Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s man ly toil.”— Byron. BegbAoSViSusmS^ Abroad. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1886. PRICE 2d. T H E L A T E MR. W M . BLA CKM AN . “ On the 2nd of June, at No. 4, Royal Terrace, Fitzroy,William Blackman, of Sussex, England, aged 22.” This brief intimation in the columns of the Melbourne Age of the death of one of the most likely all-round Amateurs of the day, came with a severe shock to English cricketers generally, at a time when the season of 1885was at its height. Some of his friends were doubtful when Mr. Blackman left England for the Colonies in hopes of checking, for a while, the growth of that insidious disease, consumption, whether he would return. Even tney, though, were in no way prepared for such a rapid advance of the ailment from which he was suf­ fering and his sudden death came upon those who knew him best with addi­ tional force. English cricket has good reason to mourn the loss of a youngster who had shown every promise of de­ veloping into a first class player. Born at Arundel, on Nov. 27,1862, Mr. Black­ man was connected with Sussex by every tie. Educated at Ardingly College, as was another excellent all round cricketer, Mr. W. A. Bettesworth, a contemporary of his both at School and subsequently in the County Eleven, he learned his cricket, too, within the borders of the shire, in whose welfare he never ceased to take a loyal and active interest. As far as we can trace, his first connection with Ardingly cricket, at least in any prominent position, was in 1878, in which year he was able to secure a place in the School eleven. As a batsman he was not successful, but his bowling was of great service, and it was as a bowler that he was really able to make a name at the outset of his career. Though his batting on his introduction to Ardingly cricket was somewhat crude, his second season at school found him considerably improved in this department. His average was indeed a very creditable one of over sixteen runs, and as in addition, the records showed that he had taken thirty-six wickets at an average of a little over six runs, the the offer of a mastership there enabled him to retain a connection which was unbroken till his death. The promise shown by the two Ardingly boys, Messrs. Bettesworth andBlack­ man, as was only to be expected, had not escaped the notice of the executive of the Sussex County Club, and no time was lost in giving them both a trial. Mr. Bettesworth School authorities were justified in regard­ ing him as a boy cricketer of considerable promise. The next season, in which he was Captain of the Ardingly eleven, con­ firmed his reputation beyond all doubt, and again he was invaluable to the team having not only the best bowling figures but an excellent batting average of thirty- four runs, surpassed by but one batsman and that his constant mate on the cricket- field, Mr. Bettesworth. His hitting as a boy even was very vigorous, and his last season at Ardingly was remarkable for two big innings for the College, one of 122 against Cuckfield, the other of 1J5 not out against the Rev. T. G. Wyatt’s eleven. Though his School career closed in 1880 he did not leave Ardingly, and made his first appearance against Yorkshir at Sheffield on June 20, 1881, but it was no till a month later that Mr. Blackman was seen in the County eleven. It was a fortunate fixture for him, too, that first match of his, against Kent at Brighton, on July 17, 1881. The loss of Mr. C. M. Cunliffe and the inability of Mr. A. Penn to play except on rare occasions had weakened the attack of Kent materially at the time, and it was this weakness which enabled Mr. Black­ man to mark his advent to County cricket by a success as a batsman rather than abowler. The men of Kent punished his bowling heavily, indeed, but in return in the second innings he hit thetwo Hearnes, Wootton, O’Sliaugh- nessy, and Mr. J. Patterson with undis- criminating vigour, and he was only at the wickets fifty-five minutes for his score of eighty-nine. This opening per­ formance was followed by other useful innings during the summer. Against Hampshire, Surrey, and Derbyshire his batting was of great service, and 1^© brought a successful first season to a satisfactory close with a very useful second innings of thirty-nine against the might of Yorkshire bowling. So far he had made his mark distinctly, and there was really good cause for the general belief in his advance as a cricketer. The season of 1882, though, was not a lucky one for him in many ways. His hitting was at times marked with great vigour, and singularly enough it was the second innings of the match with Kent at Brighton which enabled him to claim his best score of the year (75). The Ardingly pair were indeed in great form on that occasion, and it was theirpartnership of 102 runs which really saved Sussex from a defeat. The pro­ test, however, lodged by the Australian Captain against his style of delivery, which at the time was certainly open to suspicion, at the very commence­ ment of the season had, beyond all doubt, a very prejudicial effect on his bowling, and in this department he was altogether unsuccessful. Though in minor matches he was credited with several extraordinary feats with bat and ball, a strange combination of ill luck attended his efforts with both for the County in 1883. He was, indeed, strangely out of form in first- class cricket, and his records for Sussex that summer were of the poorest. His most notable performance of the year was for Ardingly College against the Marylebone Club and Ground. The Marylebone bowling was dis- Next Issue February 25-