Cricket 1887

“ Toge ther joined in cricket’s m an ly toil.”— Byron. Registered fo^n.SStoAbroad. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1887. PRICE 2d. increased by 115, and of this number Mr. Marchant’s contribution was 93—as fine a display of hitting as had ever been witnessed in a school match at Lord’s. This innings was sufficient to establish his reputation as a young cricketer of exceeding promise, and it was no surprise to find him installed in the Kent eleven at the earliest opportunity. His first appearance for his county was again' Lancashire at Gravesend on August 20,188'’1 As it happened the match was remarkable for low scoring, and only one of the four innings reached three figures. Briggs was the only batsman who got double figures each time, and Mr. Marchant was fortunate enough to be the chief run-getter in the first innings of Kent with a score of 24. A week later he made his debut at the Oval, against Surrey, but with no great success, and these two matches represented the sum of his first year’s cricket for Kent. His school form was quite good enough to ensure him a thorough trial at Cambridge, and he took his place in the University eleven in the opening fixture of 1884 against Mr. C. I. Thornton’s eleven. Though not on the whole as successful as was hoped, on occasions he showed to advantage, notably against Yorkshire and the Australians at Cambridge, and later when he faced the Surrey bowlers for the second time at the Oval. His highest score was his thirty-four against the Australians, but his 27 against Yorkshire was as good a performance, and one feature of the latter « as that the two last wickets in the seoond innings of Cambridge were responsible for as many as 122 of a total of 222. Al­ together he represented Kent in ten innings in 1884, but, with one excep­ tion, with only partial success, and his aggregate of 163 was mainly due to his score of 77 against Somerset­ shire, at Tunbridge Wells, at the very end of the season. Though Somersetshire had a lead of 34 runs on the first hands, the stand made by the Rev. II. T. Thornton and Mr. Marchant in the second innings turned the scale in favour of Kent, and the latter’s 77 was the highest contribution of the match. The summer of 1885 was a fairly success­ ful one for Mr. Marchant, and both for the University and for his county his batting figures were creditable. He opened the season well with a capital score of fifty not out in the first match against Mr. Thornton’s Eleven, and though only able to make eight runs against Oxford, at Lord’s, showed to advan­ tage in more than one of the trial fixtures, particularly in the return with Yorkshire at Sheffield, where he got 36 by good hitting. Ten innings represented the help he gave to Kent in that year, and his aggregate of 169 cannot fail to retain a vivid recollection of the brilliant form he displayed on that occasion. His hitting was, indeed, the most conspicuous feature of the game. He might have been run out directly he went in, and the Harrovians had to suffer heavily for this escape, as during the hour and thirty-five minutes he remained at the wickets he scored at the rate of a run a minute. While he was in the total was MR. FR A N C IS M ARCH AN T . T he Captain of a University eleven occupies, and rightly, a conspicuous place in the world of cricket. In his own particular sphere, too, as is only natural, he wields even greater in­ fluence than is the case with the ordinary run of captains. The exigencies of his position, which almost, if not entirely, amounts to absolute power, necessitate a com­ bination of cricket virtues. He has to use, if he is to fill the post well, considerable judgment, no small dis­ crimination, and the proper exercise of his duties demands resolution as well as decision of character. For­ tunately in the majority of cases a University captain has served a useful apprenticeship in school cricket, even before he graduates to cricket honours at Oxford or Cambridge, and as a rule he is thoroughly qualified to under­ take the responsibilities of command. In this respect Mr. Francis Marchant, whose portrait we give this week, the Captain of the Cambridge eleven of 1887, is fortunate. He will have at least the benefit of a very valuable experience at Eton, as well as at Cambridge. Born at Matfield, Staple- hurst, where his home still is, on May 22, 1864, Mr. Marchant is a man of Kent thew and sinew. Educated at a private school at Brighton, he began his public school career singularly enough at Rugby. There, though, his stay was very short, and, indeed, his connection was limited to one term, his attainmentof ascholarship at Eton causing his immediate removal to that school. The first occasion on which he came at all prominently before the cricket public was in 1882. He had completed his eighteenth birthday before he was called on to face the ordeal of the great Public School match at Lord’s. Mr. H. W. Bainbridge, under whose captaincy Mr. Marchant had again to serve at Cambridge last year, was in command of the Eton eleven of 1882, and he had no reason to complain of the forai of the new choice, who showed pro­ mising cricket in each innings for nineteen and ten not out respectively. The next year wasMr.Marchant’slastatEton, and it was this, his second appearance at Lord’s, which set the seal to his reputation as a Public School cricketer. Those C ricket readers who re­ member the Eton and Harrow match of 1883, Next Issue February 24