Cricket 1887

“ Toge ther joined in cricket’s m an ly toil.”— Byron. , No 148. VOL. VI. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1887. PRICE 2d MR. F R A N K T OW N S E N D . It is rather onr misfortune than our fault that we have not before been able to present C r ic k e t readers with a short biography of one of the best as well as the keenest exponents our national sport has ever had. We are not uttering the language of ordinary compliment when we say that it gives us more than usual pleasure to add Mr. Townsend to the list of distin­ guished players whose portraits have appeared in this paper. Of keen cricketers therehasalways,fortunately for the well-being of our great game, been a good supply. Were evidence of this required no one need look further than at the records of County cricket, the prosperity of which has been in a great measure due to the untiring zeal shown on its behalf by many of our leading amateurs. And really it would be difficult to name a more enthusiastic cricketer than the gen­ tleman who has done such good service for Gloucestershire since the County Club was instituted seventeen years ago. With the exception of the * Graces, no one has worked harder for Western cricket than Frank Townsend. Born at Clifton, where he still resides, on October 17, 3847, he not only learned the game there, but the greater part of his cricket has been enjoyed within its im­ mediate neighbourhood. Mr. Town­ send was not educated at Clifton College, as stated in “ Scores and Bio­ graphies,” but at a private school at Manilla House, Clifton, directed by Dr. Hudson. As a boy, he lost no opportunity of improving his cricket, and he attributes himself, in a great measure, his success to the opportu­ nities of batting he had under the watchful eye of Pullen, the well-known umpire, who was considerably above the average of practice bowlers. As far as we have been able to learn, his first appearance in a match of any importance was in 1867, at Gloucester, for Twenty-two of Gloucester against the All-England Eleven. Mr. G. F. Grace, who was then only in his sixteenth year, was on the same side, and the figures of the two Glou­ cestershire amateurs, each of whom failed to get a notch in the first, in the second innings were nearly identical, Mr. Townsend making five and Mr. Grace six. On the formation of the Gloucestershire Club, Mr. Townsend was one of the first to be summoned to the aid of the county, which has had, it need hardly be added, throughout its career, no more energetic sup­ porter. The opening match in which Glou­ cestershire figured was against the Marylebone Club and Ground, at Lord’s, on August 1 and 2, 1870, but no one, except Messrs. W . G. Grace and C. S. Gordon, the two first batsmen, were at all fortunate with the bat, and Mr. Townsend was caught at the wicket before he had a chance of scoring. His first contribu­ tion of any value for Gloucestershire was at Cheltenham on July 18, 1872, against Surrey, on which occasion he was the principal scorer with 58. Just about this time he was in bril­ liant ‘form with the bat, and, indeed, it was in August of that year that he made his first really very large innings, 212 not out for Clifton against Lansdown, on Aug. 9, 1872. In the following year he batted with con­ sistent success for Gloucestershire, and two of his innings in particular were worthy of the highest praise, 136 against Sussex at Chelten­ ham, and 88 against Yorkshire at Sheffield. His excellent all-round cricket about this period was not likely to be lost on the authori­ ties in London, and fortunately he was able to accept an invitation from the executive or the Surrey. County Club to represent the Gentlemen against the Players in the great match of the year at the Oval. He fully justified his selection, too, and his first score of fifty-nine, the highest score of the match on the side of the Gentlemen, was an admirable display of batting in every way. Mr. Town­ send also figured in the match between Gentlemen and Players at Prince’s, in 1875, but on this occasion he was not successful, although on the whole he was full of run-getting. For Clifton against Sneyd Park, on July 8 , he made 248 not out, and in the later fixtures he was generally fortunate, though his best innings was one of 84, against the fine bowling of Notts—a capital performance. The season of 1876, too, found him in a vein for run- getting, and he had an excellent average of over thirty runs for the County. In minor matches Jiis scoring was at times sensational, and at the verv commencement of the season, within four days, he was credited with two innings of over 200 for the Clifton Club—to wit, 211 against Wilts on May 25, and 217 not out against Thom- bury two days later. Mr. Townsend’s profession as a schoolmaster has pre­ vented his participation in representa­ tive matches as often as could have been wished, although he has been frequently invited to take part in the best fixtures of the year. In addition to the matches already named he played for North v. South more than once, but being unable to get away during Term time, with commendable loyalty he preferred to give his services to his county when occasion did offer. Space will not allow us to give anything like a detailed list of Mr. Townsend’s performances during the last ten years. In county cricket he has been consistently successful, while in minor matches his scoring has been always high, indeed, his innings of over a hundred would occupy a considerable portion of our