Cricket 1889

106 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. MAT 9,1889. opportunity of improving on their moder­ ate form in the first hands, ended his second innings with only six wickets down. R obert T homs , to whom C ricket was indebted for the interesting reminiscences of Tom Hearne’s career as a cricketer, has called my attention to some slight inaccuracies in the biographical notice attached to his recollections. The veteran was born on Sept. 4, 182G, and it does not require any great ability to calculate from this that he is now in his sixty-third year. It deserves to be added, too, that old Tom, though he succeeded to the office of Superintendent of the Ground Staff at Lord's in 1372, went there as a bowler in 1858. His connection, therefore, with headquarters now gives him a character tor thirty years’ service. T om H earne ’ s biography has brought out more than one reminiscence to add to those of his friend Thoms. Of these I can only find space for the following, from the pen of an old cricketer long con­ nected with the Islington Albion Club, and now domiciled on the South Coast. It ia some forty or more years ago, when he,. I believe, first played in London, that I met- Hearne at the old Copenhagen House, in a match Islington Albion v. Bickmansworfch.1 Afterwards I lost sight of him for a few years. Thirty years ago, when playing for the Old Albion against Ealing Dean, I came across him again at Ealing. Mr. Montague Turner, who was, as you may judge, young and at Chelten­ ham College, but home for his holidays, took part in this game. Mr. T.’a father, Henry Sieott Turner, who then lived in the neigh­ bourhood of Ealing, was such an enthusiastic lover of cricket that, like the late Mr. Daniel Norton, he would, so I was told on this occasion, spend many pounds to, win a match. No doubt old Tom could confirm my statement. Tom Hearne played on and oft for many years against the Isling­ ton Albion, and several times for Southgate, in its palmy days some twenty-five years ago, when the Walker brotherhood entertained: their guests in a manner never to be forgotten by those who played in their matches. The’ last time I saw Heame play was for the Mid­ dlesex Club against .the Albion, at Alexandra Park, and on his fiftieth birthday, as he him­ self told me. Strange to say, too, he made over fifty runs on that occasion, on which, at the request of Mr. Percy Thornton, I played for Middlesex, who were one short. If I may go from the subject of Tom Hearne, and hark back to the Walker family, permit me to men­ tion it is about thirty-eight years ago I first played against that renowned band of cricketers, consisting at the time of the three elder brothers, John, Frederick, and Alfred. I fancy it is unique that I have played against the whole of the Walker family, i.e., the seven brothers. On one occasion, thirty-one years since (cricketers have wonder­ ful memories in connection with the game), Ire- memberplaying against the well-known Surrey Amateur,“ Teddie” Dowson,inamatch, Isling­ ton Albion v. Southgate, and on that occasion I believe he nmde an innings of over 80 runs, and against good amateur bowling, such asthe Albion had in those days, as Thoms can testify. W e, the Albion team, were much impressed with Mr. Dowson’s batting ability, judgment afterwards confirmed by what he did for Surrey.which then, if my recollection serves me, held the high position which it now holds. The four principal Surrey amateurs of those days were Messrs. Miller, Burbidge, C. G. Lane, and Dowson. I t is satisfactory to learn that the members of the Town Council at North­ ampton are sensible of the advantage which must accrue in populous towns where every reasonable inducement is offered to the workers to follow, even if it is not possible to graduate, in the increas­ ingly popular school of muscular Chris­ tianity. That the burgesses of Northamp­ ton are fully alive to the advantages of encouraging outdoor sports is fully shown by their action at a meeting held on Monday evening. T he racecourse has hitherto been, in a great degree, monopolised by cricketers and footballers, particularly by the former, and wickets have, been pitched in every available space regardless of over-crowd­ ing, aiid certainly without any regard to, the personal safety of those who have to cross-the coarse for various purposes. We' have changed all that, though, and the decision of the Council oh Monday last,; to aocept the recommendation of the Estate and Corporation Act Committee to- set apart a portion of the commons exclusively for cricket and football, will, I opine, be generally popular in North­ ampton, which, just now, sadly wants a' stimulus to awaken a cricket interest. T he racecourse at Northampton is about a hundred and twenty acres in extent, and the recommendation o f the sub-committee is that a portion of some fifty-five acres shall be set apart for the public use for cricket and football alone. This arrangement is to be without preju­ dice ,tp the piece already levelled and; known as the Borough or Old County ground, which is to remain as hitherto under the control of the managers of such ground. The advantages of placing the openpl aces whereon cricket, can be practised under proper supervision and in prescribed limits are obvious, and it is satisfactory as I' have said to find the municipal authorities at Northampton taking such active interest in the physical education of the inhabitants. It is not only in the interest of the public salety but in that of the game itself that it should be played under conditions of a reasonable favourable character, and it would be for the good of both if the recent action of the Northampton Council were imitated in other freely populated towns. As it may probably be of interest in the future to know how the alterations passed last wejek at the annual meeting of the Marylebone.C.C. were received by the various clubs to which they were sub­ mitted by M.C.C,, I append an analysis of the voting. The figures as giveii, I may add, appeared in the Athletic News of Monday last, but to make assurance doubly sure I have submitted them to the secretary of the Marylebone Club, who has certified them to be correct. « S? s : . >■ • a E ° ®-a” S S o Mg Terminal of Inns i. 2. 3. Leicestershire .. .. Yes.......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Staffordshire ..,.. Yes_____ Yes. . . . . Yes. No. . . . . Yes. Yes. . . . . Yes. Middlesex . . . . . . .. Yes. . . . . Yes. . . . . Yes. Yes. . . . . Yes. Yes. ...... Yes. .. Yes......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Hampshire Yes. . . . . Yes. Hertfordshire ..... Yes. . . . . Yes. . . . . Yes. North and East } Yes. . . . . Yes. . . . . Yes. Riding. . . . . . . . West of Scotland (Glasgow^ . . . . j. Yes.......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Yes. . . . . Yes. , Yes.......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Yes. ___ Yes. Yes......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Essex . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Yea. . . . . Yes. . . . . No. Grange (Scotland) Yes. . -No. . . . . Yes. Cheshire.............. .. Yes......... No. . . . . No. Warwickshire .. .. No......... . No. ..... Yes. . No. . . . . No. [Divided i I equally f ‘ ’ Yes. . . . . Yes. Gloucestershire ,... Yes......... Yes. . . . . Yes. Sussex .............. .. Yes. . . . . Yes. . . . . Yes. Lancashire ........ .. Yes. .. Divided. No reply. Totals . . . . 122 Yes. 19 Yes. 21 Yes, t 2 No. 5 No. 3 No. S ubrey , it will be seen, objected to any alteration in the rules, being evidently of opinion that there was no urgent need of a change.. Notts was equally divided on the subject of five balls to the over. Australia, as regards the new rule re­ specting change of ends by' bowlers. Warwickshire was opposed to the first two proposals, and while in addition Derbyshire, Cheshire, Warwickshire, and the Grange Club of Scotland were against mjjnber two, Essex and Cheshire, as well as Surrey, were against the new regula­ tion respecting the termination of the innings. Lancashire does not appear to have sent any reply to either of the three proposals, or Australia to the last of them. To judge by recent announcements, some of which have been of a kind to disquiet the mind of any one possessed of ordinary nerves, the health of some of the leading members of the Surrey team seems to cause great concern to a few1of the more susceptible of the sporting reporters. O n ly a fewdays ago Bowley was said to be anything but well, and a slight accident to Lohmann’s left hand on Friday night, was magnified in Saturday’s paper almost into the dimensions of a national disaster. “ Whence this thusness ? ”