Cricket 1891

436 CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. SEPT. 24, 1891 and centuries at Lord’s came at very wide intervals. Yet that was the ground where Daft accomplished his greatest deeds, As far back as 1862 he scored a chanceless innings of 118 in the North v. South match—an achieve­ ment which, I well remember, was the talk of the season, more especially amongst younger cricketers. I was a lad at the time, and could not get away from school to see this match, but we were all agog in anticipation of the Surrey v. England encounter of that year. Daft was going to play, so were Hayward and Carpenter, the Cambridge cracks, who fairly divided honours with their great rival. That famous match—quite historic—was the first I saw at the Oval. Never can it be forgotten. England's total of 503 was a record in first- class cricket. But this memorable score pales into insignificance before the “ no-ball ” episode.late on the Tuesday afternoon when Surrey were at the wickets. Willshire, no­ balled six times consecutively by John Lilly- white, threw down the ball, walked off the field, and there was no more play that evening. That episode resulted in the alteration of Law X. to its present form. But what about Daft ? Well, Hayward and Carpenter both left their mark on the score sheet, with 117 and 94 runs respectively. And immoderate was the cheering as they passed down the avenue of young lads to receive from Mr. Burrup the talent sovereign, whioh was in those days given publicly, to the detriment of the game through the waste of time. Whilst Daft, whom we all wanted to repeat his Lord’s performance, was [snapped at the wicket by poor Tom Lock^er before he scored, and keen was the disappointment of all present. But my space is limited, so I must hurry away from reminisoences and get to statistics and summaries. Yet, in passing, I would noie Daft’s best innings for the Players against the Gentlemen. It was made in 1872 at Lord’s, and just topped the century by two runs. Like all his displays, it was perfect. Look to any “ Annual,” and you will see how he was out “ b Appleby.” Now those who can recall the famous Lancashire left-hand bowler, scarcely require to be told that he bowled round the wioket, very .close to the return crease, and that the ball came with his arm, i.e., broke from the off. On this occasion he sent down a ball to Daft whioh looked nearly wide in its flight, and which Daft did not attempt to hit. Imagine everybody’ s dismay when it came in enough to disturb the o£f-stump. We all laughed heartily, and Daft seemed to enjoy the fun as much as the spectators. Twice more did he pile up a century at Lord’s, viz., in 1869 and 1870, the match on each occasion being Notts v. M.C.O., his contributions amounting to 103 (not out) and 117. It is noteworthy that W. G, played for the premier club in these two contests, and that his efforts were also rewarded by two innings of over a hundred runs a-piece, Daft played in twenty-four consecutive seasons for Notts, or, if we include 1891, in twenty-five altogether; 1858 was his first, and 1881— the Notts' “ strike” year— his last. Starting with 1862, which was the first year in whioh Notts played more than two County matches, and ending with 1877, i.e., taking Bixteen years of County oricket, I find that in twelve years he headed the list of Notts’ averages, and was second in three years. Four times his average was more than 60, three times above 40, whilst only once did it fall below 20, viz., in 1875. His highest in­ dividual innings for Notts was 161, made against Yorkshire in 1872, when that County fairly deserved to be styled the “ County of bowlers.” He was, naturally enough, one of the famous All England Eleven, which had been inti­ mately conneoted with Notts from its incep­ tion in 1844 by old William Clarke, of “ lob ” bowling fame, and which on his death was piloted by another Notts hero, George Parr. Daft played first in the annual match with the United Eleven in 1859, and for the first and only time during his long career in first-class crioket did he fail to score in either innings, Caffyn “ had” him both times. Barely did he miss this matoh—perhaps the greatest that has ever been played during the entire history of the game between professionals only—no amateur being allowed to take part in it. Daft, like every other batsman who played in this annual Whit Monday contest at Lord’s, never scored a century there; but in 1867, when it was played at Manchester, he mani­ pulated a magnificent unfinished innings of 111, against such bowlers as Freeman (whom “ W . G.” pronounces the finest bowler he ever met), Howitt, Jimmy Grundy, and George Atkinson. Business prevented him playing much in matches against odds, which, in those days, helped so largely to stimulate a love for •cricket all over the country. Now and again he found time, however, and generally with signal success, his highest soore being 115 (not out) against Twenty-two of Bestwood in 1869. As a batsman, Biohard Daft will always rank among the very best. As one gets older, one is usually classed among the “ old fogies” —the laudatores temporis acti. But whilst cheerfully admitting that “ W.G.” stands head and shoulders above all batsmen—past or E resent—one can with confidence claim for 'aft that, in point of perfection in style, this generation has seen neither his peer nor his rival. I believe him to have been the most finished batsman that ever handled w illow ; every movement was graceful, every stroke artistic. Everybody knows W .G.’ s attitude at the wicket when he is waiting to receive the ball, the two feet close together, the left at right angles with the right, the foreparts being raised. Murdoch again, prince of Aus­ tralian batsmen, always pats the ground three times before the bowler starts on his run. Shrewsbury, after taking guard, keeps moving his bat in a sort of semi-circular direction. So, too, Daft had a characteristic attitude. For a moment putting his bat in the block- hold, he would, by a quick, electrical move­ ment, as if the bat had been jerked up from the ground, suddenly pull himself up to his full height, and hold the bat in a fixed, and almost horizontal position, leaving the stumps exposed to the bowler’s eye. His batting was not characterised by powerful driving, but by wrist-play, now so rarely seen, and which resulted in late cutting (not snicks) to the boundary, time without number. All bowling seemed the same to him ; all was played in the easiest fashion, as if it was Bimple beyond degree. He was no bowler, though occasionally he lobbed with success. I remembered witness­ ing one performance. The “ Surrey boys,” Tom Humphrey and Jupp, had added more than 100 runs to the Surrey score in 1869, when Daft’s lobs were utilized. A sudden change was the result. W ith the help of poor Bid- dulph, the last five wickets were taken by Daft for a very few runs, Jupp (who took out his bat for 102 ) alone being able to cope with them. But at mid-off and long-leg Daft was incom­ parable ; as fleet of foot as Gunn, and as sure of head, a certain shot at the stumps, with a long, low, swift throw-in, the “ keeper” receiving the ball on the first hop. Truly may it be said of Daft that no cricketer, amateur or professional, ever main­ tained a more unblemished reputation through so many years. Everybody trusted him, re­ spected him, honoured the man, and admired the cricketer. Perhaps no cricketer of his day was so welcomed at Lord’s. Barely has a benefit match oalled forth such an expres­ sion of goodwill from all classes as did his in 1876; £500 was presented in money, and solid silver plate valued at £259 more. Con­ spicuous in this collection being the silver hunting flask presented by the late Mr. John Walker, the oldest of the famous Southgate brotherhood of orioketers. As we all know, spite of the burden of age, he is oricketing still, and this year has an average of over 50 for his local club. An innings of 108 oame from his bat when meet­ ing the Harrow Wanderers in July last. And his business duties are many and heavy, though in the brewery (which passed into his hands through his marriage with the daugh­ ter of Mr. Butler-Parr, of Radcliffe-on-Trent) he is helped by his eldest son R. P. Daft, of Cricket and Association Football fame, is asso­ ciated with his father in the Crioket-Outfitting establishment at Nottingham, his native town. May Richard Daft long flourish ! Our portrait is reproduced from the Boys’ Own Paper by kind permission of the Editor. CEICKET AT IQUIQUE GIBBS & CO. (PAST & PRESENT) V. THE REST OF IQUIQUE. Played on June 14. G ibb s & Co. First Innings. McDonall, c Jackson, b Gamboni .......... Cokayne, c White, b Brown ................. Morrison, b Brown... Cooper, b Brown ... Hunt, c White, b Brown ................. Moore, c Brown, b Henderson .......... Harrington, b Brown Robertson, b Brown Chater, c and b Hen­ derson ................. Jose, b B row n.......... Smith, c Frames, b Brown ................. Harvey, run out Bennett, not out ... Extras................. Total ... 84 In the Second Innings Hunt scored, (not out) 31, McDonall (not out) 24.—Total 55. R est o f I qu iq u e . Jackson, b Morrison Molina, b Hunt.......... Brown, b Hunt.......... White, b H u n t.......... Grundy, b Hunt Gamboni, b Hunt ... Henderson, b Morri­ son ........................ Frames, c and b Hunt........................ Goodall, b Hunt Hyne, c Cockayne, b Hunt........................ Davis, not o u t.......... Nicholls,lbw, b Hunt Garract, c Hunt, b Morrison................. Extras................. Total ..........< PAMPA AND PISAGUA v. IQUIQUE. Played on May 17. P am pa and P isagu a . First Innings. Wilson, c Nicholls, b Lemare ................. 7 Blackwall.cMcDonall, b Lemare................ 19 Holnhele, b Morrison Crense, c Lemare, b M orrison................. 1 Walls, c and b Morri­ son ........................ 0 Hunt, c Lemare, b Davis........................70 I quique . James,c and b Gam­ boni ........................11 Chater, b Gamboni 2 Welck, run out ... 0 Bird, bBrown.......... 2 Cooper, b Thomp­ son ........................ 2 John, b Thompson 1 Extras................. 6 Total ...127 First Innings. Second Innings. McDonall, b Hunt ... ... 8 not out .......... 4 Cokayne, run out ... 5 b Walls .......... 1 Gamboni, c Blackwall, b Hunt .......... .......... 4 b Bird................. 2G Brown, b H u n t.......... ... 0 c Wilson, b Walls .......... 1 Morrison, c Crense, b Blackwall................. 1 b Walls .......... 0 Lemare, c and Blackwall 2 not out .......... 1 Jackson, b Blackwall 2 b Wilson .......... White, c Bird, b Black­ wall ........................ 0 Davis, c Blackwall, b Wilson ................. 1 Hyne, not out .......... 2 c Crense, b Walls 9 Thompson, c Velck, b Blackwall................. 0 Nicholls, b Blackwall ... 0 E xtra s.......... ... 3 Extras.......... 1 Total ... ,... 28 Total 45 L ord and Lady Harris, who are both devoted to cricket, have early begun to make a little cricketer of the baby heir. At the children’s fancy dress ball, recently given by Mrs. Pottinger at Poona, Lord and Lady Harris were occompanied by the purse carrying in ner arms the Hon. George Vincent Harris, whose tiny form was arrryed in the most correct of cricket suits to personate a “ Kent Cricketer.— Star, NEXT ISSUE OCTOBER 29