Cricket 1887

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron . Eegi 8 te?ed fo^T ran .ffin ^ b roa d . THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1887. PRICE 2d M R . W IL L IA M R A SH LE IGH . T he name of Rashleigh has been most familiar to every one who has had anything like an intimate acquaintance with the progress of the grand old game in Kent during the last four decades. T h e sturdy crioketer who made such a memorable debut in the Inter- University matches at Lord’slastyear, comes, indeed, of a family that has for two generations, at least, played an active part in Kentish cricket. His father, Mr. W. B. Rashleigh, and his uncle were both in their time not only good players, but keen sup­ porters of the game. The former, some thirty-five years ago, played for the Gentlemen of Kent, and did good service with ball as well as bat. A few years before, his uncle, Mr. C. E. Rashleigh, was often to be found in the elevens representing the Gen­ tlemen of Kent. At that period Kent was fortunate enough to boast more than one cricket giant, and the annual matehes between the Gentle­ men of Kent and Gentlemen of Eng­ land were productive of keen contests. Alfred Mynn, a giant in more senses than one on the cricket field, his brother Walter, Felix the versatile, the two Harencs, though Charles had then long since passed the meridian of cricket, and C. G. Whit­ taker were, among others, represent­ ing the county, and it was as one of the eleven which opposed the Gen­ tlemen of England, at Lord’s, in 1847, that we find Mr. C. E. Rashleigh’s name prominently identified with the Gentlemen of Kent. For some fifteen years Messrs. W. B. and and C. E. Rashleigh were well-known in Kent cricket, more particularly with the Mid-Kent, which then played at the Earl of Darnley’s seac at Cobham Hall, and the Sevenoaks Vine Clubs. Mr. William Rashleigh, the younger, whose portrait we give this week, was born at the Manor House, Farningham, which is still the family home, on March 7,1867. He went to Tonbridge School when he was only ten years old, and had just passed his fifteenth birthday when he was called upon to take his place in the Tonbridge Eleven. Even his second season at Tonbridge School showed that there was every chance of his de­ velopment into a good batsman, and his two chief performances during the summer of 1883, his 124 against the Marlborough Nomads, and 97 and 95 against the Old Tonbridgians, were achievements of no small merit for a youngster who had not long completed his sixteenth year. The promise he snowed in his early days at Tonbridge was more than fulfilled during the last two years he was in residence there. On the form he displayed during 1884 and 1885, indeed, he had few superiors as a batsman among public school cricketers, even making every allowance for the fact that his scores were perhaps made against bowling of a very moderate kind. Still his runs, it may be remarked, were got by thoroughly sound cricket and in the best ■tyle, and there was every ground for the belief, which has been fully justified, that in him Tonbridge was able to boast a batsman of exceptional merit. In 1884 he scored one innings of over 200 (203 against Dulwich Col­ lege), and two of over a 100 (160 against Lan­ cingCollege, and 134 against the Assyrians) and the end of the summer found him with the unusually high average of 64. Though his highest contribution for Tonbridge School in 1885 was 96, on the whole his batting was as successful, and his aggregate for eleven innings with three not outs gave him an average of just under sixty-four runs. His unusual prom­ ise as a school oricketer was not likely to have escaped the notice of the executive] of the Kent Club, and, indeed, the earliest possible oppor­ tunity was afforded him of a trial in county cricket. Here, too, he was successful in making a most favour­ able impression, and his score of fifty- four against Hampshire, on August 24,1885, at Tonbridge, on the occasion of his first appearance for Kent, was the outcome of thoroughly good cricket. This last performance was sufficiently good to lead to the expec­ tation that Mr. Rashleigh would prove an acquisition to Oxford oricket, and his performances in the trial matches of last year were looked forward to with no small interest by the authorities at that University. That he fulfilled in a great measure the expectations based on his Public School form in his first season at Oxford, the records of 1886 will prove beyond all doubt. His success on the occasion of his debut in the Oxford and Cambridge match was without a parallel, we believe, in that contest. It is unnecessary for us to recall his sensational performance with Mr. Key in Oxford’s second innings, or how thesetwo batsmenput on 243 runs before they were parted, gaining the distinction of a best on record in Inter-University matches. Another admirable display of batting was his 53 for Kent in the return with Surrey at the Oval, and his fine cricketon this occasion very nearly saved the match for his side, Mr. Rashleigh plays thoroughly sound cricket, and his is at any time a difficult wicket to get. Mr. Rash­ leigh’s performances for the Farningham Club last year were of a phenomenal character. In all he played seven innings for an average of 109.2, and on one occasion in particular his performance was very notewortey. This was against Darenth Valley, at Otford. Going in