Cricket 1891

JULY 9, 1691 CBICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. 249 its fe a tu re s . I s h o u ld b e in c lin e d to d o u b t in d e e d w h e th e r th e first in n in g s o f L in t o n H o u s e h a s b e e n o fte n i f at a n y tim e b ea te n in r e s p e c t o f its b r e v ity . A s a m a tte i o f fa c t th e sid e, w h o o n ly s c o r e d fiv e in c lu d in g o n e ex tra , d id n o t g o to th e e x te n t o f “ fre ttin g th e ir b r ie f h o u r ,” fo r th e y w e re a ll o u t in th e s h o rt s p a ce o f e ig h t m in u te s . A t th e s a m e tim e I m a y ad d th a t th e re w e re o n ly te n in s te a d o f e le v e n to b a t. H . W . J e n k in s to o k fiv e o f th e ir w ic k e ts fo r a s in g le , a n d J . K a h r e l th e o th e r fo u r at a c o s t o f th ree ru n s. In “ G o ss ip ’’ o f la st w e e k I h a d o c c a s io n to r e fe r to a n a r tic le o n “ T h e O rick et M a tch e s o f F ic t io n ,” b y M r . E . Y . B . C h ristia n , in th is m o n t h ’s Baily's Maga­ zine. T h e A u th o r ’s c o n c lu s io n is th a t M r. M e r e d ith a t p r e s e n t sta n d s a t th e h e a d o f th e n o v e lists o f c r ic k e t. A n d h e c o n c lu d e s a v e r y in te re s tin g a n a ly s is w ith a n e p ito m e o f O rick e ta l p h ilo s o p h y , th e in s p ira tio n o f H a r r y B ic h m o n d ’s c o a c h ­ m a n , o n e o f M r. M e r e d ith 's c r ic k e t c re a tio n s . “ Now there’s my notion of happiness,” said the man condemned to inactivity in the per­ petual act of motion, “ cricket in cricket season. It comprises, count. Lots of running, and that’s good; just enough o’ taking it easy, chat’s good; a appetite for your dinner, and your ale or your port, asmay be the case, good number three; add on a tired pipe after dark, and a sound sleep to follow, and you say good morning to the doctor and the parson ; for you’re in health body and soul, and ne’er a parson ’11make a better Christian of ye, that I’ll swear.” In v ie w o f th e c o n s is te n tly fin e fo r m s h o w n b y M r . W . N e w h a m so fa r th is se a so n , a s u m m a r y o f h is p e r fo rm a n ce s in im p o r ta n t m a tc h e s u p to d a te m a y n o t b e w ith o u t in te re s t to C k ick et r e a d e r s :— 1st 2nd Inn. Inn. May 7—Lord’s Pussex v. M.C.C. 0 — 0 May 18—Brighton Sussex v. Hants 55 — 52 May 25—Sheffield Lord Stv ffield’s Park XI. v. M.C.O. 77 — 77 May 28—Manchester Sussex v. Lan­ cashire 0 0 0 June 1—Dewsbury Sussex v. York­ shire 12 — 12 June 8—Brighton Sussex v. Glou­ cestershire 67 9 76 June 12—Brighton Sussex C. & G. v. M.O.C. & G. 67 109* 166 June 18—Brighton Sussex v. Cam. Univ. 95 51 146 June 22—Brighton Sussex v. Oxford Univ.134* — 131 July 2—Tonbridge Sussex v. Kent 105 — 105 * Signifies not out. 768 I t m a y b e n o te d th a t th e S u sse x C a p ta in h a s a lr e a d y s c o r e d th e 10 0 th re e tim e s th is y e a r (b e in g n o t o u t o n c e ), a n d a lm o s t s u c c e e d e d in d o in g so a th ird tim e . T h e la s t t w o h u n d re d s w e re g o t in s u c c e s s iv e m a tc h e s , a n d w ith in a w e e k o f e a ch o th e r , w h ile in th e la st th re e m a tc h e s h e h a s s c o r e d 38 5 ru n s fo r fo u r c o m p le te d in n in g s . Mr. G . H. B ean d , o f G lo u c e s te r , h a s b e e n g o o d e n o u g h to s e n d m e th e f o llo w ­ in g s u m m a r y , w h ic h is p r a c tic a lly a n e p ito m e o f tw e n ty -fiv e y e a r s ’ fir s t-c la s s c r ic k e t. A s th e m e r its o f th e le a d in g b a ts m e n a n d b o w le r s in th e cr ic k e t w o r ld a re fre q u e n tly ca n v a s s e d , h e r ig h tly in fe rs th a t th e ta b les w ill b e s tu d ie d w ith in te re st. T h e first-cla ss a v e ra g e s , th o se g iv e n , c o m p r is e th e s e a s o n s fr o m 1 86 6 to 1 8 9 0 . “ I t w ill b e n o t ic e d ,” h e a d d s, “ th a t W . G . G r a c e h a s s c o r e d m o r e ru n s, ta k e n m o r e w ic k e ts , a n d g o t a la r g e r a v e ra g e th a n a n y o n e else. I n a d d itio n , h e h a s s c o r e d n in e ty -th re e tim e s o v e r th e c e n tu r y in firs t-cla s s m a tc h e s . N e x t in o r d e r (in b a ttin g ) c o m e W . W . B e a d , C . T . S tu d d , S h re w s b u ry , A . G . S te e l, H o n . A . L y t t e lt o n , w h ilo A u s tr a lia is w o r t h ily re p re s e n te d b y W . L . M u r d o c h . A . S h a w , M r. C . T . B . T u rn e r, M o r le y , M r . J . J . F e r r is , M r. F . B . S p o ffo rth , A tte w e ll, W a ts o n , P e a te , a n d E m m e t t h a v e th e b est b o w lin g a v e r a g e s .” Completed Highest Inns. Runs. Score. Aver. Dr. W. G. Grace........ 846 ... 36221 ... 344 ... 42 Mr. W. W. Read........ 438 ... 14594 ... &38 ... 33 Mr. C. T. Studd ........ 124 ... 4013 ... 175* ... 32 Shrewsbury................. 379 ... 120-27 ... 267 ... 31 Mr. A. G. Steel ......... 190 ... 5532 ... 171 ... 28 Hon. A. Lyttelton ... 15-2 ... 4295... 181 ... 28 Gunn ........................ 325 ... 9146... 228 ... 28 Mr. A. J. Wobbe.......... 368 ... 9983... 2i3* ... 27 R. D a ft ........................ 267 ... 7218... 161 ... 27 Lord Harris................. 335 ... 9049... 154 ... 27 Mr. W. L. Murdoch ... 164 ... 4552 ... 2S6* ... 27 Mr. F. P enn............... 152 ... 4110 ... 160 ... 27 Mr. A. N. Hornby ... 523 ... 13677 ... 188 ... 26 Mr. W. Yardley......... 138 ... 3725 ... 130 ... 26 Mr. A. P. L ucas........ 237 ... 6172 ... 145 ... 26 Mr. K.J. Key ......... 218... 5826 ... 281 ...26 Mr. W. H. Patterson .. 153 ... 4126 ... 143 ... 26 Mr. G. F. Grace......... 258 ... 6361 ... 1& j * ... 25 Mr. I. D. Walker... . . 435 ... 10769 ... 179 ... 24 Mr. T. O. O’Brien ... 198 ... 4803 ... 119 ... 24 Jupp ....................... 539 ... 13080 ... 170 ... 24 Mr. J. Cranston ... . . 101 ... 2517 ... 152 ... 24 Mr. W. Newham... . . 197 ... 4852 ... 138 ... 24 H all............................ . 355 ... 8857 ... 160 ... 24 Ulyett ..................... . 713 ... 17095 ... 199* ... 23 Lockwood .............. . 492 ... 11694 ... 208 ... 23 Mr. A. E. Stoddart . . 136 ... 3248 ... 151 ... 23 Abel.............................. 303 ... 7125 ... 160 ... 23 B arn es..................... . 498 ... 11919 ... 160 ... 23 B arlow ..................... . 477 ... 9699 ... H7 ... 23 Bates ........................ 308 ... 7089 ... 136 ... 23 Mr. J. Shuter ........ 3C6 ... 6882 ... 135 ... 22 Mr. E. P. S. Tylecote . 120 ... 2529 ... 100* ... 21 Mr. G. Giffen ... . . 153 ... 3400 ... 119 ... 21 Mr. E. M. Grace........ 339 ... 6834 ... 108 ... 20 Flowers...................... 328 ... 6775 ... 173 ... 20 Briggs ........................ 812 ... 6384 ... 183 ... 20 * Signifies not out. Runs off Wkts. Bowling. Aver. A. Shaw..................... • •• 1932 ... 22423 . 11 Mr. C. T. B. Turner . 529 ... 6217 . 11 M orley ..................... , ... 1241 ... 16455 . 13 Mr. J. J. Ferris ... . • ... 435 ... 5941 . 13 Mr. F. R. Spofforth . 532 ... 7104 . 13 Attewell.................... • ... 814 ... 10677 . 13 W atson..................... 1296 ... 16977 . 13 Peate ..................... 1066 ... 14387 . 13 Emmett..................... . •• 1489 ... 19648 . 13 Martin ..................... 436 ... 6030 . 13 Briggs ..................... . ... 747 ... 10232 . 13 Mr. A. G. Steel ... . • ... 733 ... 10562 . 14 Southerton.............. 1611 ... 22832 . 14 Lohmann ............... 1069 ... 14978 . 14 Peel............................ 730 ... 11435 . 15 Dr. W. G. Grace... . • ... 2268 ... 37071 . 16 Mr. S. M. J. Woods . . ... 222 ... 3563 . 16 W righ t....................... 519 ... 8386 . 16 Mr. C. T. Studd ... . 379 ... 6i52 . 17 Bates ..................... 745 ... 12724 . 17 Barnes ..................... . ... 612 ... 10527 . 17 Mr. G. F. Grace ... . 261 ... 5215 . 19 S o fa r a s o n e ca n ju d g e , th e fo r m a tio n o f th e p r o p o s e d A u s tra lia n C r ic k e t C o u n c il, a b o u t w h ic h I h a v e h a d o c c a s io n r e c e n tly t o w rite m o r e th a n o n c e , se e m s to b e c o m in g a q u e s tio n o f th e v e r y n e a r fu tu re . A s I h a v e p o in te d o u t, m o s t o f i f n o t a ll th e a s s o cia tio n s w h ic h r e g u la te c r ic k e t m a tte rs in th e d iffe re n t C o lo n ie s h a v e s ig n ifie d th e ir a p p ro v a l o f th e p r in c ip le o f th e s c h e m e . T h e la te st n e w s o n th e s u b je o t is th a t th e S u b -C o m m itte e a p p o in te d b y th e C r ic k e t A s s o c ia t io n o f N e w S o u th W a le s t o c o n s id e r th e a d v is a b ility o f th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f a b o d y s u ch as th a t su g g e ste d , fo r th e p u r p o s e o f c o n tr o llin g th e v is its o f A u s tr a lia n te a m s v is itin g E n g la n d a n d g o in g fr o m o n e C o lo n y to a n o th e r, h a v e e x p re s s e d a s tr o n g o p in io n th a t th e in s titu tio n o f s u c h a b o a r d w o u ld b e b e n e fic ia l to th e c r ic k e tin g in te re sts o f th e C o lo n ie s . A s th e n a tu ra l c o r o lla r y ot su ch a n e x p r e s s io n , a S u b -O o m m itte e h as b e e n a p p o in te d t o fra m e a C o n s titu tio n w h ic h w ill b e s u b m itte d to th e C r ic k e tin g A s s o c ia tio n s o f th e o th e r C o lo n ie s fo r su g g e stio n s. T he re p o rts w h ic h a p p e a re d in s o m e p a p e rs th a t th e te a m w h ic h th e E a r l o f S h e ffie ld w ill p e r s o n a lly c o n d u c t t o th e C o lo n ie s n e x t w in te r h a d b e e n c o m p le te d b y th e a d d itio n o f A b e l, M a u rice B e a d , C h a tte rto n , B e a n , a n d S h a rp e h a v e b e e n sh o w n t o b e p r e m a tu r e b y th e a n n o u n c e ­ m e n t o f th e n o b le E a r l h im s e lf. L o r d S h e ffie ld sta tes th a t A b e l is th e o n ly o n e o f th e fiv e w h o h a s a ctu a lly b e e n in v ite d . I a m in a p o s itio n , to o , to b e a b le to assert p o s itiv e ly th a t A b e l h a s a c c e p te d th e o ffer. I a m t o ld , m o r e o v e r , a n d on th e b e s t a u th o r ity , th a t M r . H . P h ilip s o n , w h o m I m e n t io n e d s o m e w e e k s s in c e as b e in g a d o u b tfu l sta rter, is, b a r r in g a c c id e n ts , p r e tty c e r ta in t o a c c o m p a n y th e te a m . T he a n n o u n c e m e n t th a t I m a d e in C ktcket o f A p r il 16, to th e e ffe ct th a t o ffic ia l in fo r m a tio n h a d b e e n g iv e n to w a rra n t m e in t h e b e lie f th a t a v is it fr o m a r e p r e s e n ta tiv e A u s tra lia n te a m to E n g la n d w a s p r o b a b le n e x t s u m m e r , se e m s to h a v e e x e r c is e d th e m in d s o f th e c r ic k e t w rite rs in th e C o lo n ie s c o n s id e r ­ a b ly . A c o n tr ib u to r to th e Town and Country n e w s p a p e r o f S y d n e y , in a n u m ­ b e r o f th a t p a p e r ju s t to h a n d , r e g a r d s it as stra n g e th a t n o th in g h a s b e e n h e a r d o f th e p r o p o s a l in A u s tr a lia ,a d d in g as h is o w n p riv a te o p in io n th a t i f o n e h a d b e e n o r w e re m a d e , it w o u ld b e c e r ta in to m e e t w ith s tre n u o u s o p p o s itio n . “ T h e r e are s tr a n g e r th in g s in h e a v e n a n d e a rth th a n w e re e v e r d r e a m e d o f in y o u r p h ilo s o p h y , H o r a tio ,” I a m te m p te d to r e p ly . I n a n y ca se , th e fa c t r e m a in s th a t th e p o s s ib ilitie s o f s u c h a v is it h a v e b e e n d is ­ cu sse d , as I a m a b le to v o u c h o f m y o w n p e r s o n a l k n o w le d g e . O f th a t, th e c o r r e s ­ p o n d e n t o f Town and Country n e e d n o t h a v e a s h a d o w o f d o u b t, n o p o s s ib le d o u b t w h a te v e r . T he m e n tio n o f c r ic k e t tr ip s r e m in d s m e th a t th e re is ju s t a c h a n c e th a t an te a m o f E n g lis h A m a te u r s m a y v is it th e U n ite d S ta te s in th e fa ll, t o t r y c o n c lu ­ sion s, a m o n g o th e r s , w ith th e G e n tle m e n o f P h ila d e lp h ia . A s y e t, th e a ffa ir h a s n o t a s s u m e d a d e fin ite sh a p e , b u t in a w e e k o r tw o I m a y b e a b le to m a k e a o ffic ia l p r o n o u n c e m e n t o n th e s u b je c t. B e p o r t sp ea k s h ig h ly in d e e d o f th e n e w g r o u n d o f th e G e r m a n to w n C lu b , at M a n h e im , a n d o u r g o o d frie n d s a n d