Cricket 1886

60 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. APRIL is, 1886 the “ Champion,” whose right hand has in no way lost its cunning, Gloucester would have come out very badly; as it was, they have four victories to their credit as a set-off to seven defeats. Dr. E. M. Grace’s absence was a serious loss; and that best of left-hand bats, Mr. J. Cranston, who has joined the noble army of “ Benedicts,” seems to have given up playing for his county; the cricket columns of the Field, however, record some first-rate per­ formances of his in minor matches. We understand that Mr. O. G. Radcliffe, of Somerset renown, has qualified for Gloucester by residence. He should be of great assistance to them, as by persistent practice Mr. Radcliffe has made him­ self a bat of no mean order; we shall watch his career with interest. Mr. W. G. Grace and Woof had most of the bowling to d o ; and until Gloucester can unearth a few really good “ changes,” so as to give the above-mentioned pair their often-needed rest, we fear their cricket will remain in statu quo. This will be much to be regretted, as in Drs. W. G. and E. M. Grace, Messrs. E. L. Griffiths, H. Y. Page, W. O. Moberly, Townsend, Brain, Pullen, and Radcliffe, and the professionals, Woof and Painter, there is the material for a really good team. Mr. Gilbert’s possible absence may be to some extent counter-balanced by the addition of Mr. C. Wreford Brown—the whilom captain of Charterhouse, who is described as “ a good batsman and effective slow bowler”—and Mr. A. C. Croome, a promising colt; but the action of the Cheltenham College authorities in not allowing Woof to play during term-time is much to be deprecated, as it will probably ren­ der the Gloucester mainstay an absentee in six matches, viz.: Surrey, Sussex (two), Middlesex, Notts and Lancashire. Let us hope the poivers that be at Cheltenham may be led to see the error of their way ere too late. Want of bowling is again the cause of Middlesex being so low in the list; victories over Yorkshire and Kent being their only achievements. In batting they are strong enough, though they must miss Messrs. A. P. Lucas, C. T. Studd, G. F. Yernon, and the Hon. A. Lyttelton, whilst Mr. I. D. Walker’s retirement from the captaincy is an almost irreparable loss—Mr. A. J. Webbe, neverthe­ less, gives ample proof of being a worthy suc­ cessor to one of the staunchest cricketers that ever took bat in hand. Their two recruits, Mr. Stoddart and West, seem welcome additions, so it is to be hoped fortune will smile a little more kindly this season on the metropolitan county. The great interest taken in Sussex cricket the last few years by that most ardent lover of the game, Lord Sheffield, has yielded so/far, but a poor harvest. Death laid his icy hand on those two most promising cricketers, Mr. Blackham and Juniper, and thus, at one fell swoop, robbed the cricket world of two who could ill be spared. R.I.P. To fill their placss efficiently will be a very hard problem, but Messrs. F. M. Lucas (a magnificent left-hand bat), Newham (good at every point of the game), Brann, G. N. Wyatt, R. T. Ellis (rapidly coming back into form) and W. Humphreys (whose “ slops ” are very effective at times), may help to place Sussex’s star in the ascend­ ancy. We opine if properly looked after, and not allowed to bowl himself out in country matches, a good fast bowler will be found in the young Australian, Mr. S. M. J. Woods; he has a good natural break, and can “ keep on ” — verb. sap. His analysis for Brighton Col­ lege (of course the opposing batting was not of the highest order by any manner of means) is somewhat remarkable— Overs. Maidens. Runs. Wickets. Average 2G3. 104. 498. 59. 8 26. The nine counties above briefly referred to alone may be reckoned “ first-class,” yet Hampshire, Somerset, Leicester, Essex, and Norfolk all do their “ level best ” to qualify for higher honours. Essex especially looks like “ training on,” and being fairly strong in bowling with Mr. Buxton, Pickett, Silcock, and Mr. Bishop, they should do even better than last season, wheii they managed to defeat, amongst others, Nor­ folk and Derby. Somerset sadly lacks bowling, Mr. Bastard being their mainstay. Mr. G. B. Nicholls, the ex-Gloucester fast bowler, has qualified for them, and on a wet wicket should pay. In batting they lose Mr. Radcliffe, who did them yeoman’s service last season. Mr. F. Leeston- Smith is not played so often as he should be; his hard-hitting (how he did “ crump ” W. G. Grace twice out of the ground at Taunton last August!), combined with good defence, would soon cause him to be secured by any other county. Mr. C. E. Winter does all he knows to improve his cricket, and will certainly soon take rank as a first-class bowler ; but we must advise him to abstain from too many country matches. The gallant Colonel of Sappers looks well after the interests of Hampshire, whose victory over Sussex by 101 runs was a very good per­ formance. Bowlers are again, like the cases in some Latin nouns, wanting.* Isn’t Pink worth another trial ? Hampshire indubitably has had its ups and downs—in the days of the Hamble­ don Club almost invincible; then a downward move, to be quickly followed by a phoenix-like rise, “ playing England;” and now again “ none so poor to do it reverence.” Speramus meliora. Leicester, Cheshire, Hertford, Northampton, Worcester and Warwick all deserve a meed of praise for their endeavours in county cricket’s cause, and we hope the close of another season will prove that their efforts claim more exten­ ded notice from us. To one and all we wish good luck. From the above desultory remarks, readers will glean that we consider Notts, Yorkshire, Surrey, and Kent to be the four counties whose prospects look the most hopeful, so, with Mr. Editor’s permission, we will anticipate their being placed in the above-mentioned order. F red A. R TH E M E L B O U R N E C LU B AND T H E A U S T R A L IA N TE AM . The following letters on the above subject appeared in the Standard recently:— S ir , —The announced departure of the Aus­ tralian Eleven from Adelaide and sundry articles dilating on the superlative excellence of the team as a whole, and of each individual member of it, warn me that it is time to point out where a difficulty may arise before the conclusion of the tour; and I do so ftecause the undertaking is that of the Melbourne Cricket Club, to the members of which I owe a debt of gratitude, and because I am anxious that nothing should occur in connection with the trip to give rise to any feeling of dissatisfaction on either side. On all previous occasions of visits of Aus­ tralian Elevens to this countrv the under­ taking has been that of individuals, who, I always held, were entitled to make such terms as they could with Cricket Clubs in this country as would repay them for their journey and their loss of time in their several avoca_ tions. The undertakings were of a speculative nature, as have been the trips of English Elevens, with two exceptions, to Australia, and no objection can be taken to their having been of that nature. The exceptions were in the cases of my Eleven and Mr. Bligh’s. Those were speculative to this extent, that the Mel­ bourne Cricket Club ran the risk of possible loss; but the members of each Eleven were the guests of the Club and had no interest in the pecuniary results. On this occasion there is a new departura. The Melbourne Cricket Club, for reasons best known to its Executive,guarantee the expensas and take the risks of an outgoing team ; and the question immediately presents itself, does the Club propose to benefit pecuniarily by the tour? From experience of the pecuniary results of former trips, and from a knowledge of the terms given by the Cricket Clubs in this country, i.e., half the gate money, we know the risk of loss is infinitesimal ; what, then, is to became of the money if considerable profit arises from the trip ? Are the members of the team to take all profits in such shares as the Melbourne Cricket Club have arranged with each individual, or are those shares fixed quantities, and will any excess of receipts go to the Melbourne Cricket Club ? There can be no possible objection to the first arrangement; considerable, in my opinion, to the second. It is a mistake to suppose that all Cricket Clubs in this country benefit by the Australian Eleven playing on their grounds. Some do, undoubtedly—notably, the Lancashire and Surrey County Clubs; but in the case of the two Clubs with whose financial affairs I am best acquainted, the M.C.C. and the Kent County Cricket Club, benefit does not neces­ sarily arise. The Cricket-loving public, our experience goes to show, has only a certain amount of money to spend on witnessing matches, and whilst the Australians draw a large gate other County matches lose in pro­ portion. Now, as I say, I see no possible objection to the members of the visiting team benefiting to the full extent of the profits arising from the gate money; but I object en­ tirely to a wealthy club like the Melbourne Cricket Club taking anything out of this country to swell its balance-sheet. I should raisethe strongest objections to the Marylebone Cricket Club doing anything of the kind if it sent an Eleven to Australia; in my opinion, it would be beneath the dignity of such an association. So also I think such action would be unworthy of the Melbourne Cricket Club; and, entertaining the highest feelings of regard for it, I trust its Executive will take the advice of a friend, and make it clear to the Cricketing public here that their Club is to reap no pecuniary benefit by the visit of of the coming Australian Eleven. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, H a r r is . 3, Lower Berkeley-Street, Portman-sq. April 1 S ir ,—I desire to refer to a letter from Lord Harris which lately appeared in your columns on the subject of the disposal of any surplus “ gate money” that may result from' the tour of the Australian Cricketers who will shortly arrive in England, and to speak more particu­ larly in respect to the Melbourne Cricket Club’s participation in any such surplus. At the out­ set I feel disposed to say that it does not ap­ pear to me to be derogatory to a Cricket Club that it should profit pecuniarily by such an enterprise as my club is now engaged in; indeed, your correspondent admits that the profits which attended the visits of his own and the Hon. Ivo Bligh’s Eleven to Australia as the guests of the Club could be retained without objection, though he withholds his assent from the same principle when that Club brings a team to England, as on the present occasion — for reasons, how­ ever, which will appear directly. There is no need for me to extend these allusions to that particular point any further; but before passing on I should like to say, very much in your own words, Sir, when comment­ ing on his Lordship’s letter, that the gains acquired by Clubs in the manner under consi­ deration are universally devoted to the advancement of the interests of Cricket in some form or another, and are thus certainly not lost to the patrons of the game either at home or abroad. It is undoubtedly so as regards the Melbourne Cricket Club, the latest develop­ ment of which is in their new Grand Stand, just completed at an outlay of some fourteen thousand pounds, to say nothing of other improvements of late years, which have all been, more or less, helped along by aid of the kind in question, until the ground has admit­ tedly been made one of the most perfect in the world. And now, Sir, I wish to bear my testimony