Cricket 1889

AtJG. 29,1869. CRICKET: ' A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 365 Hemisphere. He was in evidence at the Oval doing the recent match between Surrey and Lancashire. It is needless to add that his return has given muoh gratification to his numberless friends andwell-wishers. He has everyintention, I believe, of renewing his active con­ nection with Surrey Cricket in 1890. O n l y one match, that between Kent and Notts, to commence at Beckenham to day, remains to complete what are turned first-class fixtures. The positions, therefore, of six of the eight leading Counties are determined. They will be found as under. Surrey and Lancashire it will be seen are level for the second place. Sussex, which has only one match, is the last on the list. ■Won. Drawn. Lost. Notts .. .. .. 9 .. 3 . . 1 Lancashire .. .. 10 .. 1 .,. 3 Surrey .. .. 10 .. 1 .,. 3 Kent .. .. .. 6 .. 1 . . 5 Middlesex .. 3 .. 3 .,. 5 Gloucestershire .. 3 .. 4 . 7 Yorkshire .. .. 2 .. 2 . . 10 Sussex . . .. . . 1 . . 1 . ,. 10 I am given to understand that there is some probability of the Surrey eleven being invited next year to visit Canter­ bury during the Annual Cricket Festival held in that City. The Surrey authorities have, informally I believe, signified their entire readiness to participate, if desired, in the second match of the week, and the good tempered rivalry that has existed between these old time opponents should make the fixture an attractive one. This would leave the first match of the week for the Australian or some other team, though I venture to think that the Aus­ tralians will be the most likely, as well as the most profitable, opponents for Kent for the Bank Holiday match of 1890. C o m p a r is o n s are odorous no doubt. At the same time facts are, if they are taken in the right spirit, of the greatest use, and in this light it will be interesting to give comparative tables showing the results of Surrey cricket in 1888 and 1889. In 1888 the Surrey Eleven showed an aggre­ gate of 4,249 runs for 178 wiokets, giving an average of 23.155. In 1889 their figures showed a total of 4,238 runs for 212 wickets, or an average of 19.210. So much for their batting. Further, while in 1888 their opponents scored 2,875 runs for 261 wickets (average 11.4), in 1889 they made 3,863 runs for 251 wickets (average 15.98). Now for the results. In 1888 Surrey won twelve matches, drew one, and lost one. In 1889 they won ten, drew one, and lost three. From the above it will be seen that while the average of run-getting was over four runs a wicket less than in 1888, the average of their opponents was nearly five runs a wicket more. Faulty fieldingat times h a d , perhaps, something to do with the increase in the latter, but whatever the reason, the figures are unanswerable. It is the application that is of most importance. I t is in contemplation to institute a Festival at Clifton next year in com­ memoration of the brilliant services Mr. W. G. Grace has rendered to cricket in general during the last quarter of a century, and to Gloucestershire in par­ ticular during the greater part of that period. The idea so far is, I believe, to have the Australian team as the principal, with, in all probability, Surrey as the minor attraction for the second fixture. The title seems likely to be the “ W. G. Grace Festival,” and I take it that it will be carried out on something like the same lines as the Canterbury Week. By this I mean that in all probability there will be an entertainment or entertainments at the Theatre, and following the example of this year at Canterbury, there is every reason to believe that the Festival will not be considered to be complete without the inevitable banquet. M e n t io n of the Australian team reminds me that there is every reason to believe that the managers will be troubled with an embarrassment of riches, so far at least as the applications for fixtures are concerned. I learn from the Secretary of the Surrey County Cricket Club that he has already received a very large number of requests for matches with the Australians. These will be forwarded to M r . H. F. Boyle, who isto act asmanager of the party to visit Englandnext summer. Ip rumour be true, that most popular of amateur cricketers, Mr. E. H. Buck­ land, has just followed the example of his contemporaries at Oxford, Messrs. J. H. Brain and K. J. Key, and taken unto himself a wife. If, as I have every reason to believe, the report is correct, I shall only be representing the feelings of hundreds of C r ic k e t readers in offering Mr. and Mrs. Buckland all the best wishes in their new estate. Baily'a Magazine for September con­ tains an article, entitled “ Hitting a Lost Art,” by “ Le Balafre,” whichmay be read to advantage, as it is sure to be with interest, by CRiCKET-readers. Lack of space prevents me giving an extract of any length, but comparisons between the cricketers of the Past and the Present are well drawn, and are evidently the experience of a shrewd aswell as practical observer. As regards driving both off and on, “ Le Balafre ” is of opinion that both schools, the old and the new, are as nearly as possible. His remarks on this particular point will bear reproduction. In the severity of the hitting I would give the palm to the older players. The older men certainly drove the ball over the bowler’s head with more power, and they made the hit oftener than it is made in the present day. ‘Working round the wioket still, we next come to a stroke whioh is so effective, and which gives such pleasure to the man who makes it, that the wonder is it is not made oftener. I refer to the hit which takes a direction between mid-on and square-leg, and whioh has always been associated with one of the Midland counties; it is known as the “ Nottingham hit.” It is a stroke that is now seldom seen, and the only player who makes it with any degree of precision is Maurice Read, and cer­ tainly he appears to be very fond of its illustra­ tion. Still working round, we come to that for­ ward play stroke onthelegside, aball fairly well pitohed up in a line with the leg stump. Th e present men simply play the b a ll; while the older class very frequently, with a nearly full bat and wrist power, played it away for two and sometimes for three runs. A well-known professional of the old school always farmed this h it : I allude to the celebrated G. Parr. This leg-hitting of his was a treat to witness, and it obtained for him the cognomen of the Lion of England. It was truly marvellous to see him with a nearly straight bat come down upon a ball in a line, or nearly in a line, with the leg-stump. Away it would go for four, in a direct line for square-leg, and the applause from the ring would show the appreciation in which the big hit was held. Then again his hitting to long-leg was just as brilliant. The bail would be down there in about half the time that it takes now to travel the distance, from the excellent timing of the stroke and from the correct hitting at the pitch of the ball. Certainly no cricketer since Parr’s day has ever shown such form to leg as he exhi­ bited upon the principal cricket-grounds of England ; and it will be a long time ere we shall look upon his like again. T he AihXeiic News states, on the authority of the G.O.M. of Cricket, that E.M.’s “ brace ” for Gloucestershire against Surrey, at Cheltenham last week, is the first time “ The Coroner ” has ever been unfortunate enough to get a pair of specs in a first-class match. Considering that it is as long ago aoJuly 18, 1861—his big brother’s thirteenthbirthday,curiously enough—that E.M. made his first appear­ ance at Lord’s, this is a boast of which he has good reason to be proud. It is, indeed, an extraordinary claim for one who has played a prominent part in the cricket world as he has done for twenty- eight years. CHIEF FIXTUEES FOR NEXT WEEK. T h u rs d a y , A u g. 29.—Kennington Oval, Surrey 2nd XI. y. Eighteen Colts; Beckenham, Kent y. Notts; Harrogate, G. Lohmann’s XI. V. L. Ball’s XI.; Manchester, Lancashire v. Leices­ tershire; Norwich, Norfolk v. M.C.C. and G. j Scarborough, Gentn. of England v. I Zingari (First match of Scarborough Festival); South­ ampton, Hampshire y . Surrey. F riday , A cs . 30.—Lord's, M.C.C. and G. v. Lon­ don and Suburban Association. M onday , S ept . 8.— Kennington Oval, Surrey v. Hampshire; Scarborough,Yorkshire v. M.C.C. and G. IMPORTANT NOTICE. Results of the season and averages of the Prin­ cipal Clubs will be inserted in C rioket of Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26, and in the forthcoming Winter Numbers, at the rate of 8/6 a column, with a minimum charge of 2/6. To ensure insertion in the following numbers, they must be received not later than the Saturday previous to publication. The last weekly Bummer Number for this year will be that published on September 26. There will be monthly numbers during the winter from October to March inolusive. |The six numbers will be forwarded immediately on publication for Is. 3d.tto be sent to Mr .W. R. W r ig h t , Manager of C rickbt , at the office, 41, St, Andrew’s Hill, Doctors’ Commons, London, E.C.