Cricket 1887

460 C R IC K E T : A W E E K L Y ftECOUD 0 * THE GAME . NOV. 24,1887 A LADIES’ CBICKET MATCH, DESCRIBED BY A MALE PROFESSIONAL. [From T it Bits of October 1.] A c r i c k e t match between eleven lady visitors to Eastbourne and a team of East­ bourne lady residents has been played in a field near the town. In the description, written by a “ male professional,” are the following interesting particulars of the gam e:— In the field the visitors presented a charm­ ing appearance, but the other side were hardly so picturesque. Eastbourne won tbe toss after some delay, caused by the penny’s disap- earance when flung into the air. This was ecause the captain of the visitors, a lovely girl, with brown hair, always flung it behind her, instead of tossing it straight up, and became hysterical with excitement lest it should strike her on the head when it came down. After three pennies had been tossed, one of them was found on the grass. Nobody was sure which one it was, but to waste no more of the day, it was agreed that the Visitors had won the toss. After alittle talk amongst them­ selves, they agreed to send Eastbourne to the wickets. Miss Lucy Townley and Mrs. Coombes were sent in to face the bowling of Miss Frobisher (medium lobs) and Miss Katie Metcalfe (slow twisters). Mrs. Salmond kept wicket, and the other fielders stood in two groups, one on each side of the batswomen. Miss Metcalfe’s fourth ball went swiftly past the wicket-keeper, who ran after it with long- stop, and when it stopped picked it up and flung it to Miss Frobisher, who stopped it with her foot. “ How’s that ? ” called out Miss Frobisher. “ Out,” said the umpire. Here the game was interrupted, as the umpire could, not decide which of the players were out. It was ultimately agreedthat both should get another chance. A smart piece of fielding by Miss Lucy Wilson was loudly cheered. Running along­ side the ball she picked it up as soon as it had stopped, and flung it with both hands to the umpire, who held up her bat to the scorers, to signify that Miss Wilson had scored one. Runs now came fast, and as the batswomen seemed set, a change of bowling was tried, Miss White going on in place of Miss Fro­ bisher. The separation, however, was effected from the other end, Miss Townley being clean bowled by Miss Metcalfe for a capital four. The next comer was Miss Rogers, who fell when taking “ centre,” and retired to change her dress. Miss Tower followed, and com­ menced by cracking MissWhite to leg for one, and then opening her shoulders to a short- pitched one from the same bowler, she pulled it to the off for two. Miss Metcalfe then found her way to Miss Tower’swicket. 3 for 14. Mrs. Hastings then came in, and was got rid of by a clever piece of fielding on the part of Miss Jenny Walters. Another wicket was soon captured, and when the score had reached 40 M isB Metcalfe gave place to Miss Grainger (fast daisy-cutters). This lady bowls at such a terrific speed that, did the balls go straight, she would capture six wickets in an over. Neither batswoman attempted to face her deliveries, the plan adopted being to stand far away from the wickets, and then run as soon as the ball had passed them. Long-stop did not try to stop the ball until it was dead, and thus byes were registered with great rapidity. Fifty went up, and then Miss Tompkins was run out. After the adjournment for luncheon Mrs. Coombes was magnificently bowled and stumped by Miss White for 42. The retiring batswoman, who was loudly cheered, had been at the wicket for over three hours, during which she had only given fourteen chances. The end pow soon came. Miss Fern was caught accidentally by Miss Waters for a useful two, and the innings closed for 68, Miss Fulton carrying out her bat for a capital one. The visitors had an up-hill battle to fight, 68 being the largest score yetmade on the ground The innings opened badly, the captain being bowled first ball by the long-stop in returning the ball to the wicket-keeper. Two byes were recorded, and then Miss Morley broke her duck with a single into the hands of mid­ wicket, who dropped it, and refused to stand there any longer. At seven a high one from Miss Tompkins spread-eagled Miss White’s wicket, and Miss Waters came in. This lady was the most bril­ liant batswoman on the Visitors’ side, owing to her running powers, which enabled her to score two for every other person’s one. On this occasion she unfortunately lost her head. Missing the ball at her first try, she ran after it, and overtaking it near long-stop, propelled it as hard as she could. The ball went so far that it required four fielders, flinging it as hard as they could, to return it to the wicket­ keeper. In the meantime Miss Waters had been runninsr swiftly between the wickets, passing Miss Morley (a slow runner) repeatedly, and shouting out “ How’s that ? ” in a triumphant voice every time she touched the block-hole. Mrs. Coombes, the wicket-keeper, concealed the ball about her person until both bats­ women were out of their ground, then stumped Miss Waters, and calling out “ Play” when Miss Morley’s back was turned, quickly bowled that lady. Six runs had been made, but they cost two wickets. At 28 Mrs. Maginn, one of the new comers, fell over her wickets, for which she was allowed two. Immediately afterwards she was caught and bowled. Ten minutes were here allowed for conversation, and then play was resumed, Miss Willoughby having Miss Grainger for a partner. These two ladies subjected Eastbourne to a rare iece of leather hunting, and 40 went up after alf an hour’s play. At 31, 32, 34, 36 and 37 Miss Willoughby should have been stumped, and Miss Grainger was nearly caught at 32, 36, 38 and 39. Miss Grainger was bowled at 41. The chances were now all against the Visitors being able to stave off defeat. At 43 Mrs. Hastings was tried with the ball, and a “ rot ” set in. This lady, like all good bowlers, has a method of her own. She runs half-way up the pitch before delivering the ball, and then pretends to bowl. The bats­ woman, peeing her arm move, thinks she has bowled,and strikes out at nothing. When the bat is in the air Mrs. Hastings quiokly flings the ball at the wicket with unfailing aim. Mrs. Salmond and Miss Frobisher fell to her in two successive balls, and Miss Willoughby almost immediately afterwards, so that Mrs. Hastings all but did the hat trick. The innings closed for 43, leaving East­ bourne easily victorious. The victory was mainly due to the fine batting of Mrs. Coombes, the only other batswoman who succeeded in getting into double figures being Miss Wil­ loughby, who made 17 by superb cricket. There were those in the field who considered Miss Willoughby’s form better than Mrs. Coombes’, her forward play being very fine, and her back drives to slip generally admired. None of the unseemly altercations that so often take place in men’s matches spoilt this one, the only point on which there was any diversity of opinion being whether 43 is less than 68 by 19 or by 27. KENT COUNTY CLUB. The autumn meeting of the Committee of the Kent County Ciicket Club was held at the Golden Cross Hotel, Charing Cross, on Tuesday, 1st November. There were present —Earl Sondes (the President), Lord Harris, Mr. Marsham, Mr. H. Knatchbull-Hugessen, M.P., Mr. Mackinnon, Colonel Hartnell, Mr. Akers-Douplas, M. P., Mr. C. Lavzrie, Mr. W. South Norton, Mr. M. C. Kemp, Mr. George Furley, the Rev. C. Randolph, the Rev. R. T. Thornton, Captain Austin, and the Sec­ retary (Mr. A. J. Lancaster). The report of the Managing Committee was read as follows:— REPORT OF THE MANAGING COMMITTEE ON THE SEASON 1887. Your Committeeregret that their report of the season’s cricket should have to deal with such a long list of failures, exceeding the disastrous years of 1879, 1882, and 1883; and upon this subject beg to offer the following observations. We are not surprised that our selection of players has been much and adversely criticised; it is the usual reward of ill-success, but we are by no means inclined to admit that the fault has lain solely in the selection. Several causes, other than that, have, in our opinion, con­ tributed to the result. The number of matches played was large: the number of first-class players from whom we could select was small, and thesn oftentimes otherwise occupied when their aid was most needed. Nor do we think, considering how great were the disadvantages under which bowlers laboured during the past dry summer, that the Kentish batsmen were as successful as might have been expected. Again, the eleven were without the assistance of a reliable fast bowler: Wootton resorted to every device to deceive the batsman, Martin and Alec Hearne bowled frequently with remarkable steadiness, and Mr. Christopherson threw prudence to the winds and ignored an injured arm; but the results would, we believe, have been far happier had the last named been able to com­ bine his old accuracy with his pace. Your Committee do not, however, attribute the long list of failures so much to the want of bowling as of batting, and they reiterate their opinion that this could not be avoided, for the good reason that although no doubt many a village slogger is in the eyes of the local critics a W. G. Grace, as a matter of fact there was not in the county the material with which on every occasion to form a better eleven. We are aware that an opinion is entertained by some, whose opinions we value very highly, that the Managing Committee is not large enough, and that a larger one, composed of gentlemen actively participating in the game in different parts of the county, would produce more talent. We may at once say, although we fear, whilst the county labours under the disadvantage of having no ground at which such a committee could meet at least once a week, the addition of numbers to the committee will not facilitate an accurate selec­ tion, that personally we are entirely impartial on the point, and if the General Committee deems it wise to appoint a large Managing Committee, we trust there is no need to give an assurance of our cordial co-operation in its deliberations. Kent is singularly unfortunate in having no fixed home for its committee. Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex, and Middlesex, have fixed county grounds at which the respective committees meet regularly and select the teams. Kent has not; the selection is effeoted by correspondence, and we fail to see, whilst this condition of things lasts, that the task of selection will be rendered the easier when the size of the committee entails increased corres­ pondence ; but, recognising that we ourselves are unable to attend local matches as frequently as we should wish, and to watch for sioms of incipient talent, we feel that we are not in a position that would warrant any opposition on our part to the desired change; and we can merely express a hope that some way out of the difficulty we have hinted at may be found. A complaint has also reached our ears that changes take place in the management of the Club without a general meeting of the sub­ scribers being called. We beg to remind you that this is not the result of an exclusive spirit on the part of the General Committee, but of apathy on the part of the subscribers ; that at one time a general meeting was held annually, but that, as it invariably happened that only those attended who were members of the General Committee, these meetings were discontinued. Since then, however, the num­ K S X T IS SU E , DECEMBER 29.