Cricket 1887

“ Toge ther jo ined in cricket’s m an ly toil.”— Byron. BegtotoSdl«4irJs^'ai^'Abroad. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1887. PRICE2d. MR. HERBERT PIGG. H a s t in g s to-day enters on the first stage of a cricket celebration which ought to, and we hope will, awaken a new and increased interest in our national game in that dis­ trict. Among the many distinguished cricketers, too, who will participate in this same festival at Hastings, whioh everyone hopes will be successful enough to develop into an annual gathering after the Canterbury model, there is none whose form will be more closely followed than that of the Old Blue who has played such an important part in Hastings cricket during the last three or four summers. Mr. Herbert Pigg’s local popularity, too, is not founded on any claims of long service or ancient descent. He Is, indeed, a Hertfordshire man, and though on a few occasions, while at school, he played for Northamptonshire, he has, it must be owned, loyally attached himself to the fortunes of Herts. Born at Beauchamps, Bunting- ford, on September 4, 1856, last Sunday saw the completion of his thirty-first year. Educated at Abington House School, North­ ampton, he had every opportunity of developing his natural ability as a cricketer. Abington House, then under the direction of Mr. W .King­ ston, was in fact as suitable a train­ ing ground for cricket as it would be possible to find. Many players who made their mark subsequently, as boys found in the company of the Kingston brotherhood every incentive to perfect themselves in the practice of the game, and Mr. Pigg was not one of the least apt scholars the Kingstons had under their care. On the contrary, his cricket even at that early stage of his career was much above the average, and as already stated, it was good enough to entitle him to a place in the Northamptonshire eleven on a few occasions. Entering Cambridge Uni­ versity in October, 1875, his first season was mostly given uj> to rowing, and he did not even take part in the Freshmen’s match of 1876. The following summer, though, Mr. C. Pigg, as well as hip brother, had a place in the trial matches at Cambridge, and the latter good cricket he was left out of the Cambridge eleven in 1878, though several big scores were credited to his name during that summer, the best of them, after the University had gone down, one of 104 for the Cambridge Long Vacation Club against Marylebone Club and Ground. Leaving Cambridge, he secured a mastership at Blair Lodge School, and during the two years he was there Scotch cricket profited considerably by his assist­ ance. In 1880and 1881more thanone innings of over a hundred was re­ corded to his name in connection with Blair Lodge, and on several occasions he represented Stirling­ shire with credit. Moving to St. Leonards-on-Sea in 1882, he has been engaged there for the last six years as a private tutor, a profession whioh has fortunately not allowed his cricket to fall into disuse. As an all-round player he has certainly, indeed, had few superiors in Sussex, and it may fairly be said that he is one of the most popular, as well as the best cricketers in the county. It is chiefly during the last three years, though, that he has made his mark in the better class of fixtures, and some of his perform­ ances of late have established his reputation as a player of con­ spicuous merit. For Hertfordshire he has been consistently successful, and his summary for the summer of 1884 and two following years was exceptionally creditable. Two scores of 141 against M.C.C. and G. in 1885, and 141 not out against Hants in 1886, contributed greatly to the good show he made during that period, but his aggregate of 462 for nine completed innings was altogether an excellent perform­ ance, and his average of 51.8 one of which he had no small reason to be proud. Mr. Pigg’s two best re­ cords of late, however, and really hig bast in point of quality, were his performances againstthe Australian team of 1886, and laterstill, his fine show a few weeks since, against the Yorkshire Eleven, both on the Central ground at Hastings. His all-round cricket against the Australians at the close of their tour last season was themost noteworthy feature on the Hastings side, and in addition to an exceedingly well played second score of fifty-nine, he took altogether eight of the six­ teen Australian wickets which fell in the match at afl average cost of just over eighteen was fortunate enough, thanks to his play in the later fixtures, to secure his blue. A well played innings of 32 for Herts against the M.O.C. and G., followed by two excellent scores of 34 not out and 32, at .Lord’s, for Cambridge, just prior to the Inter-University match, fully justified his selection to oppose Oxford in the great fixture of the season. It was an occasion of some importance, being the Jubilee of Inter-University cricket, but Mr. F. M. Buckland’s brilliant batting gave Oxford all the advantage, and Cambridge had to put up with a decisive defeat. Mr. Pigg himself, too, was not in the best of luck, for he only scored a couple in his two innings, and his bowling was restricted to two overs at a cost of 9 runs. In spite of some fairly