Cricket 1888

90 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OB’ THE GAME. A P R IL 26, 1688. for some months past, going football tour­ ing in Australia during the coming ^#m- mer. A well-informed Sussex corres­ pondent has been good enough to send me the following extract from a letter written by Mr. Brann, under date of March 15, from Sydney, to a friend in Brighton. Everyone will be pleased to hear that the three amateurs will be all available for Sussex cricket this year. I thought you would like to know whether I intend staying out here with the football team, as I see it is reported that Mr. Sm ith and self are going to do so. We have now both made up our minds to come home, so shall sail from New Zealand, March 31st, in the “ Coptic.” As you have doubtless seen, Mr. Newham and I have not been making many large scores, but we both think we are saving them up for old Sussex next summer. I send paper with last match; Mr. Smith played awfully well, and will, next season, make a lot of runs if he keeps up his form. By the way the “ Coptic,” with the English cricketers, left Bio de Janeiro on Monday last for Plymouth. A n o t h e r well-known cricketer has forsaken the principles of St. Benedict, and taken the vows of the state matri­ monial. There was a fashionable assemblage at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, on Thursday last, to witness the marriage of Mr. Francis Alexander Mackinnon and Miss Isabel Hood. Mr. Mackinnon is an Old Harrovian, though not lucky enough to secure a place in the School eleven. He was more fortunate, however, during his residence at Cam­ bridge, and represented his University at Lord’s in 1870. For several years, too, subsequently,to 1875,he did reallygood service as a batsman for Kent, and occasionally captained the County eleven in the absence of Lord Harris. Mr. G. Marsham, who was President of the Kent County Club last year, acted as best man. Mrs. Mackinnon is the eldest daughter of Admiral Sir Arthur Hood, First Naval Lord. E v e r y o n e will be glad to hear that the movement which has been on foot during the last two months in the Colonies, to provide a fund to recoup Bates for some part of the loss occasioned by the severe accident he suffered during his engagement with Mr. Vernon’s team in Australia, was evidently in full working order when the last mail left Melbourne. A suggestion by Mr. H . W. Hedley, who was over here with the team of 1884 as correspondent of the Melbourne Leader, that a collection should be made on the Flemington race­ course, resulted in a substantial con­ tribution of .£40. I hear, too, that the New South Wales Association has given a donation of £'10 10s., so that it is to be hoped Mr. Vernon, on his return shortly, will be able to bring intelligence of a goodly sum as a solatium for the popular Yorkshire cricketer. T h e Parsee cricketers, who are to leave Bombay for England on the 7th of next month, it will be seen by reference to another part of this paper, were successful in the first of their trial matches, defeating a military team by 132 runs. The Parsees, who are coming, as I have already stated, by the Austro-Hungarian steamer “ Poseidon,” are not bent on making the best of their way from Trieste to London, I understand. On their de­ barkation they will betake themselves to Venice, thence to Turin, on to Paris, and from there to London. D e r b y s h ir e has lost a promising young cricketer by the death of Mr. Ernest W. Markham. The deceased was in the Wellington College eleven of 1885 when Prince Christian Victor was captain, and was their best bat, having an excel­ lent average of 42 runs. On his school form of that year he bado fair to develop into a batsman considerably above the average, and as he was, in addition, a brilliant field, there seemed every likeli­ hood o£ his ripening into a good all-round cricketer. He died at his father’s resid­ ence, Taplow House, Chesterfield, on Saturday last, after a brief illness. I a m sorry, very sorry in fact, that the information sent me and published in C r i c k e t some three months since, to the effect that Mr. Stoddart would not return to England with the other members of Mr. Vernon’s team, has turned out, after all, to be only too well founded. The absence of such a keen cricketer, and withal a batsman of such infinite va*iety, can not fail to cause a blank in the eom- ing season. Southern cricket will miss one of its best all-round representatives. Mr. Webbe, in particular, will have especial reason to feel the loss of a bats­ man with whom he was heartily in touch, and a companion at the wickets in whom he had every confidence, and in whom he could thoroughly trust. “ ’Tis pity.” “ R. T,” whom I am glad to include as one of m y regular correspondents, writes:— Middlesex—with Incogs, Marlburians, and all other friends of Mr. W . J. Ford, will be glad to know that, when relaxation from his duties at Nelson College will permit, that gentleman is still opening his shoulders in the same telling style as at Mote Park for Middle­ sex in 1885, just previous to leaving our shores for New Zealand. His average of 82 per innings plainly shows that the “ gentle tapper” has been moving the leather 1 o the boundaries, and that long hops and half vollies have had a bad time of it. In a match at Melbourne he also put on the gloves, and proved that he was “ all there ” as a snapper. That there is also some bowling attached to Nelson College is demonstrated by the fact that one of the masters, named Bennett, in a recent match, clean bowled five wickets in 6 balls. Bravo! New Zealanders, train on, and bring our national game with you when you cross London Bridge to clear away the ruins. farcspaitbcnte. (W e are not answerable for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents.] EA R L Y SUSSEX CRICKET . To t h e E d it o r o f “ C r ic k e t .” S ir , —I am very anxious to obtain informa­ tion relating to Sussex Cricket prior to the year 1800. In Volume 28 of the Sussex Archoeological Collections , pp. 59 to 82, there is an excellent article “ On the Archoeology of Sussex Cricket” by Charles Francis Trowner, M .A .; and in Volume 9, page 198, in a diary of Walter Gale, schoolmaster at Mayfield, there is the following in 1751 :—“ May 28—Gave attendance at a cricket match, played between the gamesters at Burwash and Mayfield, to the advantage of the latter.v Page 201:— “ August 2—The Wadhurst gentlemen came to play a cricket with those of Mayfield, when the former beat the latter by 106.” Page 202 : —“ July 24—Left off school at two o’clock having heard the spellers and readers a lesson apiece, to attend the cricket match of the gamesters of Mayfield agiin3t those of Lind- field and Chailey.” Volume 11, page 210; •‘ From the diary of a Sussex tradesman a hundred years *go,” under date 1762. “ June 28—In the even, Joseph Fuller and mypelf plaid a game of cricket with Mr. Geo. Banister and James Fuller, for half-a-crown’s worth of punch, which we won easily, but it being hot and drinking a pretty deal of punch, it got up into my head, so that I came home not sober.” Page 213, 1761:—“ Tuesday, May 29—In the afternoon there was plaid at Hawkhurst Common, in this parish, a game of cricket, between this parish and that of Ringmer; but it was not plaid out, Ringmer having three wickets to get out, and thirty notches to get, so that in all probability had it been plaid out, it would have been deeided in favour of Hoathly.” The Sussex tradesman was Thomas Turner, a general shopkeeper of East Hoathly. I shall be exceedingly grateful if any of your readers can give me any further intelligence.—I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, A l f r e d J . G a st o n . 23, Clyde Road, Brighton. April 21st, 1888. NORTHBROOK CLUB. F ix t u r e s fo r 1888. April 21—Lee, Opening Match A pril 28—Lee, v. iE olian ♦April 28—Herne H ill, v. Lennox May 5—Acton, v. Pallingswick ♦May 5—Lee, v. Sidcup May 12—Lee, v. Charlton Park ♦May 12—Charlton Park, v. Charlton Park May 19—Addiscombe, v. Addiscombe ♦May 19—Lee, v. Addiscombe May 21—Lee, v. Granville ♦May 21—Lee, v. Granville ♦May 23-Lee, v. Royal Naval School May 26—Epsom, v. The College ♦May 26—Manor W ay.v. Blackheath Prop. School June 2—Chiswick Park, v. Chiswick Park ♦June 2—Lee, v. Greenhithe June 9—Lee, v. Pallingswick ♦June 9—Gravesend, v. Gravesend ♦June 13,14—Lee, v. Alliance Bank June 16—Bromley, v.-Bromley ♦Juno 16—Lee, v Loridon Hospital June 23—Ham pton W ick, v. H am pton Wick ♦June 23—New Cross, v. Royal Naval School June 30—Charlton Park, v. Charlton Park ♦June 30—Lee, v. Charlton Park July 4-Norwood, v. Norwood July 7—Lee, v. Burlington Wanderers ♦July 7—New E ltham , v. New E ltham July 14—Catford bridge, v. Private Banks ♦July 14—Lee, v. H on Artille»y Company ♦July 18,19—Lee, v. Alliance Bank July 21—Gravesend, v. Gravesend ♦July 21—New Malden, v. Malden Wanderers July 25—L<e, v. H am pton Wick July 28—Lee, v. Addiscom^e ♦July 28—Addiscombe, v. Addiscombe Aug. 4—Lee, v. Junior Middlesex ♦Aug. 4—Greenhithe. v. Qreenhithe Aug. 6—Lee, v. Granville ♦Aug. 6—Lee, v. Granville Aug. 10—Lee, Mr. M ark’s Team of Members’ Sons v. Mr. Ingram ’s Team Aug. 11—Sutton, v. Sutton ♦Aug. 11—Lee, v. New E ltham Aug. 15—Lee, v. Gravesend Aug. 18—Lee, v. Norwood *Aug. 18-Finsbury, v. Hon. Artillery Company Aug. 25—Lee, v. Bromley ♦Aug. 25—Sidcup, v. Sidcup Sept. 1—Blackheath, v. Blackheath Sept. 1—Lee, v. Burlington Wanderers Sept. 8—Lee, v. P oint House Ram blers Sept. 15—Lee, Closing Match ♦Second Team Matches.