Cricket 1887

34 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. MAE. 31, 1887. cricketers, Lyttelton, Mitohell, and Lnbbook, the style of the first and last, and the terrific hitting and steady defence of the second. In style of play he greatly resembled that of Edward Lyttelton, one of his younger brothers, who also had a slight weakness of defence, and a leading feature of the play of both, in common with other wrist players, was vigorous hitting power with apparently slight effort. Lord Lyttelton was a member of I Zingari, Free Foresters, and Quidnunc Clubs, and was highly distinguished as a tennis player, secur­ ing the M.C,C. silver medal several times, and was also at Eton a noted all-round athlete. He took first-class honours in the Law Tripos at Cambridge, and second-class honours in the Classical Tripos. THOMAS (AFTERWARDS BISHOP) KEN • (THE FIRST KNOWN CRICKETER.) To th e E ditor of “ C r ic k e t .” D ear S ir , —As an old cricketer I confess I feel a little jealous of the ascendancy which foot­ ball—a good game for boys, but in my opinion rather too savage for grown up men—appears to be now assuming. Allow me therefore to point out, or rather to ask whether you have not fallen into a mistake, and given to Football an hononr which belongs to Cricket , when in the remarks prefixed to my letter in your last month’s number, you write: “ It was said of Bishop Ken that he was a worthy Prelate and an excellent player at Football.” Where was this said? It may be true; but I am inclined to doubt it. At all events, as I have always looked up to that best of Bishops as a model Prelate—he is now most commonly known as the author of our favourite morning and evening hymns—so I have been pleased to think that he set me a good example as a cricketer—as indeed the first of cricketers, at least in point of time ; because, I believe, the earliest instance of the nse of the word “ cricket ” in the English language is in connection with Ken’s name. He was a boy at Winchester in 1656, and his name is still to be seen cut out on stone in the college cloisters, with that date annexed to it. And if you turn to F. Lillywhite’s “ Cricket Scores, &c.,” Vol. I, introduction, p. vi., you will find the following words:—“ In the School Days of Eminent Men , by John Timbs, Esq., it is stated, p. 186, on the authority of W. L. Bowles (the poet, and author of A Life of Ken) that Thomas Ken, afterwards Bishop, when at Winchester School, used to wield a cricket bat.” And Lillywhite tells us that the use of the word, as a game, cannot be traced further back than to that time—the time of Cromwell. The next instance which he gives of its use is from the diary of H. To^ge, a navy chaplain, in the time of Charles II., who records that Krickett (so spelt) was played by the English at Antioch in May, 1676. In antiquity cricket must yield to several games, especially to tennis (which is frequently mentioned in Shakespeare, and even in much earlier times) but it surpasses them all in other respects; and though football is certainly much older, and was played, I believe, even in Antient Sparta (a suitable birthplace for such a game), I am not aware of any evidence that it was played at Winchester by Thomas Ken.—I am, &c., CHARLES WORDSWORTH, Bishop of St Andrews. [We are, we are sorry to say, unable to give our authority, having written merely from memory. W e regret sincerely if we are in error, as seems probable.—E d .] H. Trott scored 200 (not out) of 326 for three wickets by South Melbourne against St. Hilda, at Melbourne on Jan. G. B. Studd,playing for Government Cottage v. Macedon at Melbourne, scored 43 and 9 out of totals of 68 and 67 for seven wickets. HAMPSTEAD NONDESCRIPTS CLUB. F ixt u r e s for 1887. May 7—Clapton, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. U pper Clapton. May 14—W illesden Green, H am pstead Nonde­ scripts v. Law Club. May 14—W illesden Green, H am pstead Nondes­ cripts v. University College School. May 21—Acton, H am pstead Nondescripts v. Pal- lingswick. May 21—Finchley, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Christ’s College. May 28—Epsom , H am pstead N ondescripts v. Epsom. May 30—Kenley,£ Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Kenley. June 1, 2, 3—Catford Bridge, H am pstead Nonde­ scripts v. Private Banks. June 4—Ealing, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Ealing. June 4—Plaistow, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Plaistow. June 10—W illesden, Ham pstead Nondescripts v. W illesden. June 11—Ewell, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Ewell, June 18—Hendon, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Hendon. June 18—Notting H ill, H am pstead Non lescripts v. St. Charles's College. June 21—Purley, Hampstead Nondescripts v. Cane H ill Asylum. June 22, 23, 24—E ton and Middlesex, Ham pstead Nondescripts v L. and W . Bank. June 25—Carshalton, H am pstead Nondescripts v. Carshalton. July 2 —Norwood, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Norwood. July 9—Clapton, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Clapton. July 9 -B rentw ood, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Brentwood School. July 16—Croydon, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Croydon. July 16—Plaistow, H am pstead Nondescripts v. Plaistow. July 19—Addiscombe, H am pstead Nondescripts v. Addiscom be. July 23—Charlton Park, Ham pstead Nondescripts v. Charlton Park. July 25, 26, 27—Catford Bridge, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Bank of England. July 30—Brentwood, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Brentwood. T h e T o ur . Aug. 1, 2—Sidm outh, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Sidmouth. Aug. 3—Seaton, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Seaton. Aug. 4—Axminster, H am pstead N ondescripts v. Axminster. Aug. 5, 6 —Devonport, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Plym outh Garrison. Aug. 13—ciapton, Ham pstead N ondescripts v. C lapton. Aug. 20—Clapton, Ham pstead Nondescripts v. U pper Clapton. Aug. 27—Charlton Park, Ham pstead Nondescripts v. Charlton Park. Sept. 3 -S u tton , Ham pstead N ondescripts v. Sutton. HORNSEY CLUB. F ixtu r e s for 1887. April 30—Opening Day. May 7—Hornsey, v. Willesden. May 14—Hornsey, v. Granville. May 14—M ill Hill, v. M ill H ill School. May 18—Totteridge, v. Totteridge Park School. May 21—Hornsey, v. Wanstead. May 21—W inchm ore Hill, v. W inchm ore H ill, May 25—Hornsey, v. Mill Hill School. May 28—Tottenham, v. Bruce Castle May 28—Highbury, v. Highbury. May 30—Richm ond, v. Richm ond. May 30—Hornsey, v. City Ramblers. June 4—Hampstead, v. Hampstead, June 4—Hornsey, v. Highgate. June 8 —Hornsey, v. Totteridge Park School. June 11—Southgate, v. Southgate. June 11 —Hornsey, v. Christ’s College. June 18—Hornsey, v. Pallingswick. June 18 —Highbury, v. Highbury. June 20—Hornsey, v. Southgate. June 21—Hornsey, v. Junior Middlesex. June 22—Hornsey, v. Clapton. June 23—Hornsey, v. Stoics, June 24—Hornsey, v. M C.C. and G. June 25—Hornsey, v. U pper Clapton. June 25—Highgate, v. Highgate School. July 2—Hornsey, v. Crystal Palace. July 2— Finchley, v. Christ’s College. July 9—Acton, v. Pallingswick. July 36—Hornsey, v. Richm ond. July 16—W illesden, v. Willesden. July 20—Croydon, v. Croydon. July 23—Lee, v. Granville. July 23—Hornsey, v. U pton Park, July 30—Tottenham , v. Trafalgar. July 30—Hornsey, v. W oodford W ells. Aug. 1—Hornsey, v. Finchley. Aug. 6— Clapton, v. Clapton. Aug. 6— Hornsey, v. Bank of England. Aug. 9—Hornsey, v. Croydon. Aug. 13—Hornsey, v. Hampstead. Aug. 13—Finchley, v. Finchley. Aug. 20—Wanstead, v. Wanstead. Aug. 20—Hornsey, v. Trafalgar. Aug. 27—Upper Clapton, v. U pper Clapton. Aug. 27—Hornsey, v* Stoics. Sept. 3—Hornsey, v. City Ramblers. Sept. 10—Hornsey, v. Highgate. RAVENSBOURNE CLUB. F ixt u r e s for 1887. F irst E lev e n . A pril 30—Lee, House M atch May 7—Neasden, v. Old Change May 14—Lee, v. Aptus May 28—Brom ley, v. Brom ley May 30—Lee, H ouse Match June 4—Lee, Athletic Sports June 11 —Lee, v. Fore Street June 18—Lee, v. Bow Churchyard June 25—Lee, v. Club July 2—Lee, v. W averley July 9—Bromley, v. Brom ley July 9—Oval, The City v. West E nd Club, for the benefit of the Warehousemen and Clerks of Drapers’ Schools. July 16—Lee, v. Forest Hill July 23—Dulwich, v. Lennox July 30—Dulwich, v. Waverley Aug. 13—Neasden, v, Aptus Aug. 20—Forest Gate, v. Fore Street Aug. 27—Lee, v. Burlington Sept.3—Lee, v. Old Change Sept. 10—Forest Hill, v. Forest Hill Sept. 17—Lee, H ouse M atch S econd E l e v e n . April 30—Neasden, v. Aptus May 7—Dulwich, v. .aSolians May 14—Neasden, v. Grasshoppers May 28-L e e , v. Olym pic May 30—Lee, House M atch June 4—Lee, Athletic Sports June 11—Forest Gate, v. Fore Street June 18—Lee, v. Bow Churchyard June 25—Lee, v. Club July 2—Dulwich, v. W averley July 9—Lee, v. Forest Hill July 16—H onor Oak, v. Olym pic July 23—Lee, v. iEolians July 30—Lee, Entering-Room M atch Aug. 6 —Lee, v. W averley Aug. 13—Lee, v. Fore Street. Aug. 20—Lee, v. St. Lawrence Wanderers Sept. 3—Forest Hill, v. Forest Hill Sept. 10—Lee, v. Aptus Sept. 17—Lee, House M atch BURLINGTON WANDERERS CLUB. F ixt u r e s for 1887. May 7 —H am pton Court, v. East M olesey. May 14—Eltham , v. Eltham . May 21—W andsworth, v. Spencer. May 21 —South N orwood Park, v. Norwood. May 28 —Brondesbury, v. M erchant Taylor’s School. ♦May 30—Bushey Park, v. H am pton W ick. June 4—W oolwich, v. Charlton Park. June 6 , 7, 8 (evenings)—Catford Bridge, v. Bank of England. June 11—Lee, v. N orthbrook. June 18 -E rith , v. Erith. June 18—Sutton, v. Sutton (2nd XI.). ♦June 21—Addiscom be, v. Addiscom be. June 25 -W oolw ich , v. Charlton Park. June 25—Tottenham , v. Bruce Castle School. July 2—New Malden, v. Malden Wanderers. ♦July 4 —Leatherhead, v. Leatherhead. July 9—Greenhithe, v. Greenhithe. July 16—Battersea, v. Battersea. July 23—Bushey Fark, v. H am pton W ick. ♦July 25—Croydon, v. Croydon. ♦July 25—Dorking, v. Dorking. Aug. 6 —Addiscom be, b Addiscom be. Aug. 13—Lee, v. N orthbrook. ♦Aug. 20—Croydon, v. Croydon. ♦Aug. 22—Horsham , v. Horsham. •Aug. 23—Bognor, v. Bognor. ♦Aug. 24,25—Portsm outh, v. Hom dean, ♦Aug. 26—G oodw ood, v. Goodwood. ♦Aug. 27—Arundel, v. Arundel. Aug. 27—Lee, v. Ravensboum e. ♦Aug. 29—Chichester, v. Priory Park. ♦ Day m atches, the rest half-day. Next Issue April 14