Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. R#gistered°fo^Transmission Ztiroad. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1886. PRICE ad. MR. CECIL W ILSON . T onbridge S chool , which has had the credit of rearing more than one amateur who has subsequently gained the highest honours, nota­ bly Messrs. H. A. Bichardson and J. W. Dale, enjoys, too, a double distinction at the present time in having furnished to the Kent County Club two of its most reliable batsmen, Messrs. Cecil Wilson and W. Bash- leigh. The former, who is the senior of the Oxonian by several years, was bornat Canonbury, one of the northern suburbs of London, on Sept. 9, 1860, and is, consequently, within a week of his twenty-sixth birthday. His family moving to Beckenham when he was only thirteen years old, Mr. Wilson was sent to Tonbridge School, com­ mencing in 1873 a connection which lasted until the summer of 1879. Though it was not until 1877 that he got his colours, he made his mark at once, and his first year in the School Eleven left him with second batting average. The Tonbridge ground, we may remark in parenthesis, was not then in the run-getting condition which has been the experience of late years, and Mr. Wilson’s average of 16.5 in 1877 was, under the circum­ stances, an excellent performance for so young a player. The following season of 1878 again saw him second in the batting statistics, and with an average once more of sixteen, figures which he improved in 1879, when, as Captain of the School team, he set his side an excellent example, increasing his average, the best of the year, to one of over twenty runs. In his com­ ments on the Tonbridge Eleven of 1879 the Editor of “ John Lillywhite’s Companion ” described Mr. Wilson as “ a very good bat, with fine defence and hitting powers.” His form just then, indeed, as a batsman was quite good enough to lead to the belief that he would follow in the steps of the two Tonbridgians before-named, both of whom secured a high reputation at Cambridge. Having matriculated at Jesus College, at the end of 1879, the earliest opportunity was given to him of showing his form to the University authorities. Unfortu­ nately the weather in the Freshmen’s match of 1880, at Cambridge, was of the most unpro- pitious character, and having to go to the wicket in a hailstorm he was caught off the shoulder of his bat, the very first ball he worthy in face of his consistently high scoring as captain of the Jesus College eleven, which did not lose a match that year, though it will be remembered the Cambridge team was very strong in 1882, and there was really no great amount of room for new material. Hopeless of gaining the coveted honours at his Univer­ sity, Mr. Wilson turned his attention to County cricket, and on June 12, 1882, made his first appearance in the Kent eleven against Yorkshire at Sheffield. His intro­ duction to the Kent team was made under somewhat peci liar circum­ stances, as though he went in second wicket down he carried out his bat for eight, the last seven batsmen only adding two runs, both of them got by Pentecost. His next matchwasagainst Sussex at Gravesend, and it was hero that he first made his mark in County cricket,contributing a thoroughly well played score of 62 not out to Kent’s huge total of 521. The form he showed on that occasion was fully confirmed some six weeks later at Canterbury in the opening match of the annual week held there. Six wickets of Kent were down for 84 when he joined Mr. E. F. S. Tylecote, and as there were then still wanting 144 to save a follow-on, the county’ s chances seemed very small. The two batsmen, though, played such fine cricket that the score was increased by 125 runs before they were parted, and their stand very nearly saved the follow. Mr. Wilson’s two excellent scores of 57 and 50 gave him the distinction of the highest aggregate, and at the same time se­ cured for him a deservedly high repu­ tation as a batsman. Nor did his successes of 1882 end at Canterbury. On the contrary he continued to score well for Kent in subsequent matches, and two excellent innings of 52 not out against Yorkshire at Gravesend, and 31 against Lancashire at Maidstone, improved his position so much that he ran Lord Harris rather close in the Kent averages, having scored 299 runs in nine completed innings. His brilliant cricket for Kent in 1882 had, as was only to be expected, its full effect on the management of the Cam­ bridge University Club, and Mr. C. T. Studd, who v. as the captain of the year, invited Mr. Wilson to take his place in the Eleven in 1883. Unfortunately when the opportunity at last came he was unable to avail himself of it. He had, indeed, previously entered into an arrangement to go abroad with Lord Londes- received. First impressions in University cricket, asmany really good players have found to their cost, are often fatal, and though Mr. Wilson was tried at the commencement of each season for the Seniors, and for the Sixteen against the Eleven, he was not successful enough, it must be admitted, to justify either Mr. A. G. Steel or the Hon. Ivo Bligh, who occupied the post of oaptain at Cambridge in 1880 and ’81 respectively in giving him a trial in the University eleven. Though at the com­ mencement of 1882 he showed very creditable cricket for the Sixteen against the Twelve, and was in a long time against the best Cambridge bowlers, including the captain, Mr. Studd, he was still unable to secure a place in any of the University fixtures. This was the more note