Cricket 1888

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. BegiatetedlOTnausmisdon^'broad. T H U R S D A Y , J U N E 2 8 , 1 8 8 8 . P R IC E 2d. M R . S A M U E L M O S E S J A M E S W O O D S . B righton College, which in the past produced several prominent amateur cricketers, among them the Cotterills, D. R. Onslow, and others, has, too, the distinction of playing an im­ portant part in the cricket education of one of the most promising all-round players of to­ day, the young Cantab whom the supporters of Cambridge are ex­ pecting to render signal service against Oxford in the great en­ counter to be commenced at Lord’s on Monday next. The Cambridge elevens a few years since received great assistance from Mr. C. W. Rock, and like that excellent all-round cricketer, Mr. Woods is a Colonial by birth. Born at Glenfield, near Sydney, on April 14, 1868, he is in his twenty-first year. The early part of his education was completed at Sydney Grammar School and Royston College, and the latter found his cricket of great use in 1883, in which year he took seventy wickets for an average of five runs. His utility as an all­ round cricketer, too, was proved in his first year at Brighton College, and, indeed, with Mr. G. L. Wilson, another Australian, by the way, h£* shared the chief honours of the School season of 1885. The pair were unquestion­ ably among the best all-round Publio School players of the year, and while they were responsible for as many as 110 of 126 wickets taken by the bowlers, only one batsman, Mr- G. H. Cotterill, occupied a higher position in the batting averages. Mr. Woods’ figures were altogether the best of the season. His batting average for thirteen innings was over thirty-seven, but in addition he was far and away the most suc­ cessful bowler, taking in all fifty- nine wickets at an average cost of under eight and a half runs. In the following season Messrs. Wilson and Woods were again greatly instrumental in bringing Brighton College to a prominent position among the Public Schools of the year. They were themselves quite in the forefront of School cricketers in 1886. Mr. Woods’ record was even better than in the previous summer, for while his average with {he bat was only three points less, his bowling was much more effective, showing seventy- eight wickets at an aggregate cost of 576, or an average of less than seven and a half runs. Mr. Woods’ abilities as an all-round oricketer were even then fully recognised in Sussex, as was shown by his selection as one of Mr. G. N. Wyatt’s eleven to oppose the Australians at Portsmouth. Here, though his bowling was comparatively unsuccessful, he did good service, and his stand with Mr. C. A. Smith on the fall of the eighth wicket enabled Mr. Wyatt’s eleven to save the follow on, and, in all probability, the match. Last year Mr. Woods’ participation in important fixtures was confined to Somersetshire cricket, and the County profited considerably by his useful services. His aggregate for nine completed innings was 209, and with the ball he was even more successful, delivering 323 overs and 3 balls for 682 runs and 307 wickets, the largest number that fell to a Somersetshire bowler during 1887. It must not be understood, though, that the summer of 1887 supplied him with his first experience of county crioket. His trial match for Somersetshire was against Warwickshire in 1885, a memorable occasion in a way, as, though he took twelve wickets for 60 runs, he failed to score in either innings. Last summer he scored heavily in minor matches in Somersetshire. His highest inn­ ings of all was 169 for Quarn- tock Lodge against Col. Tuck’s eleven, but this is not his most notable performance, the credit of which belongs to his 208 for the Brighton College eleven against the next Twenty-two with Masters in 1»86. This year at Cambridge Mr. Woods has fully upheld his school pro­ mise in every department. On no occasion for the University has he failed to get less than double figures, and while his best score is his 79 not out against Sussex at Brighton last week, his lowest is 11 not out against Mr. Thornton’s team at Cambridge at the commencement of the season. Though expensive just latterly, his fast bowling, too, was of great service to Cambridge in the earlier matches, and in the first three fixtures ho was credited with twenty-nine wickets at cer­ tainly not a heavy cost. As a batsman he shows great promise,land with plenty of pluck and possessing considerable powers of hitting, with defence as well, bids fair to develop into a first-rate bat. He bowls at a great pace, and though in the trial matches in London he has not proved very effective, he has not had to bowl altogether under the most favourable conditions. He is, though,generally extremely straight for his pace, and if well supported in the field may be very successful at Lord’s next week. As a field he is very quick as well as sure, and there are few keener cricketers. That his abilities as an all-round player are highly valued is proved by the compliment paid to him in the invitation, which, by the way, he has accepted, to represent the Aus­ tralian team in the three most important matches of their tour, against England,