has also been arranged with Lancashire. Two engagements have in addition been made with Hertfordshire, Nor­ folk, and Northamptonshire, and the County eleven will take another departure, playing one match with Derbyshire at Buxton, where great pains have been taken to provide a really good cricket ground. It is stated, and on good authority, that there is more than one youngster of promise coming on likely to be of use to the County. Cheshire is also bent on developing its resources, and the card for this year shows a marked advance in the quality of the fixtures. As in 1884, a home and home match has been concluded with Lancashire, and in addition Derbyshire and Leicester­ shire will have to oppose the Cheshire eleven twice during the summer. War­ wickshire has also entered the list, so that there will be several interesting county matches for decision in 1885. Warwickshire has slightly enlarged its match list of 1884, and this season, Cheshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire and Northamp­ tonshire are to be played. There is no lack of good amateur bowling in the County, but more than this will be needed to ensure per­ manent success. Norfolk has a more modest programme than some of the shires of recent growth. Home and home matches have been arranged with Essex. Leicestershire will visit Norfolk during the Norwich week, commencing on the August Bank Holiday, and Suffolk ard Northamptonshire will also be met once. The matches with Norfolk are the only county fixtures in the Suffolk pro­ gramme. Hertfordshire, in the hands of Capt. Beresford Baker, is showing more life, and Northamptonshire, with a new ground, is sure to improve its position. Stafford­ shire, too, is also making an advance, and there are few shires where the game is not prospering. The hopeful condition of County Cricket is, indeed, one of the best evidences of the oontinued vitality of our Lational sport. GRANVILLE CLUB (LEE). F irst E leven , April 25, at Lee, Club Match May 2, at Lee, v. Charlton Park May 9, at Lee, v. Clapton May 16, at Beckenham, v. Beckenham May 23, at Lee, v. Hampstead May 25, at Lee, v. Northbrook May 80, at Croydon, v, Croydon June 6, at Blackheath, v. Morden Jane 13, at Hendon, v. Hendon June 20, at Ealing, v. Ealing i:‘June 23,24, & 25, at Catford. v. Private Banks June 27, at Lee, v. Crystal Palace July 4, at Hampstead, v. Hampstead July 11, at Lee, v. Hendon July 18, at Willesden, v. Law Club July 25, at Lee, v. Croydon August 1, at Cl>pton, v. Clapton August 3, at Lee, v. Northbrook August 8, at Horsham, v. Horsham August 10 & 11, at Chichester, v. Priory Park August 12 & 15, at Lewes, v. Lewes Priory August 14 & 15, at Eastbourne, v. Devonshire Park August 22, at Addiecombe, v. Addiscombc August 29, at Lee, v. Morden Sept. 5, at Acton, v. Pallingswick Sept. 12, at Lee, Club Match S econd E leven . May 2, at Finsbury, v. Hon. Artillery Co. May 9, at Blaekheatb, v. Eliot Place May 16, at Lee, v. Forest Hill May 23, at Addiscombe, v. Addiscombe May 25, at Lee, v. Northbrook May SO, at Lee, v. Croydon June 6, at Lee, v. Buckhurst Hill *June 9 & 10, at Lee, v. London Joint Stock Bank June 13, at Leo, v. Blackheath Proprietary School June 20, at Lee, v. Lower Clapton June 27, at Sidcup, v. Sidcup July 4, at Lee, v. Addiscombe ■July 7 & 8, at Lee, v. London Joint Stock Bank July 11, at Blackheath, v. Eliot Place July 18, at Blackheath, v. Blackheath Proprietary Schl July 25, at Croydon, v. Croydon August 1, at Lee, v. Sidcup August 3, at Lee, v. Northbrook August 8, at Lee, v. Mr. A. Lindley’s XI. August 29, at Buckhurst Hill, v. Buckhurst Hill Sept. 5, at Forest Hill, v. Forest Hill *Evening Matohes. TEDDINGTON CLUB. April 18, at Teddington, v. New Maldon April 25, at Teddirgton, v. Thames Ditton May 2, at Fulwell, v. Fulwell May 9, at Kingston, v. Mid-Surrey May 16, at Teddington, v. Islington Albion May 2B, at Richmond, v. Richmond Town Club May 25, at Teddington, v. Mr. W. H. C. Payne’s XI, May 30, at Teddington, v. Hampton Wick June 6, at Teddington, Married v. Single June 18, at Richmond, v. Richmond (2nd Eleven) June 20. at Teddington, v. London International Coll. June 27, at Teddington, v. Richmond Town Club July 4, at Teddington, v. Richmond (2nd Eleven) July 11, at Teddington, v. Mid-Surrey July 18, at Hampton Wicfe,v. Hampton Wick July 25, at Teddington, v. Fulwe.l Aug. 1, at Teddington, v. Islington Albion Aug. 8, at Teddington, v. Feltbam Aug. 5, at Chiswick, v. Chiswick Park Club Aug. 8, at Teddington, v. Hampstead Aug, 15, at Teddington, v. New Maldon Aug. 22, at Thames Ditton, v. Thames Ditton Aug. 29, at Teddington, v. Mr. John Guy’s XI. T est practice of Surrey Colts will take place at the Oval on Thursday next and following day. IN M EM O R IAM—T. C. GOODR ICH . There has just passed away at Stamford, in his G4th year, a man who a generation ago was one of the best cricketers in his own particular line in the Midland Counties, if not in all England. He was known as “ Old Goodrich ” thirty years since, when the late head-master of Malvern, the laureate of the Free Foresters, wrote of him. Nor less—with skill and science fraught Old Goodrich multiplies the mounting score— Adroitly gets the batsman caught, Or bowls him clean,—or plants him leg before. But it was not as a powerful batsman, although he could play a good defensive innings, and have a smack at a loose ball too on occasion, or as a steady field, that he acquired his reputation ; but as the best lob bowler of his day; probably the most finished exponent of the style of “ Old Clarke.” He had in fact been a pupil of the same skilled hand which taught the veteran pro­ fessional, the Rev. J. Bradshaw, a Leicester­ shire cricketer of high and deserved note in those days. Mr. Goodrich first became known in the greater world of crioket when he was an under-master at the school at Southwell, Notts, kept by the Rev. Mr. Fletcher, and frequented by many of the younger members of good families in the Midlands, not a few of whom in their after cricket career did credit to the tuition which they received there in the noble game. At that time the Notts Gentlemen played at Southwell, and had a very strong club, as well as the advantage of a most witty recorder of their matches in Canon Hole, the well-known author of the 11 Book about Roses,” &c. In one of his reports, in an old number of Boll’s Life we read: “ Over the grave of many a young cricketer shall be written, ‘ Frightened to death by the slow bowling of Goodrich.’ ” Nevertheless when Mr. Goodrich made his first appearance at Lord’s in 1807, playing for Gentlemen of Leicestershire, he only appears to have been put on for a few overs in the second innings, and is not credited with a wicket. Soon alter thi 3 the Rev. Mr, Fletcher died, and Mr. Goodrich took a private tutorship in the neighbourhood of Manchester, where in 1857 he assisted the Free Foresters in two victories obtained by that club, then newly established, over the Western and the Manchester Clubs. But it was in the following year that he had the opportunity of meeting some first-class talent in a match at Enville, where (in no slight degree owi ig to his bowling) the Free Foresters established themselves in public opinion, by defeating a team of Lord Stamford’s which embraced such eminent names as E, T. Drake, C. Marsham, F. Marshall, W. Fiennes and the brothers Payne. From that date to 1865, Mr. Goodrich played pretty constantly with the above-named club, and assisted them in contests against M.C.C., I Z., The England and United Elevens, the Surrey Club, and the counties of Nottingham and Surrey, in most of which they were succesful. Among the eminent batsmen whom he circumvented, in many instances for small scores, were Hayward,Carpenter,Wisden,Caffyn, Griffith, Cresar, Tinley, H. H. Stephenson, Daft, Biddulph, Brampton, M. M’Intyre, <fec., <fec., and of the Gentlemen, almost every one of eminence who visited the Midland counties at some time or other had to surrender hi3 wicket to him. In most of the important matches in which he figured he had no doubt the assistance of odds in the field, and at all