Cricket 1891

470 CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. NOV. 26, 1891 THE BEST ALL-BOUND CRICKETER IN THE WORLD. A F e w W o r d s w it h L ohm a n n . T h e presence of Lord Sheffield and team in Colombo, on their way to the Colonies, afforded an opportunity of ex­ tracting the views of one of the principal members of that combination on the subject of cricket generally. The inter­ viewer’s identity can easily be recognised’ under his initials, [by those who know anything of sport in Ceylon. As a cricket enthusiast, Mr. H. H. Capper has done great service for the Colombo C.C., of which he is the Hon. Sec. As the subject of the interview, too, is no other than the famous Surrey cricketer, George Lohmann, the result of Mr. Capper’s labours will be read with particular interest. It was my privilege recently to have a short talk with the great Surrey profes­ sional, and I feel I cannot do better than give the substance of what passed between us to the readers of the Times o f Ceylon. Everybody knows Geo. Lohmann—that is, everybody who takes an interest in cricket—though they may never have seen him. And that fact is an indication of the man’s character, at once con­ vincing and complete. There is some­ thing about Geo. Lohmann, his per­ sonality and his cricket, which makes him attractive, and I am quite certain that, if a poll were taken to-day amongst those who love cricket, as to who was the most popular professional player of the day, Geo. Lohmann would come out at the top of the poll. His feats with bat and ball are the loving property, not alone of the Surrey crowd who cheer so vociferously when “ George ” goes in to try and stop a rot by forcing the game, but of every cricketer in the world, and somehow everyone thinks of him as a cheery, bright, good-hearted, and pleasant fellow. And that is just what he is. The profession he follows is an honourable one, but, of course, there are professionals and professionals. Lohmann, however, is a gentleman by birth and training, and nothing that he does to earn his living can rob him of the title. His father was on the Stock Ex­ change, and he first saw the light in Middlesex, being born in Kensington six-and-twenty years ago. His parents moved to Surrey when he was two years old, however, a circumstance for which tho Surrey County Club should be grate­ ful, and there he has lived ever since. When one thinks of it, the life of a pro­ fessional player, provided he really loves the game, must be nearer complete happiness than any other occupation on earth. How many men are there whose work is play and whose play is work to them? Very few I expect. Lohmann looks as if he loved his-work, for his blue eyes light up with keen interest as he talks of the game or “ feels ” a ball in his long powerful fingers. A little over medium height, say about 5ft. 9in., well made, with strong supple limbs and very fair complexion, he is every inch the build ol a cricketer. “ There are very few of us," he said, in referring to this subject as I sat beside him at the Club, “ who do not love the game, though we make our living by it. I ’m sure there is not a player in the team who is not happier in the field than anywhere else. The finest and most enjoyable profession in the world? Of course it is. But how long does it last; not long. That’s the only drawback to it. After about ten years one must make way for younger men, unless one is a really out-of-the-way good bat. We last longer than Colonials, however, that’s one consolation. They rise up and soon disappear, don’t they ? ” Assenting to this obvious proposition, I asked him a little about the team of which he is now a member, fearing he might be very reticent; but he was quite open. “ Yes, of course,” he said, “ we are a bit weaker in batting than a representative English team ought to be, but we are very strong in bowling. We have as fine a wicket-keeper as there is in England, and Grace is a really good captain. Of course, Gunn or Shrewsbury would have greatly strengthened us, but we all mean busi­ ness, and ought to give a very good account of ourselves. I ’ll bet anyone that, before we leave Australia, we make 500 in one innings somewhere,, and we mean to do our level best right through for the honour of the old country and the ‘ county,’ for over a third of the team are Surrey men. We are bound to get beaten sometimes ; but I feel very confident, as in Australia a bowling team is better than a batting one. You see, though we have no positively weak bats, after W. G., Stoddart, and Abel it is a toss up which man to put in next, as all are much of a muchness. But in bowling we have a variety to suit all wickets, and ought to be able to keep opposing scores down.” Directing his attention to the un­ usually large number of left-hand bowlers who had bowled during the match on Galle Face on that very day, he said, laughingly : “ W ell! you know, any man who can bowl a left-handed ball is a good bowler, hut I must not say that in hear­ ing of two of the best left-handed bowlers in England—but you know what I mean. The angle at which the ball comes from a left-handed man is unusual, and makes his bowling difficult. For instance, there is nothing I love better than bowling to a left-hand batsman. I f everybody would bat left-handed, my average would show a great improvement I'm certain.” “ Do I like batting or bowling best? Well, when one is well set and feels completely master of the bowling, then there’s nothing all the world can give to equal the sensation, but ”—this with a merry twinkle of the eye—“ one does not always get set, and then it’s anxious work, and not so much fun. I love bowling at all times, especially when I feel I can beat the batsman, and when he is a free bat. To bowl to a mere stick is sometimes very annoying, and tries the temper if one bowls for wickets, and not for maidens, as one ought to do. There are days when a man can’t bowl a bit— when you fe el you can’t, and wonder why you are not taken off. At others you feel as if you could capture anyone’s wicket, even Shrewsbury’s. There’s a man, now, who I think is the best bats­ man in England, or in the world for that matter, but I wouldn’t cross the street to see him play. Why ? Well, I don’t know exactly, but I love a dashing bat like Stoddart or Maurice Read. Per­ haps ” —with a laugh—“ it is because when I make runs I make them fast.” Referring to his wonderful success this season in scoring just at the time when runs were most needed, he admitted he had been very lucky in that respect. “ You see,” he said, “ if three or four wickets have fallen in rapid succession it always seem to me that the only thing to do is to force the game at once. To go in and try to play with the bowler and fieldsmen full of confidence is often suicidal. One is too careful, and probably gets out. I go in and let them see I am going to punish any ball that is not be­ yond taking liberties with, and I have often been successful in knocking up a respectable score in that way. Of course, I don’t mean that I go in and hit every­ thing I can reach ; no man can do that in first-class cricket now-a-days. But I go in determined to make runs, and not to stick, and I very often stay there.” Reverting to the tour shortly to com­ mence in Australia, he said that the first match was to be played in Adelaide, where they would meet South Australia, which would probably be the strongest team against them they would meet in all their tour, except when they played combined Australia. Victoria, he said, had lost many of their best men now, and would not play a very strong side, Time did not permit me to continue my very interesting conversation with the popular Surrey bowler, I am sorry to say, for there were many questions I should like to have put to him, but I left him very favourably impressed and with some knowledge of how it is that Geo. Lohmann is such a world-wide favourite as a cricketer—for a better fellow or a more gentlemanly never bowled down a ball. H. II. C. O xford U n ive rsity C l u b . —Mr. L. C. H Palairet, of Oriel College, has been elected captain of the University Club for 1892, with Mr. G. F. H. Berkeley, Keble, as hon. secre­ tary, and Mr. H. M. Burge, University, hon. treasurer, vice Mr. J. B. Moyle, New, resigned. The following dates have been arranged for the important cricket matches to be played in Sydney this season;—December 4, 5, 7, and 8 , New South Wales v. England ; January 8 , 9, 11, and 12, New South Wales v. South Australia ; January 23, 25, and 26, New South Wales v. Victoria; January 29, 30, and Feb­ ruary 1, Australia v. England; February 19, 20, and 22, New South Wales v. England. City Agents —:Parton &Lester, 94, Queon St.,Cheapsido NEXT ISSUE DECEMBEE 81