Cricket 1889

406 CEICKET : A WEEKLY EE COED OP THE GAME. SEPT. 19,1889. aged 6, his best score being one of 21 against Middlesex, at Bradford. A re-engagement with the Darwen Club in 1887, however, brought with it better fortune, and his all­ round cricket was so much above the average that he came directly under the notice of some of the leaders of Lancashire cricket. The offer of a permanent engagement at the end of the season of 1887 at Leyland, with Mr. Stanning, a bleacher, who takes a great de al of interest in cricket, and has one of the finest local teams in Lancashire, was the turning point in his career. To all intents and purposes, it practically severed his connection with Yorkshire. His last appearance, at least, for that county was against the Yorkshire Gentlemen at York in 1887, though we have every reason to believe that he was subse­ quently asked more than once, but without success, to form one of the Yorkshire Eleven. Since 1887, Ward has lived in Leyland, to the distinct benefit, it may be added, of local cricket. His record for the Leyland Club last year was a remarkable one. In seventeen innings he had an aggregate of 1,007 runs, and in three successive matches he scored 100—to wit, 126, 186, and 103 not out, against Rawten- sta.ll, Bootle, and East Lancashire respectively. His _ services with the ball were hardly required, as Leyland is particularly strong in that_ department, being able to claim the services of G. Nash, the old Lancashire bowler, whose left hand still retains most of its cunning, as well as of others of only slightly lesser merit. Having duly qualified by residence for Lancashire this year, Ward was elected to represent the Colts of the North against the Colts of the South at Lord’s last May. A very promising debut it was, too, as many will remember, so much so that there was a general feeling of regret among the spectators when he was run out after making 25 by thoroughly sound and judicious batting. He signalised his first appearance in the Lancashire eleven at Lord’s the same week, by two very fine innings of 33 and 62 not out against M.C.C. and G., and on the same ground two months later eclipsed this perform­ ance with a really brilliant score of 114 not out against Middlesex. His success at Lord’s this year was remarkable. Still in all matches, and against every kind of bowling, he has proved his ability beyond all doubt, and his position at the head of the Lancashire batting averages has been the just reward of thoroughly sound cricket. For the North against the South on the occasion of Pilling’s benefit he scored well, and he finished up the season in brilliant style this week at Hastings with the distinction of the highest aggregate for the Players against the Gentlemen. Ward has before him a really great future as a cricketer. Standing quite six feet in height, he has much in his favour as a bats­ man. He plays upright as well as in good style, and watching the ball with the greatest care is not easy to get out, even when the pitch is in favour of the bowlers. He can hit, too, when he likes, but, so far, has opened his shoulders rarely against the better class of bowling. He can bowl, too, as a change, and is a brilliant field, being a safe catch, and covering, when required, a lot of ground. As an all-round cricketer he is even now auite in the front rank. Our portrait is from a photograph by Messrs. Hawkins & Co., of 108, King’s Road, Brighton. An accident to the block prevented us pub­ lishing the group of the Lancashire eleven this week as promised. W e hope to be able to give it in next Thursday’s C r ic k e t , which will be the last of the weekly summer numbers for this year, THE HASTINGS & ST. LEONARDS WEEK. Instituted in 1887, the Hastings week has, though only in its third year, become one of the most popular festivals in the cricket Calendar. In this case, as generally, success has only been obtained after great pains and untiring effort. The management, wisely pursuing from the outset a broad and liberal policy, has found its reward in the steady in­ crease of public interest. This year, with great judgment, they determined to provide two of the most attractive fixtures—North v. South and Gentlemen v. Players. The selec­ tion, too, of the teams was hardly less judicious than of the matches. Considering, indeed, the difficulties of getting some of the leading amateurs in September, it must be admitted that they were singularly successful. There were some notable absentees, of course. Shrewsbury and Briggs would have added considerably to the strength of the North and Players elevens, and we are inclined to think that Maurice Read, on his form of this year, was decidedly a better all-round cricketer than several of those who represented the South. Still, on the whole, the players were repre­ sentative, and the managers of the week had good reason to congratulate themselves on having secured such formidable combinations for both fixtures. NORTH v. SOUTH. W ith one exception the twenty-two players for the opening fixture, begun on Thursday, appeared as advertised. Mr. W . W . Read’s hand, injured in the match between Surrey and Hampshire, at Southampton, though, was not yet in a fit state for cricket, and though he had hoped to have taken part in the first match he had to be replaced at the last moment by Mr. O. G. Radcliffe. Otherwise, however, there was nothing to interfere with the success of the game, the enjoyment of which was enhanced for both players and spectators by pleasant weather from firstto last. Unfortunately, a heavy thunderstorm early in the previous week had flooded the ground to the depth of several inches, and though no effort had been spared by the caretaker to get the pitch into run-getting order, it had not recovered sufficiently to enable the batsmen to play with any certainty. Indeed, it favoured the bowlers throughout, and with such experts as Lohmann, Attewell,Richardson, Beaumont, and Peel—all of them able to take full advan­ tage of a pitch rendering any assistance - it was not a surprise to find the scoring generally much below the average. The North were fortunate in winning the toss, but the two Surrey bowlers— Lohmann and Beaumont— were in their best form, and the innings, which lasted two hours and ten minutes, reached a much smaller total than was gener­ ally expected. Of the aggregate of 89, extras furnished 8, and of the 81 got from the bat as many as 68 were contributed by Lee and Gunn, the only two of the side who got double figures. Run getting was not at all easy, as already stated, and both professionals deserve praise for their creditable show. Gunn was batting an hour and ten minutes, while Lee scored 39 out of 56 runs while he was in. The latter’s dismissal was the result of very bad luck. In playing a ball off Lohmann his bat slipped from his grasp, and before it reached the ground fell on to the wicket and removed the bails. The question, of course, was as to whetherthe batsman was in the act of striking, and as Thoms decided that the stroke was not practically|finished,Lee had, of course, to leave. Beaumont and Lohmann bowled throughout the innings, and the former was credited with a very rare performance in first-class matches. In three successive balls he got rid of Ward, Barnes (both of them caught by the wicket­ keeper standing back), and Sugg (caught in the slips), so that he earned the distinction of the hat trick. When the South went in Mr. Grace played well for 20, but Abel, Messrs. O’Brien, Key, and Newham all failed, and at a quarter to six o’clook on Thursday night five of the best batsmen of the South had been dismissed for 65 runs. On Friday morning Peel and Attewell, who, except for a trial of seven overs given to Ulyett at the commence­ ment of the innings, had bowled throughout \ wereeven more successful than on the previous night. ^The five remaining wickets of the South, indeed, added but 81 ruus, so that at the end of the first hands they only had an advantage of 7 runs. Attewell and Peel equally divided the wickets, though the former had rather the better figures. Hall and Ward commenced the second innings of the North* and the former was again unfortunate, being run out with the total only 8. Lee, who filled his place, gave a hard chance to point when he had made a couple, and his escape, as sub­ sequent events showed, had a by no means inconsiderable effect on the result of the game. As it was, through his free cricket the score rose fast, and at luncheon time on Friday the score was 66 with only one batsman out. On the resumption Ward was bowled,but Sugg proved a partner quite to Lee’s taste, and the pair stayed until the total had reached 107. Lee was then bowled by Lohmann after a very fine innings of 60, in which were eight 4’s, a three, and seven 2’s. Gunn, who did not go in, owing to an injury to his hand, till fifth wicket down, with Attewell made another stand, and the pair, while they were together, added 62 for the eighth wicket, of which Attewell had contributed 30 in excellent style. Richardson also gave the Southern bowlers trouble, and Beaumont, in particular, came in fox severe punishment while Gunn and he were in. Richardson, though, was caught when he had made 11, and with Sherwin’s dismisanlto a fine catch in the long field the innings and play for the day came to a close. Gunn carried out his bat for an extremely well played 57, a display of exceptional merit, considering that he had to bat under difficulties. Beaumont and Lohmann, it will be seen, were verv un­ successful by comparison with the previous innings. The former was the heavier sufferer, as [his 28 overs cost as many as 109 runs for a credit of only two wickets. The South, when play commenced on Saturday morning, wanted as many as 234 runs to win. This would have been a difficult task for a fourth innings under the most favourable circum­ stances, and, as it was, there was really but an outside chance of success. The wicket, in­ deed, still helped the bowlers materially, and with Peel, Attewell, and Richardson all keep­ ing a wonderfully good length, it was not easy to get the ball away. Mr. Grace, too, was bowled very early, after making 8, and his dismissal rendered the possibility of a win for the South still more remote. Abel and Messrs. Stoddart and Key were, indeed, the only batsmen able to get double figures, and after having been at the wickets for two hours and a-half, the South were at last out for a small total of 81, leaving the North winners by 152 runs. The bowling of Attewell, Peel, and Richardson on the third day was of a very high order of merit. Richardson’s figures were particularly noteworthy. His thirty overs, of which nineteen were maidens, realised four wickets at a cost of only 16 runs. N o r t h . First Innings. Hall, c Page, b Lohmann 1 Gunn, b Lohmann ..........29 Ward, c Page, b Beau­ mont ............................... 6 Barnes, c Page, b Beau­ mont ............................... o Sugg, c Abel, b Beaumont 0 Lee, h w, b Beaumont ... 39 Ulyett, capt., bBeaumont 1 Peel, b Beaumont .......... 2 Attewoll, b Beaumont ... 0 Richardson, not out.......... 3 Sherwin, b Lohmann ... 0 B 7, n b l ................. 8 Total ............... 89 Second Innings. run out .......... 3 notout ..........57 b Lohmann ... 19 b Stoddart ... g c Page, b Beau­ mont ..........21 b Lohmann ... CO b Stoddart ... l c Nepean, b Lohmann ... ll st Page, b Ne­ pean.................30 c Nepean, b Beaumont ... 11 c Stoddart, b Nepean.......... 3 B 13,1 b 2 ... 35 Total ...240