Cricket 1891

AUG. 30,1891 CEICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME; 859 satisfactory in its working as to be at all likely of acceptance as a substitute for the practice bowler.' There have been attempts, as X can vouch, to supply what to some persons in the outlying districts may appear to be a want, but as a rule the mechanism has been faulty in some respect, or at all events they have Dot been found strong enough to bear the strain required. D u r in g the last few days, however, I have had the chance of practically testing a bowling machine which, as far asone can judge from the experience of one trial, at all events seems to be made of better stuff than those which have been pre­ viously introduced, and certainly by the variety of its application much more likely to be of use in those cases where any machine of the kind can be of use. Moreover, I can personally vouch for the fact that on the one occasion on which I have had an opportunity of testing it, and I tested it in every way, the machine did everything which its inventors, Messrs. P. H . Keane and Wilson, claim for it in their prospectus. P er h aps though it will be best if I let Messrs. Keane and Wilson state the ease for the machine in their own way The machine is of very simple construction, and will throw or bowl over or underhand balls with perfect accuracy, at the same time, desired variation in the speed, length of pitch, direction, and movement of the ball, can be produced within wide ranges with great facil­ ity and despatoh by the operator. The disadvantages existing in the bowling machines made np to the present have been entirely obviated, viz First, excessive wear and tear; Secondly, the danger owing to un­ certainty of direction of aim, and Thirdly, the large amount of power required to be put into the machine in comparison with that given out by it in propelling the ball. The machine can be readily operated by a boy, the adjustments being very simple and easy to make. The ball is mechanically and freely held, and mechanically and automatic­ ally released by the throwing arm at a definite and predetermined point in its revoluticn, the direction in which the ball leaves the machine, therefore, being perfectly certain and under the control of the operator. T h e inventors have been thoroughly alive to the fact that the machine requires two essentials, first that it can be safely as well as easily handled by any ordinary person, and secondly, that it can be supplied at a price within the means of ordinary cricket clubs. My test showed that pace and pitch could be varied by any one used to its working without apparent difficulty. It is hardly necessary for me to add that I know nothing of the inventors, and have no interest of any kind in the machine itself. A P ^ A N FOB THE “ CHAMPIONS.” It was the gentle Bardlet, and he sat upon a stool, And he scratched his head for notions like a backward hoy at school; While he gszed on vacant spaces as he rent his ruddy hair, And his breast was filled with sadness, Irish whiskey, and despair. For the Chief at C ricket office, to ecourage bardic wit, Had suggested to the Bardlet it would be a happy hit If a Pffian for the Champions could establish Surrey’s fam e; And he hinted that the Bardlet was the man to work the same. And the Bard had gone to Taunton for to see what might be seen, But a most depressing function had the Bard’s experience been. Not to mention that spectators failed to cheer him when he came (As is due to bardic greatness), ’twas a very dismal game. He had pinned his faith to Surrey, and he did not greatly mind When they finished their first innings forty runs or so behind. But he took it quite unkindly that old “ Zom- crzet ” should dare At three hundred one-and-thirty, for their second, to “ declare.” Suoh a blot upon the Champions was a thing beyond belief, And its aptness only tended to augment the bardic grief: But he gathered store of comfort when, as night approached, he saw That by dint of careful tactics they might make the game a draw. Five o’clock, and though too slowly the minutes still flew by And a draw appeared a moral, and the bardic hopes ran high. And the half-hour chime was all but softly :•striking on the bell When the last lone Surrey wicket with the hopes of Surrey fell! But the Bard was philosophic;—what though six-score runs and ten Was the superadded total of the Zomerzetzheer men, He would not allow such trifles his poetic soul to vex, He would wait for Monday morning and the match with Middlesex. And it was the gentle Bardlet who repaired to Lord’s one day For material for his Pcean, in a hopeful kind of w ay; But, alas 1 he little wotted of the rude impending shock When the (late) resistless champions should receive the bally knock. It was Middlesex that piled up thirteen-score or very near, It was Surrey had to “ follow,” eighty-two points in arrear. It was Surrey’s second innings, and the wickets fast did fall, For, excepting two, the totals were of single figures all 1 Now, portray the bardic sorrow and depict the bardio dool While he rent his ruddy ringlets as he sat upon a stool! For the foe won by an innings, with some twenty runs to spare,—• They declared no second innings, for theyhad none todeclare ! And that Bard sat on in silence, and in sorrow drank his been-, As upon the grave of Surrey he deposited a tear; Then he went and told the Chieftain (on com­ pulsion, bo to speak), “ Sir, there won’t not be no 1’ ii‘an for Cham­ pions, Sir, this week! ” hough he m a y be good enough in one respect in connection with strikes, it is evident that John Burns is not himself a great master of the art of striking— a cricket ball. It has been my fortune to see him at work more than once during the last few days on the cricket field, and I am bound in sorrow to have to own that though he has shown in the world, political, that Unity is Strength, I have not even seen the unit in connection with his name on the score sheets. C r ic k e t readers who take, and what Supporter of the game does not ? an interest in that keenest, as well as most cheery of cricket personalities, Mr. A. N, Hornby, will be interested to know that he forms the subject of the cartoon in last week’s number of Vanity Fair. The accompanying biography, too, depicts so faithfully some of the best traits of his character that I cannot refrain from reproducing, at least those remarks which apply to him in other relations than that of a cricketer, in which capacity he is too well known to need any details here :— “ He is,” savs “ Jehu Junior,” “ among the best riders to hounds in Cheshire, of whom he is quite the boldest, and he has two little boys, who ride two little ponies with their father, and all their father’s dash. He is a brilliant bat, uncertain shot, and he is very handy with a terrible pair of fists. He is imbued with all the virtues that make an Englishman to his fellows. He is no orator, yet he is quite certain that he could storm any Badical constituency in Southern Lancashire. He is a cheery, kind-hearted fellow, whose con­ sideration for the Lancashire professionals is a by-word, and his popularity is quite extraordinary. He goes to bed early, he hates a tall hat, and he always plays cricket with an uncovered head. He is gifted with much courage, and he is always ready to stand by a friend.” M e s s r s . C. Wreford Brown and W. E. W . Collins, we hear, have joined Lord Hawke’s team to leave next month for Amerioa. T h e following will show the results of matches between the nine first-class Counties up to date: Played. Won. Lost. Dwn. Surrey ................. 14 ... 11 ... 2 ... 1 Lancashire ... ... 13 ... 7 ... 4 ... 2 Middlesex .......... 13 ... 7 ... 5 .... 1 Notts ................. 11 ..,. 5 ... 4 ... 2 Kent........................ 12 ... 4 ... 4 ... 4 Somersetshire ... 11 .. 5 ... 5 .., 1 Sussex ... .......... 13 ... 4 ... G ..,. 3 Yorkshire .......... 15 .,.. 5 ..,. 10 .. . 0 Gloucestershire ... 14 .,.. 2 ... 10 .., 2 The fixture between Lancashire and Kent at Manchester, which was not begun owing to rain is not included. PRINCIPAL MATCHES FOR NEXT WEEK T h u r s d a y , A u g u s t 20—Kennington Oval, Surrey v. Lancashire; Cheltenham, Gloucestershire v. Middlesex; Nottingham, Notts v. K ent; Birmingham, Warwickshire v. EBsex; Lord’s, M.C.C, & G. v. Hull Town. F r id a y , A u g u s t 21—Newcastle. Northumberland y. M.C.C. & O.; Northampton, Northants v. Lincolnshire. Monday, A u g u s t 2 4 -Kennington Oval, Surrey v. Warwickshire; Brighton, Sussex v. Lan­ cashire; Clifton, Gloucestershire v. Notts; Leeds, Yorkshirev. Kent; Leicester,Leicester­ shire v.Warwickshire; Glamorgan,Glamorgan­ shire v. Devonshire; Lord’s, M.C.C. & G. v. Cheshire; Norwich, NorfolkC. & G. v. Essex C, & O.