Cricket 1887

ATJG. 25, 1887. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECOM) OP THE GAME. 861 Among the many noteworthy perform­ ances recorded to his credit this year, Mr. K. J. Key has the satisfaction of knowing that he achieved on Saturday last a feat whichhas not, as far as I know, been accomplished on the Surrey Cricket Ground, at least in an important match, for nine years. Since June. 4, 1879, when Mr. W. H. Game, of the Surrey eleven, signalised the first appearance of an Australian team on the Oval by hitting one of Spofforth’s to square leg over the fence by the Clayton Arms, no batsman has sent the ball clean out of the ground in afirst-class fixtureuntil Mr. Key landed a full pitchof F. Hearne’stosquare legover the fence just southward of the Press box in Surrey’s second innings against Kent at the Oval. The Giant Bonnor at dif­ ferent times made some remarkable hits, and his best, one clean over the pavilion, inthematchbetweentheFourthAustralian team and the Players on July 81st, 1884, was, I think, the finest seen at the Oval for many years. Mr. Key’s latest record, though, is unique inits way, and, as such, deserves a conspicuous record. Oddly enough Mr. Game’s hit, like that of Mr. Key’s, was from a full pitch. The Canadian Cricketers, who are to­ day engaged at Birkenhead against the GentlemenofCheshire, onthe secondstage of a fixture added to their original pro­ gramme, will bring their tour to a close on Saturday, when they will meet an eleven selected and captained by Mr. C. I. Thornton on Mr. J. W. Hobbs’ ground at Norbury Park, which, for the benefit of the uninitiated, I may say is situate between Streatham and Croydon, on the main road uniting the two places. Mr. Thornton, I am officially informed, will be assisted on this occasion by Prince Christian Victor, Lord Throwley, Messrs. H. J. H. Scott (the Australian Captain of 1884), W. W. Bead (that is, I take it, if Surrey’smatch at Southampton is com­ pleted in two days), C. E. Cotterell, P. J. de Paravicini, B. Posno, C. W. Burls, J. Fielding, and E. Mills, the Surrey professor. T he veteran Thoms writes m e:— There passed away from amongst us last week Richard Allen, the well-known crieket- bat maker. He was the nephew of the late celebrated James Cobbett, who for several years was engaged by the Marylebone Club, and who in his day was reckoned by the keenest of judges, such as the Earl of Bess- borough, Lord Charles Russell, the late Hon. Robert Grimston, Mr. Chas. Taylor, and others, asone of the very best, fairest, and most effective trundlers that ever spun a ball on Lord’s ground. Richard Allen, when a youth, came up from "Weybridge, in Surrey, to be with “ Cobbett,” who, whilst engaged at Lord’s, had started as a cricket-bat maker in St. John’s Wood, on his uncle's decease in 1842. Allen took over the business, which was then avery small affair indeed, consisting of himself and one workman ; and, by his skill and perseverance, year by year built up for “ Cobbett’s ” bats a reputation amongst the leading batsmen second to none wherever the game of cricket flourishes. “ Dick” Allen, as all who personally knew him will testify, was a particularly kind-hearted and generous man, and never let prosperity, as it came along, turn his head. He well knew that his early success had been due chiefly to the “ Professionals,” and any cricketer, the victim of sheer bad luck, had always from him the right kind of sympathy, a dive into his pocket. Ill health, some three years ago, had trought him down to the bath chair, and he retired in favour of his eldest son, who now carries on the business. He was buried on Friday last at Kensal Green, and his loss is not only mourned by his family, but also by many attached friends. The Scarborough festival is always one of themost, if not themost, attractiveout­ ingof the cricket season. Tojudge, too, by the names of the players in the two prin­ cipal fixtures (Northv. South and M.C.C. andG. v.Yorkshire) ofthe gatheringwhich opens on Monday next with the match between I Zingari andGentlemen of Eng­ land, there should be plenty to interest the hundreds who attendthe Scarborough cricket ground next and following week. Through the courtesy of the Hon. M. Hawke, who is responsible for the selec­ tion of the North and Yorkshire elevens, andof Mr. C. I. Thornton, who has got up the teams to represent the South and Yorkshire, I am able to give a list of the players in the two contests above named. Yorkshire v. M.C.C. & G , Sept. 1, 2, and 3. Yorkshire—Hon. M. B. Hawke, E. T. Hirst, H. Leadbeater, Ulyett, Hall, Lee, Bates, Peel, Wade, Emmett, and Hunter. M.C.C. & G.—W. G. Grace, C. I. Thornton, J. G. Walker, A. J. Webbe, P. J. De Paravicini, G. F. Vernon, A. E. Stoddart, Barnes, Gunn, Pougher, and Sherwin. North v. South, Sept. 5, 6, and 7. North—Hon. M. B. Hawke, A. N. Hornby, Briggs, Barnes, Gunn, Ulyett, Hall, Bates, Peel, Emmett, and Hunter. South—W. G. Grace, C. I. Thornton, A. J. Webbe, J. G. Walker, G. F. Vernon, A. E. Stoddart, Hon. A. Lyttelton, Loh­ mann, Abel, M. Bead, and Bowley. It will be seen, andwith some surprise, that neither Kent nor Sussex has a representa­ tive in the Southern Eleven. I n commenting on the five scores of over two hundred made by Shrewsbury for Notts, I incidentally mentioned that no other cricketer had such a record, not evenMr. W. G. Grace himself, I meant, of course, f o r his county, bxrt I must admit I hardly made this clear, and, indeed, I have to thank several corres­ pondents for calling my attention to what certainly may have been considered by many an erroneous representation of facts. Unless I ammistaken, the follow­ ing are Mr. Grace’s scores of over two hundred in matchesof any importance :— 1886.— Englandv. Surrey .. .. 224* 1870.—Gentiemen v. Players .. 215 1871.—South v. North .. ,, 268 ,, —Gentlemen v. Players .. 217 1875.— TJ.S.E.E, v. 18of Hastings.. 210 187B.— „ v. 22 of Grimsby 400* ,, —M.C.C. & G. v. Kent.. .. 344 ,, —Gloucestershire v. Yorks .. 318* 1877.—South v. North .. .. 261 1885.—Gloucestershire v. Middlesex 221* From this list it will be seen that Mr. Grace has only scored over 200 for his county on two occasions. The mixed team which Mr. G. F. Vernon has under instiuct'ois from the Melbourne Cricket Club collected to play a series of matches in Australia during the comingwinter is now, I understand, complete. Every one will be sorry to hear thatMr. W. E. Boiler’shealthwill not allow him to take the journey, as he had promised and, indeed, hoped to do. His place will be filled by Abel, the Surrey professional, who with Attewell of Notts, Peel and Bates of Yorkshire, Bawlin, the ex-Yorkshireman now,I believe,qualifying for Middlesex, and Beaumont of Surrey, will represent the professional element of the party. M k . V ernon will have, as his Amateur supporters, the Hon. M. B. Hawke, the Yorkshire Captain, who I fancy will Cap­ tain the eleven, Messrs. W. W. Bead, T. 0. O’Brien, A. E. Newton, the Somerset­ shire wicket keeper—and a good one, too, M. P. Bowden, of Surrey, and A. E. Stoddart, of Middlesex. Mr. Bowden, I believe,will go chiefly as a reservewicket­ keeper, and his services will no doubt be utilised insomeofthe up-countrymatches. I hadit onthebest authoritythat Mr. C. A. Smith, the Sussex captain, would in all probability accompany Mr. Vernon, but I hear he has joined the team going out under the auspices of Shaw and Shrews­ bury. Both parties, as far as I canlearn, are making the outward journey in the Orient steamer Iberia, due to leave Plymouth on the 7th of next month. I t will interest those who follow at all closely tihe doings ofAustraliancricketers, toknow that a volume isnowinthe press, and will shortly be published, giving accounts of all the tours of all English teams in Australia, and of Australian teams in England. It will contain, too, full scores of all eleven-a-side matches, and also averages calculated on the entire series of matches. The results of the matches played this summer between the nine leading counties will be found below. It will be of interest in connection with this table to give the few fixtures which have still to be decided to complete the pro­ gramme of 1887. To-day Gloucester­ shire meets Kent at Clifton, Lancashire Yorkshire at Manchester, and Notts Sussex at Nottingham. On Monday Kent will have to oppose Notts at Maid­ stone, and Surrey Sussex at the Oval, which will bring one of—if not quite— the most interestingseasonscountycricket has ever known to a close. Played. Won. Lost. Drawn 15 12 2 i Lancashire ..... 13 10 2 l 10 4 2 4 12 6 3 3 15 5 3 7 10 2 7 1 12 1 7 4 (Gloucestershire .. 13 1 9 3 6 0 6 0 The New York Herald is responsible for the announcement that “negotiatior s are pending between some of the best known professionalandamateur cricketers in New York and Philadelphia with the Melbourne Cricket Club with a view to send an American team to Australia during the coming winter.” It is also added that A. M. Wood, who was familiar