Cricket 1890

JULY 10, 1890, CRICKET: A WEEKLf RECORD -OP THE GAME. 2 4 9 C ric k e t readers will be interested to learn that the marked success which at­ tended the musical part of the conver­ sazione given last week at the South Kensington Museum, in connection with the Jubilee of Penny Postage, was due in a very great measure to the personal and untiring efforts of a well-known metro­ politan cricketer. Many will be aware that I am referring to Mr. Sydney Beck- ley, who has for several years been a prominent member of the Chiswick Park Cricket Club. Not content with carrying W.G. in his last instalment of “ Forty Years of Cricket ” tells a good story in connection with his famous innings of 217 for the Gentlemen against the Players, the match for the benefit of the late John Lillywhite at Brighton in 1871. Only a fortnight before he had been given out Ibw, to J. C. Shaw, in the match between North and South for PI. H. Stephenson’s benefit at the Oval, and fourteen days later, history repeated itself at Brighton, where J.C. again got him out bowled with, I think, the third ball of the match. But “ You take these, W.G., and pay me a six­ pence back for every run you make in the second innings. I call it a fair bet.” It was the greatest compliment I have ever had paid to my batting skill; and my fears vanished as I realised the fulness of it. You may guess how I laid on after the first over or two to wipe out the eighty runs which were required to pay off the two pounds. I com­ menced my second innings at three o’clock on the second day. The first wicket fell for 35, then my brother Fred joined me, and we raised the total to 275 before we were parted, and scored 240 in two hours and a half. After the first hundred runs, I forgot all about the THE CAMBRIDGE ELEVEN OF 1890. F. S, J ackboh I?. N. D ouglas E. C, S treateeild H. H ale 0 . P. F oley f . G. J. F obd S. M. J, W oods (Capt.) G, M c G begob E, C. G ohmncj A. J. L. H ill D. L, A. J ephson out the whole of the musical arrange­ ments, Mr. Beckley, who, by the way, was a pupil of the late Mr. J, B. Welch, conducted with great skill a choir of two hundred voices, organised and entirely trained by himself. As a vocalist, too, he won golden opinions in the concerts which took place during the evening. In these he had, as will be seen, an un­ doubtedly strong side with such players as Madame Valleria, Miss Alice Gomez and Mr. Sims Beeves all on the card. the “ Grand Old Man ” gives particulars of the conversation which followed with Lillywhite on his discomfiture in such a racy style that they had better be told in his own words. “ I am terribly sorry, Lillywhite,” I said ; “ I did want to do well for you— and I know the crowd expected it.” . “ Better luck next time ! ” he replied. I cannot explain it ; but, personally, I was not hopeful, and said so. Lillywhite did not share my misgivings; for he took two sovereigns out of his pocket, put them into my hand, and said : bet. At the end of the day’s play, the total was 353 for three wickets; my score being 200 not out. I had a great reception when I reached the pavilion, Lillywhite being par­ ticularly warm. “ I’ll trouble you for five pounds on account) W.G.,” he said. “ All right, Lillywhite, here it is,” I replied; “ but if you don’t let me off for the rest of my bet, I shall knock down my wicket first over to m rrow! ” He made a virtue of necessity and cried “ Quits.” I added 17 runs to my score next day.