Cricket 1891

O r . O r . H E A E H i i , (M EM B E R OP TH E K E N T COUN TY X I.) 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. Si To ge the r jo ined in c r ick e t ’s m a n ly to il.”— Byron. No. 2 7 9 VO L . X . Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1891. PR ICE 2d. A R T H U R A U G U S T U S L IL L E Y . C o n s id e r in g the special qualifications essen­ tial to the formation and the difficulties which have to be overcome in the manufac­ ture of a capable wicket-keeper, Warwick­ shire may be accounted as singularly fortunate in the possession of so proficient an exponent of this particular branch of the cncketal art as the young professional who forms the subject of this week’s sketch. Born in Birmingham on November 28th, 1868, Warwickshire ^ has too the satisfaction not only of his early tuition but of his entire training as a cricketer. At the same time it must not be inferred that the process of development was in his case at all tedious. On the con­ trary he was so apt a pupil as to verify in his own person the truth of the adage that wicket-keepers are born, not made. W icket-keeping came naturally to him, so much ro that he took to the position in the first instance, and with marked credit too, without the advantage of preparatory learning of any kind. Engaged as a packer in the ware­ house attached to the large cocoa works of Messrs. Cadbury Brothers at Bournville, near Birmingham, Lilley soon showed his ability as a cricketer in connection with the small club attached to that firm. His success in securing the batting E rize for two years in succession rought him first into prominent notice. Nor was batting his only qualification. He took a double first indeed in 18^7 for his club, £ having the best figures as a bowler, in addition to an excellent average » of twenty-five for eighteen innings. About this time Shilton, who was engaged on theWarwickshire County Ground, was in the habit of strolling up to the Bournville field in his spare time to watch the practice as well as to coach the likely youngsters. His good judgment was shown by his immediate selection of Lilley as a likely all-round man, and as a par- ' ticularly promising wicket-keeper. On the strength of Shilton’s recommendation Lilley was tried in a match between the amateur and professional talent of the county to­ wards the end of the season of 1887. The executive, too, were so favourably impressed with his promise that they offered him atrial in the first fixture of the following year to supply the gap caused by the loss of J.Grundy. The test was a severe one, as the county was opposed on that occasion to C. W. Beal’s Australian Eleven, and moreover, the game was played before alarge and critical company. Still, he realised the general expectation fullyby his dismissal of both Trott and Bonnor, in each case by a clever piece of stumping. Only eight extras in a long innings of 346 runs, also, represented a pretty good performance for dismissal of thirty-two batsmen (ten stumped and twenty-two caught), it will be seen he had an aggregate for the three seasons of ninety-six wickets. During the summer of 1890, 4,261 runs were made in thirty-four innings against Warwick­ shire. Of this number 186 were extras, or an average of 5.4 extras each innings, and it is the highest testimony to Lilley’s ability at the wicket that on five different occa­ sions not a single extra was recorded against him during the year. Qn his performances of this season the Warwickshire Committee were thoroughly warranted in giving him a place in their representative North and South match. Here again he acquitted himself with marked ability behind tho wickets, and moreover justified his selection as an all-round cricketer by a well- played score of forty-six runs against the bowling of Lohmann, Walter Wright, and Messrs. Ferris and W. G. Grace, Standing five feet ten inches in height, Lilley has every advantage as a cricketer. A free and dashing hitter, he has never till lately done himself justice in this branch of the game, having in him the making of a really good batsman with an attractive graceful style. As awicket- keeper he is quite in the front rank, very quick, with any amount of pluck, and well worthy of a trial in some of the representative matches. Lilley, who has returned to Messrs. Cadbury’s Warehouse to occupy a responsible position, is one of the bowlers on the Warwick­ shire County Ground. He is, it goes without saying, in every way a well-conducted and thoroughly keen sportsman. He is, also, a good Association football player at right half-back. Our portrait is from a photograph by J. H. Fox, of County Chambers, Corporation Street, Birmingham. a raw youth. This achievement secured him a regular place in the Warwickshire team, of which he has been a regular member ever since. During 1S8& he dismissed twenty-four batsmen, of whom nine were stumped, four­ teen caught. In 1889 he was even more success­ ful, stumping sixteen and catching twenty- four* This gave a total for the season of forty wickets, ana as last year he assisted in the Playing against Preston at Preston on Mon­ day and Tuesday, the Harrow Wanderers totalled 351 (A. J.Webbe 125, Rev. T. Greatorex 104). Preston scored 24 for one wicket. C. W . S o m e r v il l e , playing for Grove Park against the Reotory Guild on July 25 last, performed the hat trick with the first three balls of the match, and took seven wickets at a cost of eight runs.