Cricket 1886

86 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. MAECH 25,1886. CO U N T Y C R IC K E T IN x 886 . T he Nottinghamshire programme for 1886 is the most extensive yet introduced to the public, including seven county fixtures, three Australianmatches (two againstthe County and one against the Players of England), in addition to the usual trial of the Colts. Everybody will be pi ased to note that friendly relations have been res; ored between Lancashire and Notts, and that a very popular fixture—that of Kent— h s also 1een renewed. T he Parsees, too, play the Gentlemen of Notts on the Trent Bridge Ground. There is some slight doubt as to whether Alfred Shaw will be of any service this summer. An accident he sustained during the winter will probably interfere with his powers as a bowler, and at 43 years of age a cricketer is not likely to recover himself as quickly as a young man. He will, however, in all likelihood have atrial, as will Selby, though the latter may also be considered a doubtful man. To fill the place of older players, who are in any case not likely to last long, the Notts committee have been on the look out for new blood. They have engaged F. Shacklock, w ho played for Derbyshire last year, for several of the early matches. Shacklock’s withdrawal from Derbyshire has naturally awakened con­ siderable resentment in the cricket circles of that county, and the policy of his act may fairly be questioned. On the other hand it is urged, in Nottingham, that he is to all intents ana purposes a Nottingham man. In proof of this it may be stated that he has lived in the county since he was five years of age, and that ke really learned his cricket in Nottingham Forest. He was tried, too, for Notts against M.C.C. and Ground at the close of the season of 1882, before he threw in his lot with Derby­ shire. The laws of County Cricket enact that a player may choose at the commencement of each season for which shire he will play, assuming, of course, his possession of a proper qualification. Still the action of Notts is the m ore noticeable from the fact that the qualifi­ cation of birth has always been regarded and claimed as their only one. This abandonment of a traditional policy can hardly fail to escapc comment. Messrs. C. W. Wright and H. B. Daft will no doubt be wanted again. Another ama­ teur who is avery fast bowler may possibly have a trial, Mr. Whitworth, from the Mansfield dis- 1rict. Another of RichardDaft’s sons,the eldest, Mr. R. P. Daft, is also spoken of as a comingbat. In fact he has a more finished style than his brother, but is not so good in the field. Mr. G. Beves, who was born in Sussex, but lives in Notts, has also been mentioned as a possible county player. He got 60 runs against the county bowlers in the Colts’ match two years ago. It is probable that the late period at which the Colts’ match takes place this year may develop one or two good men, as most of the competitors are likely to show to better advantage. Riley, who has been engaged at the Oval for the last three years, Butler and Baune, of Sutton, and a number of applicants have already sent in their names. The most noticeable feature in connection with the Trent Bridge Season will be the opening of a New Pavilion and the enlargement of the ground. The severe weather of the last three weeks has seriously interfered with the progress of the building, and it will hardly be completed by the first Australian match. The style is that of Lord’s, but the balconies on either side from the committee and amateur dressing rooms form a feature absent from the erection at Lord’s. There are spacious club and dining rooms, committee and secretary’s rooms, re­ freshment room, ladies’ tea rooms, baths for players, dressing rooms, &c. The design is by Mr. H. M. Townshend, Diocesan Architect, Peterborough, and the cost with the covered wings will be about ^4,500. Though the Yorkshire eleven usually have their hands full the coming season will be an unusually busy one. Despite the enlargement of the general programme consequent on the Australian visit the campaign will not be opened until May 24, the first day of the Derby Week. This date has usually been reserved for the annual match with M.C.C. and Ground at Lord’s, but owing to the num­ ber of important fixtures Marylebone will not be met this year in London and instead the Yorkshiremen will have to visit the Oval on the days named. In addition Sussex, Middle­ sex, Kent, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Gloucester­ shire, and Notts have all to be played twice, as well as Cambridge University, who will again figure at Sheffield as well as Cambridge. The executive have, too, with a view of encourag­ ing the younger shires arranged two matches with Cheshire. The home match with Cheshire will be played at Halifax, and that with Sussex at Huddersfield. The Lancashire Eleven will have to visit Dewsbury, Middle­ sex Bradford, and Derbyshire Holbeck. The Australians, too, will be seen four times in Yorkshire—at Sheffield, Huddersfield, Scar­ borough, and Bradford in the order given. No official information is as yet procurable with regard to the probable composition of the eleven. All the old players, though, will be available, and as upwards of sixty applicants (some of whom are said to be of considerable promise) have sent in their names for a trial in the Colts match, there is every reason to believe that the county will be quite as strong as in 1885. The Lancashire eleven will, as usual, have a very busy summer. The Australian teams have always been so successful financially at Manchester, and in addition received such hospitable treatment at the hands of the executive of the County Club, that it is hardly a surprise to find so many of the chief engage­ ments of the Colonial programme decided on the admirably kept enclosure reserved for Lancashire Cricket at Old Trafford. The Colonial Team, as in 1884, will figure there three times during the coming season. The elevens representing the North of England have been signally successful against the Australians at Manchester, and both in 1882 and 1884 the Colonists had to lay down before the North. This fixture will be the first of the three to be decided at Manchester in 1886, and special interest, therefore, should be attached to the first match of the Fifth Australian Team in Lancashire, as the latter are sure to strain every nerve to regain the laurels they have lost in previous visits. On June 14 Lancashire will try conclusions with the Eleven carrying the colours of the Mel­ bourne Club, and on July 9, the first day, by the way, of the Oxford and Cambridge match, the Australians will have to meet for the second time the pick of England. Besides the Australian fixtures the card issued by the Lancashire Club presents one noteworthy addition to that of last year in the shape of the reintroduction of the old and popular match with Notts, the reappearance of which all cricketers will welcome with genuine and unmixed satisfaction. As many as nine Counties will figure this season on the Lanca­ shire list, Notts, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire,Surrey,Sussex, Kent,Cheshire, and Essex, and these, with the out and home fixtures with Oxford, and a single match with the M.C.C. and G., represent a total of twenty- one County engagements to be undertaken by the Lancashire Eleven. In addition to these two colts’ matches will be played at Enfield and Werneth respectively. Though it was stated authoritatively at the end of last season thac Mr. A. N. Hornby had definitely resolved to resign the Captaincy of the Eleven, the information we have received points to an opposite conclusion. Mr. Hornby’s retirement would be an immense loss to County cricket generally, and the news that he still intends to direct the Lancashire team will evoke universal gratification. It is probable, too, that the executive may be able to count on the more frequent assistance of Mr. A. G. Steel, who, we believe, has taken up his quarters permanently in Liverpool. With Mr. Steel’shelp in the more important matches Lancashire would be immensely strengthened, and with its full force the county can hold its own with the very best. Of good amateurs |there is no lack Messrs. 0. P. Lancashire and F. Taylor of the older members will be avail­ able, as well as the Rev. Yernon Royle, who will be able to play in a few matches late in the year. Mr. G. Kemp, of the Cambridge Eleven, who made such a promising debut last season, should also be of use, as also Mr. H. Eccles, an old Uppinghamian, a very promis­ ing cricketer in 1885, if as is hoped, he should be able to help the County. Mr. H. B. Steel who, owing to an injury to the knee, could not play last summer will also, in all probability, be able to assist. The professional element will form a strong backbone with Watson, Barlow, Briggs, Pilling, Robinson, Yates, and the two colts introduced last season, Littlewood and Bums. Whittaker, too, may possibly play in a few matches. Lancashire, deprived of Crossland, is in lack of a fast bowler, and no efforts will be spared to secure a capable successor to Crossland. Local report speaks highly of a professional named Hibbert, engaged in the neighbourhood of Lancashire. He is far on the wrong side of thirty, and is consequently hardly likely to improve. Still, according to all accounts, he is above the average, and it is pretty certain that he will have a trial. Gloucestershire will open its season on Easter Monday with a match against Surrey at the Oval, an early fixture necessitated by the desire of both Counties to avoid collision with the match between the Gentlemen of England and the Australians at Lord’s on June 3, the original date. The Gloucestershire eleven will have to meet the Australians twice, at Clifton and Cheltenham, the latter the opening contest of the annual week in that town. Had the Colonists not come two matches would have been arranged with Derbyshire; but as it is, only one can be played with that County, to take place at Derby on the August Bank Holiday and following days. So far as can be seen the constitution of the eleven will undergo some changes. Useful additions have been secured in the persons of Mr.O.G.Radcliffe, the Somersetshirecricketer,who is now qualified to represent Gloucestershire, and two promising young amateurs, Messrs. C. Wreford Brown, captain of the Charterhouse eleven of 1885, now at Oxford, and A. C. Croome, a member of the Wellington College eleven of 1884. On the other hand, Woof, who has given up his engagement at Lord’s and settled down at Cheltenham as “ coach” at the College, will be unable to play in term time. This loss will be a very serious one for the County, and it is to be hoped that Woof’s valuable services will still be available. The return of Dr. E. M. Grace, who was not able to play last season owing to a bad knee will, though, be some compen­ sation, although on the other hand it is feared that Mr. Pullen will be unable to play owing to the claims of his profession. Mr. Moberly would, no doubt, be only too glad to re-appear in the eleven, but as was the case with the Secretary, Dr. E. M. Grace, last ear, he has abad leg, and it is doubtful whether e will be able to help. The Committee, as was announced in C ricket some time ago, have secured a piece of land for a County ground. Though there was a difficulty at the outset in the shape of a footpath which at present crosses the land required, the consent of the Local Board has been obtained for the diver­ sion of this path, and a special general meeting of the members of the County Club has been called for April 9th, to authorise the Com­ mittee to secure the ground. Most of, if not all, the old players will be available. Mr. Brain, singularly out of luck last year, should be of great assistance this season. Mr. W. G. Grace’s chief trouble, as of late years, will be the lack of bowling. The Surrey eleven, as last year, have a heavy task before them. The two fixtures with Somersetshire do not figure in the list, northe out and home matcheswith Oxford Uni­ versity. The summer term this year, at Ox­ ford, falls unusually late, and this, in con­ junction with the addition of the Australian match, form the only reasons why Surrey and the University do not meet this summer. The executive of the County Club, we may add, were quite agreeable to accept the suggestion Next Issue April 15-