Cricket 1890

466 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME, DEC. 27, 1890. Kent, and the Couuty want more like h im .” Mr. B ilton stands 5 feet 11^ inches, and weighs 11 atone. Oar portrait is from a photograph by Mr. Clarke, of B ury St. E dm und’s. C R I C K E T C H I P S F R O M A N O L D B L O C K , B Y I E BALAFR hi. I h ave often wondered why it is, when almost every community of men in England have their athletic meetings or gatherings, large and small,that cricketers, when the summer campaign is over, do not organize and meet to try their skill at the various games that are so fascinating to Englishmen. The season generally finishes about the end of Sep­ tember. Why not, say, the first week in October, before the men separate, for theii homes, to settle down to their winter avocations, institute, at the Oval, a grand gathering of England’s cricketers, for running, jumping, tug of war, throw­ ing the cricket ball, throwing at a wicket, longest hit, maiden overs, &c., &c.? I think, with the stock of material that we have to choose from, that the old records would speedily be rubbed out, and probably with such men as W. Wright, Gunn, and others, who are no strangers to the running path, new ones established. Another subject that suggests itself to my mind is that of Colts’ matches. Why, of all times in the year, was Easter Monday chosen for the introduction of a Colts’ match ? Before the snow is off the ground, before any man has had a half-hour’s practice with either bat or ball, he is expected to turn out, when, perhaps, the thermometer stands below 30°, and to take his part in a match, to demonstrate his fitness, or unfitness, to represent his county. How often, even after weeks of play, do the critics regret that some great bat is not yet in his accustomed form ? How, ±hen, can it be expected that the young as­ pirant, with all his nerves about him, and with the chilling blasts of winter biting and blowing upon his body, be expected to play in such form as to be selected from the ruck, and to be exalted among the chosen few ? Far better would it be to give a likely man a chance in a match or two during the summer, and to let the rising talent play some time near the close of the season. Besides, it was placed on record during the past year that Nottingham had failed, after many attempts, to make a choice of any one player from her Easter Monday trials. One great thing most of the counties neglect is, with the exception of their Colts' matches, to look after, and to unearth, the rising talent. How bitter must have been the thoughts of old Simon-de- Montfort, when he saw his son’s eagles advancing with the columns of Prince Edward, when he, too late, discovered that he was outflanked and outgeneraled. “ ’Twas I who first taught them the art of war,” he is said to have exclaimed. What must be the feelings of the Notts’ executive when they see the very men whom they have shunted taken up by other counties and brought forward to lower the flag of their parent county? With such men in reserve, some seasons back, as Bowley, Briggs, Sharpe, &c., &c., what a grand rear-guard would, they have had to fall back upon ! What a tower of strength, and what an opportunity, for playing such counties that have not the material to cope with others of superior merit. “ Look well to your communica­ tions, and study your details,” was the advice of our “ one general,” and the county that neglects it is sure, sooner or later, to be obliged to take an inferior place. I have often urged, both upon Surrey and Nottingham men, the neces­ sity of attention to the foregoing remarks, but all to little purpose. Certainly, of late, Surrey has begun to awaken out of her sleep. With all her splendid advan­ tages, the latter should rank second to none ; and now that she has, once more, attained the summit of her ambition, let her look to her details and communica­ tions, otherwise, once more, will she be found wanting when the balance is tried, and another county will secure, from her, the coveted title of champion. Surrey has, of late years, done well, and, with such an indefatigable secretary and a good working committee, will do still better, if she takes care to unearth and foster rising talent. With such a popula­ tion as she, as one of the home counties, possesses, there must be any number of youths, whose ages range from 16 to 20, who are, at their various schools, picking up their rudiments of cricket. From the end of June to the middle of Sep­ tember they are at home for the vacation. One only has to walk round the outer ring to observe this fact. This is the time that the committee should look after its young blood. The boys might be invited to their county ground, practices arranged, and different elevens chosen, under old experienced cricketers as captains. New blood would soon be forthcoming, and the champion county of 1890 would, very soon, be able to select from her own stock, instead of relying upon the outsiders from other shires. With regard to first and second class counties, I would abolish that title altogether. Let the counties take their places in line at the end of the season, according to their positions. They cannot all play together, but the first eight can. Then let No. 8 play No. 9 the best of three matches. I f 9 beats 8, then let them exchange places for the next season, and place them again the following year, according to their per­ formances ; and so on, with regard to the second eight. But leave out all such distinctions as first class and second class counties. Why should a county wait for two or three years for that promotion which she might get in one year ? How brilliantly did Nottingham perform at the commencement of last season; and how wretchedly did she cut up at the end. The probability is, that had the season lasted much longer, she would have gravitated to the bottom of the list. Why is this? It seems to me to come from the nervousness of the leading batsmen themselves, who become timid lest they should lose their positions of first-class batsmen. Who could be found, among our present race of men, better fitted to play the game, as it should be played, than Shrewsbury, Gunn, and Barnes ? Yet, what an exhibition did they give us as the season progressed to its close. Slowly but surely did their averages come down, until they, who stood like Saul, head and shoulders above their fellows in the early part of the season, gradually came back to the ruck, who had patiently waited for them, with their consistent game. Notts has been amongst the leading counties so long that she has forgotten how to play the game, now that she finds herself tackled by foemen worthy of her steel, and her lead­ ing exponents of the art of batting became timid, simply from the fact that their averages might suffer with the loss of their wickets. “ Follow my leader ” seemed to be the order of things, and down went Nottingham. As instances of the reverse side of the shield, look at the records of Somersetshire,Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and last, but not least, Surrey. Why should these counties wait ? Let them by all means come to the front, but without invidious distinctions to others. Our cricketers are, as a rule, very conserva­ tive ; but surely those whose business it is to take the helm, and steer our good ship “ Cricket,” should bestir themselves and enact such rules as should leave no doubt as to the position of each county at the season’s end. Supineness was nearly the cause of our defeat by our Colonial cousins. Lulled into a false security from having no opponents, Murdoch and his merry men all but sprung a mine upon us. Then we began to wake up, under the banner of the “ Grand Old Man,” who, almost alone, stood out as an example for pluck and steadiness of purpose. All honour to him, we say, and may he long continue, with honour, to wield what Felix aptly. describes as the “ Mighty sceptre of delight.” When is the champion county to play the rest ? Much talk was there in the early part of the year of such a contest being arranged. What are the odds that the champion county would win ? I imagine that there are good men and true among the “ rest,” who would dispute every inch of the ground ere the winning side was proclaimed. Oh, for the good old peripatetic elevens ! “ All England ” and “ United ” ! Much good did they do, in bringing to the front men who otherwise would have simply made their marks as Village-green cricketers. But then, we knew what a champion team consisted of, and we also knew that their opponents, whether elevens or twenty-twos, would have all their work cut out, to win. Shades of Clarke, V. E. Walker, Tinley and Bidley, where are ye ? There have been wet and sticky wickets in abundance, during the year that has passed, and few to take advantage in bowling upon them. Southerton, Hodgson, Bennett and B. D.Walker, where are thy disciples ? Gone, alas! To that bourne from which no cricketer returns, and their place knows them no more. NEXT ISSUE, JANUARY 27: