Cricket 1886

APEIL is, 18$6. CKICKET: A WEEKLY ilECORD OE THE GAME. A B R IE F G LAN C E A T T H E C O U N T IE S . (From Baily's Magazine .) “ 0 fortunatos agricolas, nimium, sua si bona norint !” So sang old Vergilius some one thousand eight hundred years ago ; and, judging from the Parliamentary movements of the past few months, to the “ unco ” timid (landowner) and ultra-sanguine (labourer) the above words seem about to be fulfilled in the shapeof every one of the tribe of “ Jesse ” event­ ually becoming possessed of the now famous “ three acres and a cow.” Then, alas, what will become of our oricket-grounds! Ye gods, picture a “ Zummurzet ” yokel being awarded his “ dree acres ” in the middle of the Oval! Mr. Alcock’s face would be a study when his new landlord came to take possession. Seriously speaking,however, it must have been gratifying to all cricketers to find the inane revolutionary,movement alluded to above did not at the poll receive much encouragement from those countjes which may be considered the birthplaces of cricketHampshire, Surrey, and Kent; nor even to an alarming extent in those which form its present strongholds: Lancashire, Yorkshire (the sporting East Riding) and Notts, coming out respectably enough. The most contented, most thriving and most loyal villages are almost invariably those where the squire and the parson are cricketers. Any one well acquainted with the rural districts of England will bear us outthat this is 110 idle tale. Wliat’s all this twaddle to do with the counties ? we can imagine impatient readers saying. Well, let us assure them that our counties used to draw nearly all their material from these village clubs: and if the various executives could but be persuaded to expend a few pounds on sending round some of their ground-men during the season to coach and report on the players of the most important villages, they would bring to light far more talent than they do by the colts’ matches, which are played early in the year, before the so-called colt has had time “ to frame,” or get into any kind of form. We know some secretaries do take voyages of discovery, and *in'this'respect could be men­ tioned one especially who has been extremely lucky; but then his is a small county, and most of the villages are “ touched” by county men, either pros. 01* amateurs; consequently, “ from information received,” he knows exactly where to go. Before plunging in media,s res there is one more point, and to our mind a most important one, which, though thrashed out.by many of the sporting jpaper3 and dis­ cussed by most cricketers, has not yet received any official recognition. We refer to the abolition of tossing for innings, and the substitution of the more reasonable and certainly more courteous action of giving the visiting team their choice of the wicket. For example, take Derby and Gloucester, and see what bad luck the adverse spin of the coin brought them; on the other hand, the almost invariable luck of Murdoch for the Australians contributed in 110 slight degree to their many successes. .In the event, of course, of but one engagement, alea jagtamla est. The present weather certainly augurs ill for an early season, yet weather-wise ones with sagacious nods aver that this extremely hard fcpring will be followed by a splendid summer. So mote it be ! Notts play their first match u- Australians 011 May i7th and following days—too early, too early, We say. Ever welcome as our Antipodean visitors have been, andwe trust will be,in our humble opiuion their powers have been overrated; and we believe, tackled by a thoroughly representative first- class county team, the “ cornstalks” would con^e off but second best in two at least out of three matches. Now of all counties where can one be found to answer the above requirements better than Notts! Why then should this county have to pit their strength against such formidable adversaries s</early in the season, when, to say the least of it, cricket is of a very fluky nature ? It would have been much more satisfactory to have had later fixtures; however, we must bow to the inevitable. Che sara sara. With six matches won, five drawn, and one only lost, Notts most deservedly gained, acording to the present mode of reckoning, the proud distinc­ tion of being premier county; and it is a significant fact that they alone topped the century (122) in their lowest innings, Kent, a baddish second, being next with 97. Taking Alfred Shaw, Flowers, Barnes, Attewell,Walter Wright, &c., they have lately had over and above their share of good bowlers, their average, 15'74, showing this pretty clearly; Lancashire coming next, well up, with 16 50. All the above are again available; and though that rare trundler, Alfred Shaw, whom we regret met with an accident to his ankle in the winter, has really recovered, he may—sincerely we hope not—y6t he may find this ankle trouble him when he begins bowling again. Badly cduld he be spared, for although last year he did not bowl so frequently as some of the others, his analysis reads— V Overs. Maidens. Runs. Wickets. Aver. 452.3 218 428 29 14.22 The want of a first-class fast bowler has no doubt been detrimental to them in several contests. Luckily, however, that difficulty has been overcome by the engagement of that promising ex-Derbyshire bowler Shacklock, who, it appears, learnt nearly all his cricket in the “ lace county.” In the match Yorkshire v. Derbyshire at Derby for the benefit of an erstwhile good bowler, John Platts, the bowling of Shacklock in Yorkshire’s first innings was something for him well to be proud o f :— Over3. Maidens. Runs. Wickets 18 45 8 reads for a youngster against such ateam very good, we trow. Later on a strain prevented him bowling against his newly adopted county, to which doubtless this season he will be of the greatest assistance. In Shrewsbury (that prince of bats),, Gunn, Flowers, Scotton, Atte- well and Selby (may the two latter be more fortunate this season), there is batting talent of the highest order, and strengthened by the two young amateurs, H. B. Daft (worthy son of a worthy father) and C. W. Wright of Cam­ bridge fame, we think it will take the very best of the seven counties they play this season all their time to lower the Notts colours. Their meeting with the Australians on the Trent Bridge Ground, which, by the way, has been beautified by the building of a handsome new pavilion and enlarged by the addition of a new piece to the playing ground, will be a meeting of giants indeed. Given fine weather, we fully expect to see the “ lambs ” triumphantly up­ hold the honour of their county—yea, of Eng­ land—in the cricket arena. Yorkshire, with but two matches to their debit, next claims our {Inotice, and here again there is a county that will be more than strong. Bates, Tom Emmett (that versatile and ever­ green veteran), Peel, Peate (the irresistible), Harrison, Preston andUlyett, combining every description of pace and delivery, are surely names to conjure with; and, backed up by such bats as Bates, Emmett, Grimshaw, Hall, Preston, Ulyett, F. Lee and Mr. Woodhouse (a most promising cricketer), we are sure the county of broad acres will be able to hold its own against all comers.The mention of Lee’s name brings forcibly before us the glorious uncertainty of the game: ludicrous as it may seem now, we believe it was seriously debated by the committee as to playing him or not. His detractors must feel small when they turn up his performances :— Inns Times Runs. Highest Average- not out. Score. 24 3 725 101 34.11 “ Cock ” average, as schoolboys would tersely put it. The colts (more than fifty applicants already“I join issue with the county on May 17th and 18th, and rumours are afloat of more than one “ flyer” amongst them. That York­ shire will in all their engagements be able to put a first-rate team in the field goes without the saying. We wish them well. Of the southern counties Surrey is rapidly fOrging its way to the front. How could it be otherwise when we see the vast amount of energy expended in the good cause by their indefatigable secretary and his able A.D.C ? But, why, oh, why do they play so many “ tin- pot” counties (nothing very derogatory in the epithet, as any man in the “ service” will tell you), certainly overworking their bowlers, of whom they have not too plentiful a supply. Hampshire, Essex and Somerset surely couid be left to the tender mercies of the Club and Ground. Their last season’s successes revive the times and names of Lockyer, “ Benjy ” Griffith (a Ripley Greener), Caffyn, the two Humphreys, Harry Jupp, and Ned Pooley, How Jupp and Tom Humphrey used to play the game!—bowling against them “ first wicket ” must have ■been fairly heart­ breaking. Abel, Bowley, Beaumont, Barrett, Jones, Lohmann, and Messrs. Horner and Roller, are all good enough bowlers on their day; and should Mills (a Notts importation) be tried, we deem he will, “ on his wicket,” be found of great service. But in batting Surrey’s strength lies: Mr. W. W. Read (59’9, a phenomenal average), M. Read, Mr. Roller, Abel, Mr. J. Shuter (most, genial and able of Captains), Mr. Diver, and Mr. Bowden (not so successful as usual) are a septet not at all to be despised; Mr. Bainbridge, who certainly did not do himself justice last year, will undoubt­ edly be missed; yet, taking all in all, Surrey will have a real good look in, whomsoever they meet. Despite the fact that Lord Harris’s parlia­ mentary duties prevented him from often assisting his county, the performances of Kent fairly allow them to be classed A 1. A decided victory over Yorkshire at Sheffield, and the return match at Canterbury drawn greatly in their favour, figure most favourably amongst other well-earned victories. In Mr. Rashleigh they have secured an invaluable batting recruit: whilst Mr. Christopherson, Alec Hearne, and Wootton seem never to tire ; and the more bowling they have to do the better they like it if success goes. for anything. Hearne especially distinguished himself in the first Yorkshire match, his analysis— Overs. Runs. Maidens. Wickets. 562 32 48 13 speaking for itself. They again play Lanca­ shire, and it is better for crickct all round that the hatchet has been buried. Of course “ chucking ” cannot for a moment be tolerated, but there is a proper tribunal before which complaints regarding such malpractices should be brought, and where all complaints hitherto have received the attention due to them. Harking back “ nor’ards,” it is to be hoped that the difficulties which surrounded the Lancashire Committee last season may be overcome “ to year.” Mr. Allan G. Steel’s professional duties robbed the county of oneof England’s best all-round men: and what with the Rev. Vernon Boyle’s “ partial eclipse,” and Pilling’s illness, ’twas indeed a poor outlook for the “ laads.” Fortune, however, otherwise favoured them, and the combination of Briggs (most “ meteoric” of bowlers), Watson, and Barlow (the “ stone-waller,” whose little book 011 batting should be in every schoolboy’s hands), materially helped Lancashire to place 011 their records— Matches played. Won. Drawn. Lost. 11 G 2 3 It is gratifying to see Notts once more appear on their list of matches to come. This as it should be. With all their last year’s team available, they should have a good season. What shall we say of that most unfortunate of Counties, Derbyshire ? A victory, creditable as it was, over a weak Lancashire team, was their chief solatium, for Hampshire (twice defeated) and Cheshire counts for very little ; and now, bereft of Shacklock, their prospects are assuredly none of the brightest. The “ Peak” men have plenty of pluck, and with Messrs. Docker, Eadie and Walker, Chatterton, Sugg and Cropper, they must never say die. More power to their elbows ! But for the wonderfully consistent batting of