Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil .’’—Byron. Kegistered°for*TransraissioB Abroad. THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1886. P R IC E 2d. His best-show of 1883 with the bat was just at the close of the season, against Surrey at the Oval, a match in which the Derbyshire eleven after being in a minority of 179 runs on the first hands made after all a very plucky fight. Foster, Messrs. Maynard and Evershed, with Cropper, were the batsmen who turned the scale so completely in favour of Derbyshire, and there was no better cricket in the match than Cropper’s two innings of 24 and 51. In 1883, as well as the following sea­ son, he not only batted with great success at times but was, in addition, the most consistent bowler in the Derbyshire team. Marlow had a trifle better average in 1884, but taking the two seasons together Cropper’s figures were decidedly bet­ ter than those of any other bowler on the side, and, indeed, his aggregate of fifty-six wickets was the highest, as the statistics of those two years will show. Last summer, too, Cropper fully upheld his reputation both as a batsman and a bowler. Several of his performances were, too, con­ siderably above the average. His all­ round cricket was seen to particular advantage in the first match with Lancashire and, indeed, chiefly con­ tributed to the brilliant success gained by Derbyshire. Though they had to follow on in a minority of 161 runs, Cropper (80), Sugg and Mr. Eadie entirely changed the aspect of the game, these three batsmen con­ tributing 221 out of 304 from the bat. The game seemed certain to be a draw, but Cropper, who took four wickets for sixteen runs, bowled with such remarkable success just at the finish that the later batsmen of Lan­ cashire were got rid of easily, and the game ended in an unexpected victory for Derbyshire only ten min­ utes before time. This season,though unlucky with the bat in the earlier fixtures of Derbyshire, Cropper’s all­ round crickethasbeen above the ordi­ nary standard. His bowling on several occasions has been most effective. Against the Australians, Kent, York­ shire, and Essex, he was seen to great advantage, and his performance against the Australians was noteworthy, showing eight wickets for forty-three runs. His all-round cricket, too, in the last match played by Derby­ shire Jagainst Essex, contributed in no small degree to the County’s one success of this season. Though they had all the worst of the game on the two first days the Derbyshire W IL L IA M CROPPER . T h o u g h for some years past one of the most prominent members of the Derbyshire Eleven, William Cropper is none the less one of the youngest, professionals occupying a leading position in County cricket. Born at Briming- tori, near Chesterfield, on Dec. 27, 1863, some few months have consequently to elapse before he reaches his twenty- third birthday. A native of Derby­ shire, all his cricket, too, was learned in the immediate neighbourhood of the village in which he first saw the light. When quite a lad he had already made his mark in local matches, and even in company with such experienced players as William Mycroft, R. G. Barlow (himself a Derbyshire man by birth), and George Hay, acquitted himself creditably. His first noteworthy performance was when he was in his thirteenth year. Playing for his own club (Briming- ton) at Clay Cross, though he only made twenty-one runs,he was o,ver an liour-and-a-half at the wickets, show­ ing batting of the most promising kind against a .pioked team. The same season also credited him with another display much above the average for a youngster. In a match against Reni- shaw works his defence was even more effective, and on this occasion he was in altogether two hours-and- a-half for his score of forty-nine. During the early part of his oareer lie was known merely as a batsman, and, indeed, until about the year 1879 he had bowled very little. At this period he became identifiedwith the Chester­ field Club, and it was during this con­ nection that he first turned his atten­ tion to the study of bowling. Though still a youth his all-round cricket had made a favourable impression on some of the leading players in Derbyshire, and in due course he found himself on trial as one of the Colts sent up for inspection by the executive of the County Club. Though unfortunate on this occasion he proved his ability as an all-round cricketer, unmistakeably, several times just about this period, once in particular when playing with Messrs. Maynard and Henery against a strong team of Clay Cross, he had a hand in the dismissal of all the ten wickets, bowling nine for sixteen runs, and catching the tenth. A very promising in­ nings oi twenty-fivej in .his second Colts’ match, secured him a trial in the Derbyshire Eleven at the commencement of 1882. His first appearance for the County was against Yorkshire, at Huddersfield, on June 1, 1882, and right well he acquitted himself, his two scores pf thirty-four and fourteen representing the highest aggregate on tho Derbyshire side. Though against the Australians he showed fairly good form, the two best performances of his first County season were both against Yorkshire, and in the return match with that formidable neighbour he again showed to ad­ vantage, getting his first score of thirty-three by excellent cricket. During the last four years Cropper has been a regular member of the Derbyshire eleven, and his all-round cricket has been of the greatest value to the County.