Cricket 1891

Gr: G . H B A B N E , (MEMBER OP THE KENT COUNTY XI.) M A N U F A C T U R E R O F C R Cricket, Football, and Lawn Tennis Outfitter (Wholesale, Retail, and for Exportation), 140, LEWISHAM HIGH ROAD LONDON, S.E. “ To ge the r jo ined in c r ick e t ’s m a n ly to il.”— Byron. „ No. 2 6 8 . VOL. X . Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1891. PRICE 2d. MR. W IL L IAM D ILLW YN LLEW E LYN . C ricket in South Wales has been very much indebted for many years to the family of which the Oxford blue whose portrait we give this week is a worthy scion. The Graces, father and sons, were most of them in the sixties identified, more or less, with the South Wales Club which can lay claim to the distinction of introducing the Greatest of all Cricketers to the London public. W . G. gives an in­ teresting description in *‘ His Ac­ count of His Early Cricket Days,” how he made his first appearance in London, in 1864, for the South Wales Club against the Surrey Club at the Oval, taking the place of his elder brother, E. M., who was then on his homeward journey from Australia. Year after year the South Wales team visited London to try their strength at Lord’s and the Oval, and though the formation of the Glamorganshire County C.C. has latterly altered the title, practi­ cally the matches have been con­ tinued up to date. In these annual visits one of the most popular members of the South Wales team was Mr. (now Sir) J. T. D. Llewelyn, who officiated in the latter part of his oareer as captain. As keen a cricketer as it would be possible to find, a liberal supporter of the game in every way, it would have been contrary to the eternal fitness of things if his mantle had not de­ scended to his son. Born, as was his father, in South Wales, Mr. W. D. Llewelyn first saw the light in Glamorganshire on April 1, 1868. His first experience of cricket in any organised form, at least, was in connection with the Rev, J. H. Wilkinson’s School, at Clifton. For two years (1880-81) he was in the eleven there, but with greater suc­ cess as a bowler than a batsman. Entering at Eton College subse­ quently, he got his colours in the Eleven in the summer of 1886. A consistent scorer, he did good service, too, throughout the season. His average was nineteen, and his best performance was in the most important fixture of the year, the Harrow matoh, in the shape of an excellent second score of 44, whioh contributed in no small degree to Eton’s ' victory with seven wickets to spare. Though he was only second m the School averages to R, C. Gosling, his batting was one of the most con­ spicuous features of Eton cricket in 1837. In the trial matches his most noteworthy achieve­ ment was against Marylebone C. & G., and his second score of 78 not out on that occa­ sion was a very creditable display of batting against professional bowling. His highest as well as his best innings, however, of the year was in one of the Inter-School matches. The Winchester eleven of 1887 had, indeed, par­ ticularly good reason to speak favourably of his capabilities as a batsman. Commencing the Eton batting with C. P. Foley, he was responsible for no less than 124 out of a total of 255 from the bat, one half of the aggregate. Going in a second time his capacity for scor­ ing was shown again in as bold relief, and, indeed, of the 74 made for the loss of one wicket, he not only contributed 41, but was still in at the finish. On his Eton form of that year great things were and rightly ex­ pected of him in University cricket. Com­ menting on the Public School matches of 1887, the editor of “ Wisden’s Almanack” wrote in most favourable terms, prophesying a promising future. “ Though he failed at Lord’ s,” Wisden added, “ those who saw his long innings against Winchester on the Eton playing fields, spoke very highly both of his style and hitting. He had shown on that occasion a remarkable power of forcing the game, and it was a disappointment that London critics had no better opportunity of guaging his abilities.” Still the expectations of those who had the best means of estimating his real merits during his school career were not fulfilled, at least, for a time. Having entered at New College, Oxford, at the end of 1887, he duly made his appearance in the Freshmen’ s match m the following May. Ill luck, however, befell him then, as well as for the Sixteen Freshmen against the Eleven a few days later. His four innings, in fact, only realised an aggregate of twenty runs, so that his failure to secure a trial in the University Eleven was hardly a surprise. Nor did an innings of eighteen for the Seniors’ match at the opening of the following season encourage the authorities to give him a chance. It was not until last summer, indeed, that he made any real impression on the cricket authorities at Oxford on the strength of an excellent innings of 88 in the Seniors’ match. How fully he upheld his claim to the place he obtained in the University eleven by his consistently good cricket throughout the summer the records of 1890 will be the best evidence. Though he shared in the general failure of his University in the great fixture of the season against Cambridge, he had just previously shown his fancy for Lord’s by an exceedingly creditable and full score of 57, against M.C.C, and Ground, not a bad performance against the bowling of Martin, Pougher, Chatterton, and Hearne. In the trial matches at Oxford, however, he had rarely failed. Among his best scores may be cited his 116 against Mr. A. J. Webbe’ s Eleven, 37 against Lancashire, 33 against the Australians, and these were mainly instrumental in placing him at the