Cricket 1888

MAY 3, 1888. ORICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. 100 E r it h . E. W. Everett,bTonge 2 J. Stone, b Christo- pherson ............... 1 Nuttall, not ont........ 32 Hutchings, c Bernes, b Christopherson... 16 W. Davidson, b Tuf- nell ... ............... 0 W. Ashdown,b Chris­ topherson ......... 0 S. Cozens, b Christo­ pherson ............... 3 B ic k l b y P a r k . W. H. Patterson, st Nuttall.bHutchins 130 S Christopberson, c Parish, b Ashdown 8 J. N. Tonge, st Nut- tall, b Cozans.........35 C. F. Tufnell, b Ash- F. Everltt, run out... 2 A. S. Homewood, o Boosey, b Tufnell 12 F. G. Houghton, c Cooper, b Tufnell 0 W. E. Parish, b Tonge ............... 0 B ..................... 7 Total , 75 down ... W. B. Pattisson, Hutchings B. A. F. Grieve, Hutchings , 75 E. Simmonds, c Nut- tall. b Ashdown ... H.H.Hardy.cHough- ton, b Ashdown ... R. Berens, absent... J. W. Cooper, absent G. C.Boosey.not out B 7, lb 1 ......... Total .........2 UN IVERSITY CRICKET. BY ROSSALLIAN. The influence that University cricket exer­ cises on the gime generally, and the share that it has in providing us with the great propor­ tion of our amateur cricketers, will be best attested by an examination of the list of Gen­ tlemen who have taken part for the past 10 or 15 years in the annual matches against the Players. There have been few years, indeed, iu which out of the Eleven Gentlemen taking part in these matches, seven or eight of the number had not graduated in cricket at one or other of our two Universities. The most notable exceptions to this rule have been the three Graces, Mr. W .W . Read and Mr. A. N Hornby. This will at once establish the importance of the Universities as centres of cricket culture. The attention of all those keenly interested in the game is always drawn to the probable composition of the Elevens at the two seats of learning, for on the shoulders of those who Becure the hall mark of a “ Blue ” a great deal of the credit of amateur cricket of the future would appear to rest. Of the 53 matches played Cambridge have won 26 and Oxford 25, the other two matches having been unfinished o* ing to unfavourable weather. The even state of the balance would of itself indicate the good and level match which the Universities afford, and some very exciting finishes have been witnessed, notably in 1875, when Oxford won by 6 runs, and again in 1870, when Cambridge were the victors by 2 runs only 1 Oxford, as the winners last year, and with a very great nucleus of last year’s team remain­ ing, have been already adjudged by the critics to possess much better prospects than her rival, and if betting obtained at cricket it is asserted that it would be this year a case of “ odds on” the Dark Blues. Early prognosti cations have, as a rule, proved a failure when anticipating the result of the Boat Race, and with cricket bearing the character of being the most gloriously uncertain of games, a reversion of the prophecy may not unlikely take place, for Cambridge appears to have been strengthened as the season has deve­ loped. Oxford, in losing Key, Buckland, Brain, "Whitby and Ricketts, of last year’s eleven, will lose one or two veritable giants. Key will retire with the credit of having achieved the highest average obtained in these matches, and we doubt whether there is at Oxford either Senior or Freshman equal to filling the breach caused by his retirement.. Rashleigh, in succeeding to the Captaincy, will be able to claim the assistance of Nepean, Gresson, Forster, Philipson and Lord George Scott of last year’s eleven, together with A. H. J. Cochrane and C. W . Wreford-Brown, who earned their “ Blue ” but who were prevented playing by accidents. There is no gainsaying Rashleigh’: value to his side, for many a long score in many an uphill game have set the seal to his merits as a'batsman, and young as he is there is no member of the eleven whose back his cricketing opponents would sooner see. Nepean’s advance as a bowler has been simply phenomenal, but of his batting we had a high opinion when he was a boy at Sher­ borne.jLord George Scott’ssuccess in last year’s match was thoroughly deserved, for there is no pluckier bat, nor one possessed of more nerve when things are shaping unfavourably. Those who saw it will remember his innings in the Schools’ match two or three years ago, when Eton following on were likely to suffer defeat, and were saved therefrom by a good innings of, I think, 35 not out from his bat. The Oxford Seniors available are A. K. Watson, E. H. F. Bradby, J. H. Coplestone, A. C. M. Croome, E. A. Hill, H. Hammond, J. B. Rawlinson, R. H. Moss and M. J. Daug- lish. The Freshmen would, however, appear more likely to supply the vacancies in the eleven, and these comprise G. L. Wilson (Brighton), who made a successful appearance against Yorkshire bowling last year, and two years ago was selected to play against the Australian 1886 team at Portsmouth. The other Fresh­ men include Coventry, Llewellyn and Field (Eton), Fair (Harrow), Lamb and Batty (Haileybury), Harrison and Probyn (West­ minster), Mellersh (Bradfield), Jackson (Lan­ cing). Thesiger and Debenham (Winchester), Hall (Felstead), Bradby, Allen, Bowden-Smith and Ratcliffe (Rugby), Schwann, Thomas, and Smith (Clifton), Wilkinson and Shaw (Charter­ house), Farrant and Sm ith (Repton), Davies and Wilson (Rossall), Patterson and Briggs (Loretto), Fleming (Fettes), and Greenlees (Merchiston). Of these Llewellyn, Thesiger, Batty, Bradby, Schwann, and Smith (Clifton), Farrant and Smith (Repton), Wilkinson, Shaw, Fleming and Greenlees would appear to stand the best chance of a trial for the coveted Blue, and Wilson (Brighton) we may already put down as a certainty, if he plays at all up to the form he has shown. Lovers of cricket in the West of England and South Wales would be glad to see Llewellyn distinguish himself by gaining a place in the team, for there is no more popular cricketer than his father, J. F. D. Llewellyn, of Neath Abbey, who may be regarded as almost the father of cricket in South Wales. The son is a dashing bat, and those who saw the innings he played last year against Winchester regard his play very highly. The difficulty in Oxford cricket will be a fast bowler, and of the Freshmen, Batty, Farrant, and Wilkinson, with Moss and Raw­ linson of the Seniors, will have to be put through the m ill to supply the want. Of the Cambridge eleven of last year the places of Marchant, Toppin, Orford and Sutthery will require filling. The loss Cambridge sustains by the graduation of her veterans this year would hardly appear to be so severe as that sustained by her rival. Buxton succeeds to the captaincy, a fact pleasing to many supporters of Cambridge cricket, inasmuch as it is the first time since 1880 that an Etonian has not been Captain of the Eleven. The impression is apt to gain that certain schools are favoured when the final selection is made, and there have been instances where the composition of the Cambridge team would not have been endorsed by one in ten of those qualified to judge. Buxton will be assisted by Thomas, Bridge- man, Ford, Martineau, and Hale, but rumour asserts that Eustace Crawley, who redeemed the side from a disgraceful beating last year, will be an absentee. If so, the loss will be indeed great, for in pluck and nerve he is a worthy rival of his Oxford prototype, Scott. G. Kemp, who was available last year but did not play, presumably through an accident, will it is hoped take his part in this year’s matches. As an exponent of brilliant off-side hitting with wrist play, Kemp has no superior, and in this he has been compared by many to H. H. Massie of the 1882 Australian team. There are certainlv few who can evoke more enthusiasm amongst cricket spectators than Kemp when he is in and making a score, although he may be antagonising their County, and we well remember one of his centuries for Lancashire when the Yorkshireman cheered th^ la$ ” as they called him to the echo. In Seniors, Cambridge is very strong, having a number of more than average merit. Meyrick-Jones, Robinson, Parry, Stephen, Butler, A. L. Watson, and Abney, of Trinity, Trouncer, Orr, and Hutson, of Jesus, L. G. B. J. Ford, A. H. Studd. and II. J. Mordaunt, of King’s, Young, C. C. Mott, and Stork, of Sel- wyn, Hughes-Games, of Corpus, and Green- stock, of St. John’s, would appear to be the pick. Mott has appeared very successfully for Warwickshire, and Mordaunt for Hampshire, while Trouncer isa thoroughly steady bat whose play saved the M.C.C. match last year. Hughes- Games last year appeared likely to develop into a very good fast bowler with another year’s strength. Stephen narrowly missed the eleven last year, but we opine that it will be a more difficult matter this year to gain the coveted Blue, for with the advent of many promising Freshmen, some of those who then secured places will have to acquit themselves better if they would retain them. Of Fresh­ men there are G. H. Cotterill and S.M.JWoods of the Brighton eleven of 1886, who have appeared respectively for Sussex and Somer­ setshire, R. C. Gosling, Foley, Brand, Hoare and Lord Chelsea of Eton, Ashworth and Clarke (Harrow), Prest and Rand (Dulwich), Schreiber (Tonbridge), McGregor, Beiseigel, A. Martineau and Janson (Uppingham), Rowell and Maurice (Marlboro’), Henfrey (Welling- boro’), Leese (Winchester), Leman (Charter­ house), R. A. Wilson (Rugby), Morrison and Russell (Loretto), Wotherspoon and Greig (Fettes), Hoare (Haileybury), Scott (Bradfield), and Wood of Sydney University. S. M. J. Woods, who had the honour of appearing against the Australians at Ports­ mouth in 1886, would appear to be marked out for Toppin’s place in the Eleven if he only bowls up to his reputation. He has already shown good form at Cambridge, and his entry in the present May term has been thoroughly welcomed by all supporters of the Light Blue. The other fast bowlers at Cambridge are Parry, Stephen, Hughes-Games, Thornton, Stork, and R. A. Wilson, of Rugby fame. Rand, late captain of Dulwich College, who has had a good analysis for his school for the last two years, has upheld his reputa­ tion so far at Cambridge. Last Saturday he took five of the King’s wickets for 13 runs— F. G. J. Ford and Mordaunt playing for King’s. It is to be hoped that Cotterill will uphold his own reputation and the family name this year, for those who saw him in 1886 could not credit his display last year as his true form, though he was meeting stronger teams. Gosling, McGregor, Henfrey, Leman and Rowell would appear to have earned a reputa­ tion for good cricket, and McGregor is con­ sidered a likely candidate for Orford’s place. Henfrey is the product of the Northampton­ shire Schools whioh gave Cambridge Sutthery, in whose footsteps we trust Henfrey will tread On a review of the whole material at the disposal of the rival captains, Oxford would hardly appear to be so welt off as her rival, though she possesses a greater nucleus of Old Blues. GEORGE LEWIN, LATE G E O R G E K E N T , A T H L E T I C OU T F I T T ER , 29 , K ING W I L L I A M ST-, L O N D O N BR IDGE . 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