Cricket 1887

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron . PRICE 2d. N o 153. VOL. VI. Registered (or Transm ission Abroad. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1887. MR. THOMAS ANDERSON. S cotch cricketers it must be admitted have not had the same favourable opportunities for the display of their proficiency at the game as their, brethren on the south side of the Tweed. Though of late years the interest in cricket in Scotland has increased materially it has had to struggle against dis­ advantages, particularly of grounds, unknown to English players. It redounds, therefore, very much to the credit of Scottish athletes that they have been able under circum­ stances of a far from propitious character to improve the quality of their all-round cricket so much as they undoubtedly have just of late. Our gallery of distinguished cricketers has already included three players all Scotch by birth—Watson, who, after many years of hard work for Lancashire, has even now very few superiors as a slow bowler, and Messrs. J. S. Carrick and J. G. Walker. Mr. Thomas Anderson, whose portrait we give this week, is in every way a fitting representative of Scotch cricket of the present daj. Born at Ledcameroeh, New Kil­ patrick, in Dumbartonshire, on the 17th of May, 1868, he has conse­ quently only recently completed his twenty-fourth year. Entering Glasgow Academy in 1872, he re­ mained there until 1874, when he removed to Merchiston Castle, Edin­ burgh. His stay at Merchiston was a long one, for he did not leave until 1882, by which time he had already secured a high reputation as a cricketer. Most of his cricket wap, indeed, learned at Merchiston Castle, a school which had as its coach for many years the old Surrey profes­ sional, Percival King. In 1875 Mr. Anderson secured a place in the third eleven, in the following year was promoted into the second, and in 1877 had still another promotion into the first eleven. For six years he did good service to Merchiston, and in the last three stood out conspicuously as the premier batsman of the school. In each of these he had, indeed, the best average in the team, rising from 24 in 1880, to 30 in 1881, and to 44 in 1882, in whioh season his average m matches against other schools was one of i•i. a 8 year at Merchiston fully estab­ lished his reputation, and in 1882 he took part in three of the most important matches of the Scoteh season with distinct credit. He represented the Gentlemen of Edinburgh against the Players, and though unfortunate enough to be run out when he had only got five in the first innings, in the second he was not out with nineteen to his name when time was called. The Inter-City match between Edinburgh and Glasgow was his most suc­ cessful show in 1882, and therein he was seen ever, he was able to throw in his lot regularly with tho West of Scotland, and with con­ sistent success throughout. His scores in­ cluded 138, 86, 78, 60, and 42, the last against Marylebone Club and Ground, in oppo­ sition to the bowling of Flowers and Attewell, and his average for the season w<*.s 41 for six­ teen completed innings. Though circum­ stances prevented him playing quite so much last year, he was again in great form with the bat. For ten innings he had an average of 54, and among his figures were such scores as 109 not out, 82, 57 and 51 not out. So far this season he has shown that he is in quite as good, if not in better, run-getting form. His highest inn­ ings have been 179 against Stirling­ shire, and 104; but in point of quality his best performance has been his score of 44 for West of Scotland against Shaw and Shrews­ bury’s Australian team, a display of no small merit. Mr. Anderson.is well-known to English as well as Scotch cricketers. In each of the tours of the West of Scotland Club in England in 1885 and 1886, he has played a conspicuous part, and his average for these two English visits is 54 for seven innings, with 82 as his highest score. The scores Mr. Anderson has made during the last five years stamp him as one of the best of Scotch batsmen, and as we have already said, he occupies a very prominent place among the Scptch cricketers of to-day. In the West particularly, his cricket is much-appreciated, and, we may add, some of the best of our English judges speak highly of his ability. Mr. Anderson in his day. too, was a Rugby Union footballer of no mean repute. In the spring of 1882 he played full back for Scotland against Ireland, hut as he got his right knee badly hurt he wisely gave up the winter game and has not taken an active part on the football field since. to great advantage, his forty-five being the highest contribution for Edinburgh. Mr. Anderson also played for Scotland against the Australian team of 1882, and though he only made nine his was the side. On leaving Merchiston West of Scotland Club, but as out of Glasgow for the next two ©nly play in a few matches. Ii C riokbt in H alifax (N.S.)—On June 4 the York and Lancaster R egim ent played the Halifax Wanderers, at H alifax (N.S.) The Wanderers scored 209, Mr. W. A. Henry, jun., is coming over with the Gentlemen of Canada, contributing 62. Lieut. Maul made 30 of the Regiment’s total of 61.