Cricket 1886

872 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OE THE CAME. AUG. 26, 1888. THE LAST MATCH OF THE SEASON. KENNINGTON OVAL, TO-DAY, FRIDAY and SATURDAY. Surrey y . Leicestershire. „ A dmission to G round , S ixpence , t h e CRICKETER’S HAND-GUARD, P a t e n t . A S u b s titu te FOB THE BATTING GLOVE. TO 'BE OBTAINED OP ALL ClilOkET OUTFITTERS. Wholesale of the Sole Manufacturer J. LIVERMORE , 27i Basinghall Street. London, E.C. JOHN WISDEN & CO., ft H ave a C hoice S election of COBBETT’S BATS, | Ana a ls o S o l i A o in t b to b C R A W F O R D ’ S Patent “ Exceller” Bats, the Handle, which is of all Cane and India-rubber inserted cross­ ways thus X down to the shoulder of the blade, obtaining the sami flexibility every way*and just that pliancy and driving power of a slightly sprung handle, with the total absence of any jar or ■ting. A ls o M a n u fa ctu re rs or e v e r t | o t h e r A r t ic le roa CRICKET, LAWN TENNIS, and | OUTDOOR SPORTS. Special Discounts to Clubs, Colleges, Schools, do. 1886 Price List post free. 21, Cranbourn Street, m IiONDON. W.O. J B illiards I B agatelles New or O & London, W.C. All those requiring Second-hand T&blefe, Requisites, or Billiard work done, should before going elsewhere, send for HENNIG BROS’. New Price List, Cloth and Cushion Samples.-^-Address, 11, High St., Established 1862. G r e a t Nor th er n Kail-wa y ANNUAL CRICKET FESTIVAL 1AT .......... SCARBOROUGH. I ZINGABI v. GENTLEMEN, A ugust 30, 31, S eptem ber 1. AUSTRALIANS v. AN ENGLAND ELEVEN, S eptem ber 2, 3, and 4. M.C.C. & G. v. YORKSHIRE S eptem ber 6, 7, and 8. Express Train Service between London (King’s Cross) and Scarborough. L on don (King’s Cross). Week-days : dep. 5.15, 7.45, 10.25, 10.35, 11.45 am.; 1.30, 3.20, 9.0 p.m. Sundays: 9.0 p.m.. < > S ca rb oro u g h . Week-days: arr. 11.15 a.m.; 2.45, 3.30, 4.20, 5.55, 6.50, 9.35 p.m. 5.45 a.m. Sundays: 5.45 a.m. S ca rb orou g h . Week-days. dep. 8.20,10.50,11.0, 12 45* a.m.; 2.45, 4.55, 8.0 p.m. Sundays: 6.45 p.m. L on don (King’s Cross). Week-days: arr. 2.5, 4.30,5.0,7.0*,8.30,10.50 p.m. 2.15a.m. Sundays: 2.50 a.m. 1st and 2nd Class only. London, King’s Cross H en ry O a k ley, August, 1886. General Manager. GRAND CRICKET MATCH at BRIGHTON. AUSTRALIANS v. SUSSEX,' A ugust 26, 27, 28. pHEAP FIRST CLASS DAY TICKETS TO ^ BRIGHTON, from V ictoria 10.0 a.m. Return Fare 12s. 6d., including Pullman Car. Cheap Third Class Day Tickets, London to Brighton and back, for Four Shillings. Cheap Saturday to Tuesday Tickets, London to Brighton and back, 7s. 6d. and 5s. Cheap Day Tickets to Brighton from Hastings, St. Leonards, Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells, Seaford, Guildford, Horsham, Arundel, Little- hampton, Bognor, Chichester, Hayling, Ports­ mouth, and the Isle of Wight. « For further particulars see Bills, Time Book, or Tourist Programme. (By Order). Cricket: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME 41, 8T. ANDREW’SHILL, LONDON, E.O. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 t h , 1886. N O T IC E . Insertion is only guaranteed o f scores o f those Clubs arranging fo r the publication o f all their matches. The E ditor wishes it to be distinctly understood that to ensure appearance in the next number scores must be received at the latest by first post on Tuesday m orning in each week. The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— Hamlet, I am indebted to a correspondent for the following on the late “ Farmer ” Bennett:— Although I had known Bennett many years, I never thought to ask him why he was called “ Farmer” (he being by occupation a brick­ layer), until a short time before his death, when I paid him a farewell visit, and had a long talk with on cricket topics, and days gone by. It appears that the incident which gave birth to the sobriquet aforesaid occurred on the voyage to Australia ' in 1861. “ Tommy Sewell and I, ” said Bennett, “ were having a game .of cards, when Ben Griffith ” (as G. G. was called by his pals) “ came up and took the cards away; I asked him why he did so; we had some more words, and the end of it was that I knocked him down. One of the passengers who saw it asked another passenger “Who’sthat fellow?” The latterreplied “Don’t you know ? That’s Farmer Bennett, the backer of Tom Sayers ;”j (alluding to a real personage, a Sussex farmer, who had figured in that capacity). “ Ben, ” as we know, had his revenge three years afterwards, by hitting George for six all four balls of the over; but, said Bennett to the present writer, “ it was altogether my fault; some of my side were anxious to get Griffiths out that night, and said tome ‘ make him hit,’ which I did, but he hit too hard.” At any rate, both bowlers acquired adistinction which I believe to be unique. T h e Captain of the Old Finchleians C.C. sends me the following in reply to certain remarks of mine in “ Gossip” of last week on the subject of his club’s failure to carry out its engagement at Uxbridge:— , On the Friday before the match, through circumstances that could neither be controlled nor foreseen by anyone, I found myself with a team of eight men at the most. On the same morning I received a letter from a mutual member of both clubs, who was instrumental in arranging this match, saying that the Uxbridge Hon. Sec. could get us some men if we were likely to be short. I therefore tele­ graphed to him to get me three men. He replied by wire, and I read his answer thus, “ Can promise three men on no account. Scratch match.” This rendering of his telegram was the more natural owing to the way the telegraph clerk had written the message. It was read so at the time by three people. I accordingly saw no course open, but to wire to the Uxbridge Club at once, scratching the match, presuming that the Uxbridge Hon. Sec. had been consulted prior to its transmission. My astonishment was great indeed to discover that the sender’s meaning was—“Can promise threemen. Onno account scratchmatch.” This was surely an error that might be made by any person, and the misconstruction of a very ambiguous telegram is, I think you will admit, hardly sufficient to merit such public censure as you have given to the Old Pinchleians by your remarks. In conclusion, I may say, it is an injustice to impute that we belong to a class of clubs who are in the habit of scratching matches at the eleventh hour. Since I have been captain of the Old Finchleians, which is now over two years, I have never before on any occasion scratched a match. T h e r e could hardly be a more extra­ ordinary coincidence than in the remark­ able similarity of the finishes in the two matches between Surrey and Kent this season. In each case the Surrey eleven were able to win with only three minutes to spare, though the victory at Becken­ ham was much more decisive. The meetings between these Counties of late years have been mostly productive of in­ teresting games, and for the last three seasons at the Oval the men of Kent have had at the close to play for a draw, in 1884 and 1885 with distinct success. I t will interest University cricketers to know that Mr. J. H. Brain will be the Captain of the Oxford eleven next summer, in succession to Mr. H. V. Page, who has been in command for the last two seasons. It is uncertain, I believe, whether Mr. Marchant will be up at Cambridge in 1887, but if so, the Captaincy of the University team will devolve on him. I learn that in all probability Mr. M. J. Dauglish, the Harrow Captain this year, will in all probability be at Oxford next summer, in which case the Oxonians will have a Freshman wicket-keeper of some promise.