Cricket 1887

APRIL 28,1887. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 85 A SCARCE VOLUME OF CLUB RECORDS. B y T homas K eyw orth . T here never was a time when so many people took an interest in cricket literature as at E resent, and the next best thing to reading ookf* which have been written about the game and its history is to read about those books. We cannot all be collectors, as the price of rare publications which refer to cricket has gone up enormously during the last five years. Under these circumstances I think it is a good plan for any man who possesses a scarce work on the subject to describe it in the pages of this journal. Several counties and a number of clubs have been made prominent and famous by the publication of compilations which contain their respective doings in the cricket field. It would be well if all the counties followed the example of Sussex and Lancashire, and others, in this particular, and gave to the world in a cheap and portable form an account of their great matches. Mr. Pycroft has a touching passage in the r ricTcet Field , which refers to the old age of Beagley, who had been one of England’s finest batsmen, and the very model for a long-stop. “ ‘ Do you see thatold man sitting there ? ’ we said to one of the first of the amateurs, ‘ that man is Thomas Beagley! * ‘ Thomas who ? ’ was the reply. There was a day when men would as soon have asked, ‘ who is W. G-. Grace,’ or who is Daft.’ ” Though it is inevitable that there will be much forgetfulness of this kind, yet something might be done to keep green the memory of men who have been famous for skill with bat and ball. I have before me now a book which was published in 1865, andwhich is called “ Matches of the Liverpool Cricket Club, 1847-1864. Liverpool: Webb and Hunt, Printers, of Castle Street.” It must be very scarce now, for I never saw another copy of it, though I lived in Liverpool nearly fourteen years, and was always on the look out for anything relating to the national game. It is a nice compact book of 250 pages, well E rinted on good paper, and is bound in cloth, ut like many similar publications of twenty vears ago and over, it gives all honour to the bat, and scarcely any to the ball. The scores are all recorded, but there is not an analysis of bowling from first to last. Thirty-three pages are occupied with matches between those old rivals Liverpool and Birkenhead Park. At the beginning of the period which is covered by this book, Liverpool played nine of its second team and two o f its first team against the others. Liver­ pool won in the home match, but lost the return by 68 runs, and in following years played its full team in these matches. Birken­ head did not win a match until 1854, but on two occasions the score says, “ match given up by Birkenhead.” After 1854, Birkenhead won quite as often as it lost, but most of the matches were drawn. Then thirty-five pages are devoted to matches between Liverpool and Manchester. Liver­ pool was much too strong at first, and Man­ chester had not a victory until 1851. But in those early matches only members of the respective clubs took part in the contests. Extra matches were played occasionally, and outside help was procured ; as in 1850, Liver­ pool had J. Paget and Ellis, while Manchester had J. Buttery and V. Tinley; and again in 1856, Liverpool had W. Perry and Trodd, while Manchester had T. Hunt and Ellis. Of the ordinary matches, Liverpool won seven, Manchester ten, and sixteen were drawn. Thirty-two pages are devoted to matches with the Cestrian Club, which of course means Chester. Some people seem to think that more matches are drawn in our days than was the casd formerly. But the testimony of this book does not bear out that opinion. Of the matches here given, Liverpool won nine, the Cestrians three, and twenty were drawn. Then follow matches with the once famous Western Club, extending from 1857 to 1864. Matches with Warrington occupy eight pages. After these are a number of matches played between Liverpool and counties or sections of counties. From 1848 to 1863 Liverpool met Shropshire with tolerable regularity. The opponents were not unequally matched, and the town was victorious almost as often as the county. Four years in succession there were matches between Liverpool and South Derby­ shire. This was from 1854 to 1857. Liverpool did not lose any of those. Each side was always helped by a given man, and the fact is invariably stated. Four matches were played with Cheshire county. Liverpool won one, and the others were drawn. Then follow matches with the Garrison, and with various well-known clubs, including I Zingari and the Free Foresters. The last thirty-five pages of the book are devoted to Club matches. Besides the usual Eleven versus Nineteen, there are Old v. Young, Old Rugbeians v. Rest of the Club, Public Schools v. Rest of the Club, and Natives of Liverpool v. Rest of the Club. But there is a short section before the last one, and this is a record of matches played with the All England Eleven. The first was in September, 1847, and that was at the begin­ ning of William Clarke’s venture. Fourteen of Liverpool, together with W. Jjillywhite and Martingell, met the Eleven, and the match was pretty evenly drawn, England 70 and 52, Liverpool 83and 15for seven wickets. Mynn, Felix, Pilch, Hillyer, Parr, and Dean are the best known names in the Eleven. Ten years afterwards, the United All England Eleven paid a visit, andmet Twenty-two of Liverpool, including C. Brampton and E. Hiukly. The Eleven included Grundy, John Lillywhite, Caffyn, Lockyer, Wisden, Griffith and Mort- lock. The Twenty-two won by 48 runs. In 1858 the All England Eleven paid a visit, and met Twenty-two, including Hinkly and F. Tinley. The Twenty-two won by 98 runs. But in 1859 the Eleven met the Twenty-two, including Hinkl\r, and beat them by an innings and 64 runs. John Jackson and F. Reynolds wrought the mischief, the former taking six­ teen wickets, and the latter twenty-two. There are many names in the book of men who are now in the “ sere and yellow leaf,” staid gentlemen, prominent in various circles, literary, political, and mercantile, but there is no name of anybody seen now on the cricket field, except as a spectator, or per­ chance in the semi-active capacity of umpire. STOICS v. BEDDINGTON. Played at Beddington on April 23. B ed d in gton . F.E.Goddard.c Oliver, b Kelly .................. : S. T. Baker, run out... R. Henderson, c Procter, b Kelly ... 5 A. B.Peile, b Collins... Rev. J. Baker, c Bor- radaile, b Collins ... J. Dives, b Kelly J.B.Laidlaw, b Kelly P. Carpenter, c Stan­ hope, b Kelly R . C. Kirkm an, b Collins ................... E. Taylor, b Collins W . Baines,not o u t ... B 11, 1b 2, w 2 ... Total... , 71 S toics . J. S. H aycraft, b P e ile .......................... 4 O. R. Borradaile, c Dives, b Henderson 36 G. W . T. Daniel, b P e ile .......................... 4 F F. Kelly, b Hender­ son .......................... 6 E. A. Collins, b Hen­ derson .................. 9 E. S. W ilks, b Kirk­ m an .......................... 1 L. Corke, b Peile ... H. T. Proctor, b Peile.......................... E. C. Spencer-Stan- hope, not out R. L. W illiamson, c Henderson, b Peile T. C. R. Oliver, b Peile.......................... B .......................... Total ........ BRIXTON WANDERERS CLUB. F ix t u r e s f o r 1887. April 30—Wandsworth, v. Spencer April 3.)—Dulwich, v. Grasshoppers May 7—W oodford, v. W oodford May 7—Dulwich, v. St. Austin’s May 11—Dulwich, v. Bromley May 14—Dulwich, v. Spencer 2nd XI. May 21—East M oulsey, v. East Moulsey May 21—Dulwich, v. Camberwell Gramm ar School May 28—Brighton, v. Brighton Teachers May 30—Lewes, v. Lewes Priory May 28—Dulwich, v. Lyndhurst June 4—Dulwich, v. Waverley June 4—Dulwich, v. St. Austin’s June 8—Croydon, v. Croydon June 11—Dulwich, v. Ivanhoe June 11—W im bledon, v. Grasshoppers June 18—Norwood, v. Norwood June 18—Blackheath, v. Lee and Blackhcath June 25—Herne H ill, v Lennox June 25—Dulwich, v. Heathfleld July 2—Wandsworth, v. Spencer July 2—Nunhead, v. Ardinians July 9—Norwood, v. Norwood July 9—Dulwich, v. Ivanhoe July 13—W oodford, v. W oodford July 16—Wandsworth, v. Spencer 2nd XI. July 16—Crawley, v. Crawley Down July 20—Strawberry Hill, v. Strawberry Hill July 23 -D ulw ich, v. W averley July 23—Clapham Park, v. Miranda July 30—Bromley, v. Bromley Ang. 1—King’s Langley, v. King’s Langley Aug. 6—Wandsworth, v. Heathfield Aug. 6—Dulwich, v. W oodford 2nd XI. Aug. 10—M itcham , v. M itcham Aug. 13 —A bbot’s Langley, v. Abbot’s Langley Ang. 20—Dulwich, v. Lee and Blackheath Aug. 20 to 27— A n n u a d T ou r Aug. 27—Clapham Park. v. Yarra Sept. 3—Herne Hill, v. Lennox Sept. 3—Dulwich, v. Cavendish Sept. 10—Barnes, v. Barnes Sept. 10—Balham, v. Lyndhurst Sept. 17—East M oulsey, v. East Moulsey Sept. 17—Dulwich, v Ardinians Sept. 24—Dulwich, v. Ibis STREATHAM CLUB. F ix t u r e s f o r 1887. April 30—Streathcm , Club M atch May 7—Streatham, v. Old Finchleians May 14 - Sutton, v. Sutton May 21 -Streatham , v. Buckhurst Hill May 28—Streatham, v. Hackbridge May 30—Streatham, v. M.C.C. and Ground June 4—Tooting, v. Tooting June 4—Streatham. v. Guy’s Hospital June 8—Streatham, v. Beckenham June 11—Streatham, v. Richm ond June 15—Streatham, v. Crystal Palace June 18—Weybridge, v. Oatlands Park June 18—Streatham, v. N orwood Park June 21—Streatham, v. M arlboro’ Blues June 25—Streatham, v. Surbiton July 2—Eeckenham, v. Beckenham July 9—Streatham, v W im bledon July 9 Newlands, Tooting Common, v. Mr. L. Griffith’s School July 16—Richm ond, v. Richm ond July 16—Streatham, v. Rev. R. C.'Lewis’ School July 23—Streatham, v. Incogniti July 28—Surbiton, v. Surbiton July 29, 30 —Streatham, v. Incapables Aug. 1— streatham, v. Tooting Aug. 5—Leatherhead, v. Leatherhead Aug. 6—Streatham, v. Sutton Aug. 8, 9—Seaton, v. Seaton Aug. 10--Streatham , Junior M embers’ M atch Aug 10,11—Sidmouth, v. Sidmouth Aug 12,13—Exeter, v. Exeter Aug. 15,16—Torquay, v. Torquay Aug. 17,18—Newton Abbot, v. South Devon Aug. 19, 20—Devonport, v. Plym outh Garrison Aug 27—Crystal Palace, v. Crystal Palace Sept 3—streatham, v. Leatherhead Sept 10—Streatham, v. 3rd Surrey R.V. C h ie f F ix tu r e s f o r 1887.—In our list of the chief fixtures for 1887, published in C r ic k e t of last week, we omitted the match at Hastings on July 28, 29 and 30, between Yorkshire and Eighteen of Hastings and District.