Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1886. p r io e ad. HENRY PHILLIPS. I t is passing strange that the names of five of tlie most masterly exponents of the art pf wicket-keeping during the last quarter-of-a- century have all boasted the same initial letter. Pooley, at his best without a peer, found ..formidable rivals in Phillips and Plumb, who in turnwere succeeded by Pilling,- who, many are of opinion (though ill-health has curtailed his cricket considerably of late) is the best man in the world behind the sticks at the present time. Of this great quintet the Sussex veteran, whose portrait we give this week, is certainly not the least distinguished. Anyone seeing him for the first time would find it difficult to believe, active as he is, that it is eighteen years since Phillips commenced his career as a County cricketer. Born at Hast­ ings, on the 14th of October, 1844, his connection with that town has been uninterrupted for forty-two years. His cricket was learned there, and his first innings of three figures was one of 109 for Hastings against Mer- sham. Though hehad shown promise at an early age, he had completed his twenty-third year before he made his appearance in a match under the auspices of the Sussex County Club. This was on the 25th of May, 1868, on the Old Brunswick Ground, at Brighton, on which occasion he was one of three players chosen to help the Nine Gentlemen against Thirteen Colts of Sussex. Though unfortunate enough to be bowled without a run, his fielding was so much above the average that he was at once drafted into the County Eleven. A fortright later, indeed, he was representing Sussex against Kent, at Brighton, and it is not a little singular that, of the twenty-two who took part in that contest, Phillips is the only player now engaged in first-class cricket. Charles Ellis was then the Sussex wicket-keeper, and it was not until the following year that Phillips’ pro­ ficiency behind the sticks was recognised or even generally known. Business prevented him playing at the outset for the County as much as he would have wished, and, indeed, in 1869 he was only able to assist Sussex in two matches, againstLancashire and Surrej'. These two fixtures formed the Brighton Cricket Week of 1869, and it was then, it i« stated, that Phillips first tookwicket for the Sussex Eleven. His ability was proved unmistakeably, in the following summer by an excellent per­ formance against Surrey, at the Oval. He started by stumping Jupp from the first ball of the match, and altogether he had a hand in the dismissal of 'five Surrey wickets, four stumped and:one caught. His first perform­ ance at Lord’s was in the Colts’ ’ match of 1871, in which his brother James, Selby, R, Humphrey and Clayton also figured, and here he acquitted himself creditably, scoring 10and 13, besides keeping wicket very smartly. Even at this time he had already acquired a high reputation as a stumper, so high, indeed, that he was chosen by the late John Lillywhite, no mean judge of the game, to keep for the Players against the Gentlemen, in his benefit match, played at Brighton that year. It was a memorable contest, as many will still re­ member, if only for the remarkable perform­ ance of the brothers W. G. and (alas that one should have to add the late) G. F. Grace', in the second innings of the Gentlemen. Though in the first innings lie was bowled by the third ball, when he went in again W. G. made it warm for the Players, and he had got 217 when he was caught from a skier by Phillips, who had to run some distance to secure the ball. Al­ together Phillip’ssummaryfor Sussex, in 1871, was an excellent one, for in the five matches in which he repre­ sented Sussex he was credited with twenty-four wickets, eleven stumped, and thirteen caught. During the summer of 1872, too, he was in re­ markable form behind the wicket, as the Surrey men in particular again found to their cost, at the Oval, where he had a share in the downfall of elevenof theirtwenty wickets. Just at this period he had certainly no supe­ rior as a wicket-keeper. So general indeed was the recognition of his ability that he was not only selected to represent the Players against the Gentlemen at the Oval in 1873, but was offered a permanent engagement on the ground staff at Lord’s, a posi­ tion which his business engagements compelled him to decline. Meanwhile his batting had been steadily improv­ ing, and during the last ten years on several important occasions he has been of the greatest service to his side. In conjunction with Mr. C. M. Kennedy, for Eight Gentlemen and Players against Fourteen Colts, at Brighton, in 1876, he put on 155 runs for the first wicket, one of the best of his batting performances. A capi­ tal innings of 79 against Lancashire, at Brighton, helped to place him fifth in the batting averages of 1877, a position he still further improved in the following year, when he was second on the list. Though unsuc­ cessful with the bat in 1880, for the next few years liedid good service with the bat as well as behind the sticks. In 1882 in particular, he was quite in the vein for run-get­ ting, and during this season two innings of three figures were recorded to his credit—108 not out forHastings against Mr.Reeves’Eleven, and 135 for Lord Sheffield’s Eleven against Alfred Shaw’s Eleven, the latter a capital dis­ play of batting against the bowling of Alfred