Cricket 1889

JUNE 6,1889. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 169 Basing. Twenty-five years ago Cordery, according to my informant, was in the first flight of the village team—one considerably above the average, too, be it added—of Old Basing, near Basingstoke. He then bowled fast round arm with great success, and also batted to a good tune, something after the neat style of Quaife, though he got his runs faster, and ■was a more risky player, being somewhat uppish and fond of a hit. A bout twenty years ago, he lost his left aim by a shot accident, but, although he is now well over forty, still holds his own against average clubs, as some scores ■which have been sent to me fully prove. Last year, on August Bank Holiday, at Old Basing, he got seven wickets against Mortimer, a fair team, and the whole Bide only got 28 runs. Joe, I may add, bowls lobs, which get up very fast from the pitch. In the opening match of the Old Basing Club this season, he got nine out of the ten wickets of The Wharf which fell to the bowlers, and subsequently against the latter, for Hackwood, was not only credited with fourteen of the twenty wiokets, but was not out with 30 of 49 made for the loss of four wickets in Hackwood's second innings. That ther» is plenty of power in his arm even now, too, was shown by his last hit, a drive over the boundary for four. T he instances in which a batsman over-backing up is run out from a stroke of the hitter, through the ball glancing off one of the field, are so rare that the piece o f ill-luck whioh befell Mr. Key in the second innings of Surrey v. Leicestershire, at the Oval last Friday, should not be passed over without special notice. The only similar occurrence, at all events, of the same importance in Surrey cricket, was as long ago as 1872, when Mr. W. H. Game, playing against Gloucestershire, at Cheltenham, returned one of Mr. E. M. Grace’s “ lobs ” very hard and ran out the late Henry Jupp, who was always on the alert to steal a run. I t was Mr. Game’s first appearance for Surrey—he was only eighteen at the time—and I remember well his expres­ sion of dismay after the innings as to the doubtful value of his assistance in scoring thirteen in the two innings and running the only batsman on the side out. Unless I am mistaken, too, this match waB the last occasion on which W . H. Anstead, the fast bowler who proved so extraor­ dinarily successful in the later matches of 1870, played for the County. He proved a fortunate turn up just then for Surrey, who seemed likely to have the un­ enviable distinction of the wooden spoon in County cricket that year. The duties though of his profession as a schoolmaster prevented him assooiating himself with Surrey to any great extent, and, I believe, he really only figured in two matches after 1870, onoe in 1871 and once in 1872, on the occasion above mentioned. C ricket readers, particularly those who appreciate the good work he has done in securing from the encroachment of tho builder, and it is to be hoped reserving as an open space for all time, the excellent cricket ground now in use by the Essex County Club, will be interested to know that Baily's Magazine for this month contains as a frontispiece an excellent steel engraving portraying Mr. C. E. Green, who, not content with the respon­ sibilities incidental to his position as the moving spirit of Essex cricket, finds time to do duty, and thoroughly, as Master of the Essex Hunt. His biography in Baily pays a high tribute to Mr. Green’s energy which, of my own personal knowledge of many years, I am able to state is thoroughly well deserved. “ It is difficult to say when Mr. Green sits down to rest, as whenever he appears he is always on the move and busy in sport; and the same indomitable spirit of energy is always conspicuous in the great mercantile house of which he is an active worker.” Mr. Green, I may add, is portrayed in character as Master of the Essex Hunt. A curious instance of a success at­ tending the enforcement of the new rule giving the captain the power to terminate his innings was recorded in a match be­ tween Tynemouth and Sunderland, played at North Shields on May 29. Tyne­ mouth, who won the toss, sent in J. P. Ogilvie and J. W. Dawson, and in three hours the two batsmen had made 162 without the loss of a wicket, Dawson 100, Ogilvie 56, and extras 6. As there was only an hour and a quarter left, Mr. S. J. Crawford, the Tynemouth captain, declared the innings at an end, on what appeared to be an off chance of getting his opponents out. This they succeeded in doing, however, as Sunderland, who had only ten men to bat, owing to an injury to J. Chatt’s hand, were all dismissed by the Bev. E. W. B. Walters and N. Gregory, for 35 runs. As this is the first time the new rule has been put into force in Northumberland, and as it happened with successful results, the incident, par­ ticularly considering the attendant cir­ cumstances, will, I feel sure, be admitted by common consent to be well worthy of mention in “ Gossip.” T he following appeal of Mr. J. P. New­ ton for additional cricket grounds is well worthy the serious attention of all who take interest in the preservation of the few open spaces remaining near London, as a means towards the physioal develop­ ment of the youth of the country. To carry out Mr. Newton’s proposal thoroughly, as those who understand the prices of land are well aware, would be a task presenting immense difficulties. I agree with him that much might be done by united effort to acquire grounds for recreative purposes in the public interest, and it has often surprised me that wealthy bodies like the Marylebone and Surrey Clubs have not at least shown a desire to take the lead in some such movement. As a consequence of the great extension of the metropolis during recent years, and the growing density of the population, open spaces are being rapidly covered with brioks and mortar. There are, however, still many spots in the suburbs where a good game of cricket may yet be enjoyed, but many of these will soon be in the hands of the speculative builder, and most (if not all) the others must eventually share the same fate unless some vigorous steps are taken to avert such a oalamity. I would, therefore, earnestly urge the importance of united action on the part of our different metropolitan cricket clubs (ere it is too late) to see ii something cannot be done to secure some more permanent cricket grounds. In furtherance of this object I would suggest the formation of an association and the raising of a fund for the purpose of acquiring the freeholds of suitable sites, which after being properly laid out, should be let for the purposes o f cricket, &c., on such terms as might be agreed upon. I believe there are many ardent lovers of cricket who would gladly subsoribe the necessary capital, and would be satisfied with a small rate of interest in furtherance of so worthy an object. I have also little doubt that many ground landlords would willingly co-operate with the associa­ tion, and give facilities for transferring ground on favourable terms for a purpose which would greatly tend to the improvement of the neighbourhood in which it was situated.—I am, sir, your obedient servant, J. P. N ewton . 189, Essex Road, Islington, N. A ccording to a correspondent, whose accuracy I have no reason to doubt, the following are the only cricketers who have figured in first-class matches every season during the last ten years (1879-88). The list is not long, and I may add that an asterisk denotes comparatively few appearances. L a n c a s h ir e . Mr. A. N. Hornby. Barlow. Briggs. Pilling. Watson. N o t t s . Barnes. Flowers. Scotton. M iddlesex . Messsrs. A. J. Webbe, J. Robertson, G. F, Vernon, and *C. I. Thornton. Y o r k s h ir e . Ulyett. Hall. Emmett. S u r r e y . Messrs. J. Shuter and W . W . Read. y H. Phillips. ' ’ Tester. K e n t . *Lord Harris. G. G. Heame. G l o u c e s t e r s h ir e . Messrs. W. G. Grace and F. Townsend. M abylbbone C lub . *J. S. Russel. *Kylott. *W . Hearn. T h e Master of Trinity, who has just been elected Vice-Chancellor of the Univ­ ersity of Cambridge, it may be news to some CRicKET-readers, is the father of Mr. E. M. Butler, who has done good service in the Cambridge eleven during the last three summers. The Eev. H. M. Butler, who was Head Master of Harrow School for many years, in succession to Dr. Vaughan, is one of a brotherhood of ath­ letes. He was, as I feel sure I must have stated more than once before, in the Harrow Eleven of 1851, and did quite his