Cricket 1890

JULY 3, 1890, CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 288 service to public school cricket in England within the last few years. Among them I may mention E A. Wyld, an Old Clif- tonian; and W . B. Bansom, once pro­ minently identified with Bedford School. Wyld’s all-round cricket contributed in a great measure to Westminster’s victory. Another important contributor to this re­ sult was A. Malins, a contemporary of A. M. Sutthery and B. A. A. Beresford at Oundle School, who came out with an excellent analysis. I had almost forgot­ ten to add that the match was played on matting. Mr. 0. P. G reen , of Beresford House, Great Malvern, writes:— I fancy an outline of my most recent pur­ chase will interest C b ic k e t readers in general and Surrey men in particular. It is an old illumination in honour of an erstwhile Surrey cricketer—Baxter. The verses I enclose. The adornments consist' of :—Baxter’s portrait, attired in knee-breeches and buckle shoes (at the wicket); this is flanked by a panel on either side representing in each case a naval encounter between two old “ three-deckers,” French and English, the vessel flying the tricolour having considerably the worst of it in both cases. Above the ultimate verse is a sketch of Baxter batting, Death bowling, and Time keeping wicket; and the whole is em­ braced in an exquisite border of flowers, butterflies, &c. The water-colour sketches are signed E.D., but I see no date, still it is evident from the character of the drawings that it is of considerable age. The line ending “ when Lord’s is out of date,” raises a smile in these later days, and I am now led to ask who was Baxter ? I do not find him sketched in “ Scores and Biographies,” though it is ossible the early Surrey scores may reveal im. Sing, Muse! the man, whose well-knit frame has stood The blasts of seventy years—like Britons’ wood, Fam’d heart of oak, his timber still is good, Altho’ his head with winter snow is strew’d. Surrey well knows this father of the game, Surrey is proud of honest Baxter’s name; And cricket annals will with pride relate His upright play, when Lord’s is out of date. Now mark him well, behold him take his stand, At yonder stumps, his trusty bat in hand; Of stature low, but limbs of active cut, Firmly he treads, no sign of dandy strut. ’Tis his last match, the hero’s back’d to get A score of runs, and he will win the bet—- Decide the day—and far fam’d Richmond Green Shall be more fam’d from this his closing scene! In former time, e’er age had dimm’d his sight, For quick eyed point he was a noted wight; Mid-wicket oft to him in charge was given, When Surrey strove against a don eleven. All parts he play’d with equal strength and skill, Batting or fielding, both had his good will; Ye cricketers! Would you but act the same, No wrangling then would mar this noble game. Old cricketer! your innings has been long, Your stumps must rattle—when you see anon Time take the wicket—Death begin to bowl— ’Tis vain to block, your score of runs is full. T h e announcement of the death of the Rev, Edward Dominick Geoffrey Martin Kirwan, late Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, which took place at Dover on Friday last, recalls memories of a player who was well known to Public School cricketers over half a century ago. Like his younger brother, J. H., the famous bowler who did such havoc with his tremendously fast delivery at Eton in 1834-1835, and subsequently at Cam­ bridge, Mr. Kirwan was in the Eton Eleven, for which he played in 1832 and 1833. Both brothers went into the Church, and were in their time Fellows of King’s College, Cambridge. I m et at Winchester [writes my trusty friend and gossip, “ The Old Buffer ” ] on Sat rday last, two of my very oldest cricketing Mends, each of whom in his day was unsurpassed as a gentleman bowler. Their names were Alfred Lowth (Winchester) and George Yonge (Eton), and bo h bowled for their schools for three years, also for Oxford for three or four years, also in Gentlemen and Players, the former bowling in the last-named match when a boy at school in 1836. G orge Yonge bowled for Eton in 1841—3. I was talking over the practice of the past, reminding them how hard they worked when “ off the stage ” in private practice, and George Yonge told me that, on receiving a summons from hea quarters to bowl in Gentlemen v. Players one year, he want right away from cricket grounds, and practised at an apple tree in an orchard, and on coming to Lord’s never bowled so well in his life. I have often mentioned that Harvey Eellows, who came out for Eton with George Yonge in 1841, was always bowling at a single stump at home. And now why on earth cannot Gentlemen bowl now as well as in days past ? T h ough twelve summers have passed since Frank Allan gave the English public an opportunity of judging for itself of the exceptional ability which pro­ cured for him the soubriquet of “ the bowler of a century,” it will be gratifying to those who remember him on the occasion of the visit of the First Australian team, to know that his left hand still retai s most of its ancient cunning. In proof of this it will be interesting to reproduce a table of his bowling last season for the Warrnambool Club. A ainst Balls Mdns. Buns Wkts Por Fairy .. .. 48 .. 2 .. 10 .. 7 Koroit...............42 .. 3 .. 10 ,. 5 Country Team .. 30 .. 1 .. 9 .. 8 Fifteen Juniors.. 90 .. 3 .. 27 ..1 0 Framlingham .. 26 .. — .. 6 .. 6 Essendon .. .. 115 ... 4 .. 27 .. 7 Totals 351 13 89 43 The above figures show that his forty- three wickets were got for an average of 2.069 runs. I t will be good news to those who take an interest in the future of the Hurst Park Club, to know that the management will be in the capable hands of Sir Matthew Wood. It is to be hoped that the rumour of his acceptance of the dual office of Hon. Sec. and Manager is correct. To C r ic k e t readers in particular the appointment will be of interest, for, keen all-round sportsman as he is, Sir Matthew’s first success in the world of sport was as a cricketer. A contemporary of the Surrey Captain at Winchester, he subsequently represented Essex, and with considerable success. Devoted to out­ door recreation of every kind, and what is of more importance, no mean performer himself at most of, if not all the sports with which he will be identified at Hurst, the members of the Club will have good reason to congratulate themselves on the selection of one so specially well fitted to undertake the management o f their affairs. W. G. NOT OUT—1890. (Apropos Mr. Stuart Wortley’s Royal Academy Picture). ‘ Say what is the contest?” Endurance and pluck At Britain’s trim wicket right manfully stuck; Great W. G., in Olympian prime, Plays a picked lot directed by Old Father Time. “ How ohances the wicket?” Adroit bowlers twist And new blood is ready when old hands desist; Yields Southerton place to Briggs, Attewell and Lohmann, A match for the hottest this intrepid foeman. “ What says the clock ? ” That a drive of great Grace Once crippled its hands and demolished its face; Yet, re-juvenated, still youthful the hour, Not forty-two summers can vanquish such power. “ And who the spectators whose ringing ap­ plauds Eouse echoing tribute from Trent Bridge to Lords ? ” All England is watching this keen competi­ tion, That caps the whole record of cricket tradition. P aris . T he fo llo w in g are th e results o f the m atch es so far p la y ed b y th e eigh t p rin cip a l C ou n ties. D ra w n gam es do n o t cou nt, a n d th e losses are d ed u cted fro m the w ins. Played. Won. Lost. Dwn. Yorkshire ........................ 6 ... 4 ... 1 ... 1 Surrey............................... 6 ... 4 ... 1 ... 1 Notts ............................... 7 ... 4 ... 1 .. 2 Kent ............................... 6 ... 2 ... 2 ... 2 M iddlesex........................ 6 ... 3 ... 3 ... 0 Lancashire........................ 5 ... 2 ... 2 ... 1 Sussex............................... 5 ... 1 ... 4 ... 0 Gloucestershire .......... 7 ... 0 ... 6 ... 1 PEINCIPAL MATCHES FOE NEXT WEEK. Thursday, J u ly 3—Kennington Oval, Gentlemen v. Players; Lord's, M.C.O. & G. v. Somerset­ shire; Birmingham, Warwickshire v. York­ shire; Stoke, Australians v. Staffordshire’s England X I.; Town Mailing, Kent v. Sussex. F kiday , J uly 4—Southampton, Hampshire v. Norfolk. M o n d a y , J u l y 7—Lord’s, Gentlemen v. Players Derby, Derbyshire v. Yorkshire; Leicester, Australians v. Leicestershire; Stoke, Stafford­ shire v. Cheshire. R e p o r t S h e e t s for sending matches to this paper, post-free lOd. per doz. The Manager wishes to remind Hon. Secs, and others that it is absolutely nocessary to use these sheets when forwarding scores.