Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. Regi«tered°for^Tni’iiBr^Sion Abroad. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 5 , 1 8 8 6 . PRICE 2d. ampton, as well as Yorkshire at Sheffield, he took 7 wickets, but as it is hardly necessary to point out, there is or ought to be no com­ parison between the two records on the score of quality. In the first innings of the York­ shire match he was credited with as many as six of the ten wickets, at a cost of of only 45 runs, and though he did little just at the last he played a conspicuous part in the attainment of the brilliant success the Sussex eleven were able to claim on that occasion, a bare victory by only three runs. In 1884, though the County was fairly strong in bowling, Hide acquitted himself imost satis­ factorily in competition with his brother, the late W. Juniper, the late Mr. WJ Blackman, and Walter Humphreys. In the earlier fixtures he was not particularly fortunate, but on the whole he was distinctly successful, and the lob bowler, Walter Humphreys, was the only one of the County team who had better figures in the averages of the year. The following season did not find him in his best form, and his performances presented an unfavourable contrast with those of 1884. Though his thirty-one wickets were got at the heavy average of over 25 runs, some of his doings of that summer were still very good. His best records were against Lancashire at Brighton and Hants at Southampton, and in each case he was seen to the best advantage in the second “ hands.” At Southampton he wa3 credited with seven of the ten wickets of Hamp­ shire, and of the fifty-nine overs he bowled as many as thirty-three were maidens. In point of quality, though, this performance was in no way to be compared with that against Lanca­ shire at Brighton six weeks before. Though somewhat heavily punished on the first day in the second innings of Lancashire he was in brilliant form, and his analysis of 27.3 overs for 37 runs and six wickets, taking all the circumstances into considera­ tion, was one of the best perform­ ances in a county match during the summer. He commenced last season aus­ piciously at Lord’s, and hisbowling hadmuch to do with the creditable victory of Sussex over M.C.C. and Ground. Against Glouces­ tershire at Gloucester, and against Notts at Nottingham, too, he showed to particular ad­ vantage, especially in thelatterfixture, where­ in he delivered 71 overs and three balls, 44 of A R TH U R H IDE . T h o u g h neither has been successful in attaining a position in quite the front rank of professionals, the two brothers Hide have not only each gained a high reputation on the cricket field, but done their duty thoroughly and withal comported themselves in a manner to earn the respect of all who know anything of County cricket. And if the subject of our present sketch has been in a measure eclipsed by the superior all-round play of his elder brother Jesse, who has proved his abilities unmistakeably in Greater Britain as well as on the cricket fields at home, the younger has deserved equally well, at least, of the County in whose service he has worked so zealously during the last five years. Like his brother, too, Arthur Hide is Sussex every inch of him. Both were born at Eastbourne, and with that town their connection has re­ mained uninterrupted to the present day. Over three years the junior, Arthur Hide will reach his twenty- seventh birthday on the 7th of May next. Few particulars of his early cricket have reached us, and, indeed, we have no information that would be likely to be of any interest before the commencement of his career as a county oricketer. He did duty for the Sussex Colts on two occasions, but, to judge from the lack of a trial, with no very brilliant success. His local reputation, though, kept him none tlie less prominently before the notice of the Sussex authorities, and in the season of 1882 an opportunity was given them of testing his capa­ bilities. The Sussex County Club has very rarely indeed, of late years, been able to get its full strength for distant fixtures owing to the business engagements of many of its amateurs, and just about the time named its cricket was not in the most satis­ factory condition. The out match of the year with Yorkshire was at Dewsbury, and there on June 15 Arthur Hide made his first appearance for his County. He had littlechance then, though, of proving his capacity as a bowler, and it was not until he figured at the Oval a month later against Surrey that he made his mark. As some may possibly re­ member, Mr. C.A. Smith did a capital perfor­ mance in this match, whjch overshadowed }he excellent bowling figures of Hide at the close. In the second innings of Surrey the latter de­ livered 33 overs, for 25 runs and 4 wickets, and so satisfactory was the impression he created on this occasion that his services have been re­ tained in every Sussex match since that day. Against Yorkshire, at Brighton, just a month later, he acquitted himself with equal credit, and his analysis of 44 overs and 1 ball for 42 run* and 5 wickets, on the run-getting pitch at Hove and against Yorkshire batting, was an additional proof of his merit as a bowler. Though on some few occasions his bowling was particularly effective, on the whole he was not so successful in 1883 as in the pre­ vious years, certainly not so successful as had been expeoted. Against Hampshire at South­ Is su e D e c em b e r 3 0