Cricket 1886

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byion. K e g is te r e ^ to T ra n s S i Abroad. THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1886. PR ICE 2d. form, and while Mr. Shuter showed to great advantage for the amateurs with scores of sixty-one and two, the professional was even more successful, being credited with fifty-nine and six. By this time he had already associ­ ated himself with the Dartford Club and in one match against Erith he did a good per­ formance, contributing 50 out of a total of 98. Joining the Darenth Vale Club he continued to score consistently well and among other innings worthy of note may be mentioned 70 against the Ordnance Department, Woolwich, in which match he also took eight wickets, and thirty-four and twenty-six for Colts of Dart­ ford against eleven Gentlemen and Players. His first score of three figures was his 128 at Westcombe Park, Blackheath, against the Brighton and District Teachers, and in the same season—he was then eighteen years of age—he was credited with 72 for Famingham against Eltham. A well got 76 for Penn’s Factory against Mr. Penn’s eleven at the Cedars, Lee, brought him still more promi­ nently before the notice of Kentish cricketers. His connection with the establishment of Messrs. Penn had, indeed, already attracted attention to his cricket, and for four successive seasons he obtained the highest batting average in connection with the cricket club attached to the great engineering works at Greenwich. Wood’s introduction to County cricket dates as far back asten years ago. June 8, 1876, saw him at Southampton as one of the eleven to represent Kent against Hampshire. It was a memorable occa­ sion in connection with Hampshire cricket. It was, in fact, the first match played on the old County ground under the management of the new County Club, and, in accordance with our English habits of celebrating any note­ worthy event, was commemorated by a grand banquet on the first night of the match. Wood’s debut for the County of his birth was a satisfactory one. Though his scores were not large he not only showed very creditable cricket in each innings for twelve and thirteen, but also was effective at the wicket, stumping three and catching two of the Hampshire players. Eight days later he again dicl duty for Kent, this time against Lancashire. The match, which was played on the ground of the Castle­ ton Club at llochdale, was remark­ able chiefly for the fine batting of Lord Harris, who contributed as many as 82 to Kent’s second total of 149. Rain, though, had caused the wicket to be mostly in favour of the bowlers, and Wood, who only scored three and one, had several companions in misfortune in the Kentish team. These were his only appearances for the County in 1876 and his name does not figure again in the records of Kent until 1878. Henty and Ingram at that time shared the wicket- keeping, and another wet season pre­ ventedWood showing to advantage with the bat. He played against Notts, Lancashire, Sussex, and M.C.C. and Ground, but with singular ill-success. No double figure even was credited to him, and his average for seven innings did not reach three runs. In 1879 and 1880 he was again absent from County cricket, and as far as we know he only appeared twioe for Kent in 1881, against Yorkshire H EN R Y W OOD . C ircumstances , over which they themselves have had no control, have compelled the executives of the Surrey and Gloucestershire Clubs to begin operations this summer at a much earlier date than the other Counties. As a rule what little cricket there is at Easter­ tide is of a comparatively unimportant character. This year, though, various causes have combined to necessitate an exceptionally early commencement of what' is termed the legitimate season To a laudable desire to avoid interfer­ ence with the fixture at Lord’s between the Australians and Marylebone Club and Ground on June 2, may chiefly be attributed the novelty of a County match in the Easter week. Surrey and Gloucestershire had, in fact, arranged to play on the day named, and the only alternative which suggested itself to the parties interested was a change to Easter, which fortunately this year fell very late. Under the circumstances of this match there is, perhaps, a pecu­ liar fitness in our inclusion of one of the principal performers in next week’s fixture at the Oval in our gallery of cricket worthies. Though qualified by virtue of .the residential qualification for Surrey, Wood’s associations until the last few years have been entirely with Kent. Born at Dartford on Dec. 14, 1855, he is now in his thirty-first year. His earliest performances of any note were, too, in connection with his native place. When only eleven years of age, he distinguished himself in a match* between Dartford School and Mr. Barber’s School, Bexley Heath. On that occasion he showed such good form in the attainment of his score of thirty-eight for Dartford, that he was presented with a bat in recognition of a very promising display. For the same team against a team of youngsters under twenty, at the Powder Mills, Dartford, he made his mark still more decisively, scoring ninety-two in capital style. For Dartford Boys against Greenhithe Boys (under sixteen) he also made 49, though these are only a few of the many good scores he made on his native heath during the earlier part of his career. Mr. John Shuter, the captain of the Surrey eleven, figured with him in a boy’s match between Young Gentlemen and Young Players of Bexley, the players all under sixteen years of age. Both Surrey men, too, were in