Cricket 1889

s« Toge ther joined in cricket’s m an ly toil.”— B y r o n . No. 226. VOI-. VIII. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1889. PRICE 2d. H E N P Y J A M E S P A L L E T T . W a r w ic k s h ir e , during the last year or two, has been making determined efforts to secure a position in the favoured circle of what are described as first-class counties. Those who are responsible for the direction of Warwick­ shire cricket have certainly worked hard to command the success which their energy has undoubtedly deserved. In some re­ spects, of course, they are more favoured than many of their older rivals. They have great advantages in the possession of big manufac­ turing centres, which should, in time, prove a productive training ground for those who have lo get their living in pursuit of cricket, and it will be strange if, with open­ ings unkn j* n to shires such as Sus­ sex, for instance, mostly dependent on agriculture, Warwickshire even in the near future does not assert its claim to a place in the fore­ front of county cricket. Of native talent, too, it has at present, if not a plentiful supply, at least no lack. Of players born and bred within its boundaries, there is no more con­ spicuous instance than the excellent all-round cricketer whose portrait illustrates the last of C r ic k e t ’ s weekly summer numbers for 1889. Born in Birmingham, on Jan. 2, 1863, Pallett has learned all he knows of the game within its en­ virons. Like Henderson, of Surrey, he was a choir boy when he served his first apprenticeship to cricket. The choir connected with Trinity Church, Birchfields, had a club of its own, and Pallett early proved his ability over his fellow choristers in winning a bat, pre­ sented by a lady who attended Trinity, for the best bowling aver­ age. After leaving the choir he still continued to play on Aston Park, having thrown in his lot with the Birchfield C.C., which subsequently amalgamated with the St. George’s Claremont, another club using the Park. A further step in the way of promotion was gained in 1880, when he joined the Aston Unity C.C., one of the leading clubs of Birmingham, with which he has ever since been closely identified. The advantage of the better practice he ob­ tained with the Unity soon made itself appar­ ent in a marked development of his all-round cricket. As early as 1882. indeed, he was able to secure the first prize offered by the club for batting as well as bowling, and before he was out of his teens he had already earned for him­ self a reputation as one of the most promising all-round players in the District. It was chiefly, though, as a bowler that he began to acquire any real note, and for some years he has been recognised as one of the best, if not the very best slow bowler in the neighbour­ hood of Birmingham. Though it was not until 1886 that the Warwickshire Club was established on a regular basis, with a ground of its own, Pallett had, before this, had a chance of displaying his all-round ability in a county team. In a Colts’ match, at Aston Lower Ground, he had made 30 runs, but his earliest success in Warwickshire cricket was as a bowler. The occasion in question was in a match against Northamptonshire, at W el­ lingborough, and Pallett’s bowling was of con­ siderable value, as he took six wickets for 60 runs, out of a total of 200. In 1885 he scored 81 against Leicestershire, on the Aston Lower Ground, and was fortunate enough to com­ mence the next season as successfully, with a fine innings of 80 against Staffordshire, at Stoke, the first match of the Warwickshire County Club on its present basis. His ability in all-round cricket, though, was, perhaps, first forcibly exempli­ fied in the match against Somerset­ shire, at Bath, in 1886, in which in addition to a score of 52, he was credited with six wickets at a cost of only 37 runs. By this time his reputation had been fully estab­ lished, and the last three years have only served to add to his popularity, as well as confirm his position as one of the best cricketers in the Midlands. His first innings of three figures was in 1887, for Aston Unity against Smethwick, and the occasion was utilised by the mem­ bers of the club— for which he again, by the way, had best batting and bowling average— to show thei»* appreciation of the good work he had done, by the presentation of a watch and an illuminated address. His bowline record for the Unity during the last four years will, in­ deed, well bear reproduction, and though this year’s aggregate was not complete when the particulars for this biography were furnished, since 1886 he has taken, at a rough estimate, 360 wickets. This sum is made up as under :— 188G 124 wickets, Ater. 4runs per wkt. 1887 100 „ „ 5 „ 1888 70 „ „ 9 „ 1880 60 „ „ 6 „ Last year his services were so frequently required for the County that he was only able to take part in the best matches, and conse­ quently bis figures suffered to some extent. His most noteworthy per­ formances for the County, too, will perhaps be more easily followed if they are given in tabulated form. The appended list gives particulars of his best records with bat as well as ball during the last three summers. B a t t in o . 1687.—At Birmingham, v. Notts........... 32* ...10* 1888.—At Birmingham, v. Staffordshire — ... 45 1889.—At Birmingham, v. Leicestershire — ... 61 At Bristol, v. Gloucestershire ... 31 ... 15 and various scores of between 20 and 30