Cricket 1892

MAY 19, 1892 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 13 7 of thirty-eight. Street, who will be twenty one on the seventh of July, though on the small side, has plenty of power. His hitting against Essex all round the wicket was much above the average of young players. As far as one can judge, too, from the ex­ perience of one trial, the Essex match seems to have introduced two other players, in Richardson and Baldwin, who are not unlikely to be of service to Surrey in the future. The former, who, I may state, was born and has lived all his life in Mitcham, has in him all the very best all-round Amateur cricketers. As it was, his record in 1889 for Surrey was of such distinct promise as to emphasise the general regret at the news of his permanent settlement in South Africa. With an at­ tractive style, getting well over the ball, he made full use of his height and power, hitting all-round with great freedom. In the field he was brilliant, particularly in the country, having a very safe pair of hands. As a wicket-keeper, too, he was very much above the average. In this department he, indeed, had very few, if any superiors. Off as well as on the cricket field he was liked, his genial disposition making him generally popular. The news of “ Monty” Bowden’s death will be received with universal regret by his many friends in English cricket. I t may interest C ricket readers [writes a corespondent] to know that F. C. Cobden, the famous old Cambridge cricketer,is the proprie­ tor of an hotel, the “ Tau-y-Bwlch ” by name, in Capel Curig, one of the most picturesque spots in North Wales, situated five miles from Bettws-y-Coed. With some friends I came upon him last summer, quite by chance, and I may say we never enjoyed a holiday more. Every-day we were to be seen playing cricket on the old Holyhead Coach road (which runs past the hotel), with a rabbit hutch for a wicket, one third of a bat, and a wooden ball, the sides generally being “ The Cobden family v. Visitors.” The scoring, as may be imagined, was not very high, as there was only one hit which could ensure a run, and “ shooters ” were not rare. It was no mean thing to stand up to Cobden’s bowling, and the happy possessor of two runs thought himself a second “ W.G.” We also played some very successful matches with neighbour­ ing clubs, but not on our ground , and in these games Cobden usually surprised the native bowlers by sending the ball out of sight. I may add that tiring of cricket, there are some beautiful trips to be undertaken, and excellent fishing for those inclined that way. A LAY OF THE OVAL. They bade the gentle bard indite (Whilst wedding rhyme with reason) A lilting lay of keen delight To welcome Surrey’s season— The which, as CniCKET-readers know (Our “ Fixtures ” gave them warning In C r ic k e t’ s columns long ago), ’Gainst Essex as an opening show, Commenced last Monday morning. “ An Oval lay ” they bade him bring, “ Some verses bright and breezy, And leclolent, as ’twere, of Spring.” The task is not so easy. His rhymes don’t freely flow to-day, And pa>ans for those foemen He fears are not forthcoming. Stay ! An egg would be “ an oval lay ” — But “ egg8” are of ill-omen 1 C.P. I f there still remain a possible probable shadow of doubt, a possible doubt whatever, in the minds of any of the leaders of English cricket with regard to the representative character of future Australian teams, I need only mention that one of the provisions of the new Australian Cricket Council requires not only that its executive shall appoint the manager of any Australian combination bound for England, but shall also approve of the members of such team. Such a certificate will at least satisfy any lingering doubts that Australian cricketers are not equally concerned with ourselves in pre­ venting the appearance in England of a team that is not thoroughly representative of Australian cricket. As far as one can learn, too, the majority of the best players in the Colonies are strongly in favour of a visit to England next summer, rather than in the following year. From information I have received 1 am able to say that Messrs. Bruce, Blackham, Turner, Giffen, Lyons, and Bannerman are all interesting ^themselves actively in the pre­ liminary negotiations. I have reason to believe, indeed, that the six, who, it goes without saying, represent the pick of Australian cricket, and will themselves form the nucleus of a strong side, will act as a committee of advice to Mr. Victor Cohen, the Treasurer of the New South Wales Associa­ tion, who is to personally conduct and have charge of all the arrangements. I n one respect I think those who are responsible for the conduct of affairs in Australia have come to a wise decision to rely wholly and solely on the material they will bring with them. Messrs. Murdoch and Ferris would, of course, be great acquisitions, but even by this time they have so thoroughly identified themselves with English cricket that their presence in an Australian side would, I venture to think, have the effect of detracting rather than adding to its interest. So far as present form can be taken as a guide, the team will be selected from Messrs. G. Giffen, Turner, McLeod, Lyons, Callaway, Coningham (of Queensland), Bruce, Blackham, Bannerman, Boss, Deane, Gregory, Worrall, Trott, Moses, H. Trumblo, and J. W. Trumble. It would not surprise me, especially with the World’s Exhibition in full swing at Chicago, to hear of the tourists returning home by way of America. As far as one can judge, the Sussex Colts’ match at the end of last week was not unpro­ ductive in bringing to the notice of the executive some material of promise. Love, of Hastings, who batted in a very correct style, placing and timing the ball extremely well, is a first-rate field, and can bowl slow medium. Worger, of Brighton, showed very good form, and should train on, as he is a good field and quite young. Baker, of Eastbourne, may with coaching become a very useful cricketer. Of the bowlers, Butcher was by far the most promising, though not so successful as some of the others. He bowls fast medium right-hand, breaking a little both ways, and varies his pace with judgment. Etheridge, of Horsham, too, is a useful left-hand bowler. He keeps a very good length, and should be of some use as he grows older. A. E. S tbeet , who made such a pro­ mising show for Surrey at the Oval this week, has been represented, I am concerned to know, as the son of the late George Street. This is anerror, as James Street, the old Surrey bowler, should have the credit of his paren­ tage. It will be of interest to Surrey C ricket readers to know that he is a native, having been boru and bred at Godalming. His appearance against Essex was not his in­ troduction to County cricket, as some appear to think. He played against Hampshire at Southampton at the end of last season, and with creditable success. So far, indeed, he has taken part in four innings for the County, with an aggregate of 153 runs, and an average the making of a good fast bowler. He is right handed, with a high delivery, and standing as he does close on, if not quite, six feet in height has all the advantage of his inches. More­ over there is nothing laboured or cramped about his action, and though he takes a fairly long run does not seem to tire. In the Essex match he came back a good deal at times, and as he gets up very quickly from the pitch there is every reason to believe he will be of use. He is, too, quite young, being, I should fancy, between twenty and twenty- one years of age. B a ld w in , who played such sound cricket in the second innings of the same match, was born at Bury St. Edmunds, in Suffolk, on December 29,1865. He was engaged with the Werneth Club, at Oldham, in 1888 and 1889, and has since formed one of the ground staff at the Oval. Some C ricket readers will no doubt remember his fine second innings of 94 for the Colts of the South against the Colts of the North, at Lord’s, at the commencement of the season of 1888. Though his style is not attractive, he watches the ball with great care, and has several good strokes. He has, too, the advantage of being a good field. T hough hardly a colt in the field of litera­ ture, a valued correspondent of C ricket will make his first appearance in the ranks of contributors to the series of articles appearing in the Ludgate Monthly on cricket grounds and cricketers. The management of that magazine has been fortunate in securing the pen of Mr. A. J. Gaston to deal with Sussex cricket. No one is more conversant w’*th the literature or the history of the game, as I am able to vouoh. Mr. Gaston’s sketch will deal extensively with Sussex cricket of to-day. Nor will the famous Brighton Grounds be overlooked. Indeed, I am inclined to think that the historical remin­ iscences they will evoke will form by no means the least interesting part of Mr. Gaston’s contribution. I t was a happy thought of the publisher of W.G.’s great work on “ Cricket ” to reprint in separate form “ Ihe Master’s ” articles on Batting, [Bowling, and Fielding, which appeared in that volume. Young cricketers will therefore have the opportunity of pro­ viding themselves with the advice of the greatest exponent of the game at a moderate price, and what is perhaps of equal importance in a handy and convenient shape. Mr. J. W. Arrowsmith, the publisher in question, I need hardly say, is himself an enthusiast at cricket. He has done a lot of very useful work on the Committee of the Gloucestershire County C.C. The excellence of the general arrangements on the new County Ground is due in a very great measure to the personal and active interest he took to ensure the maximum amount of accommodation for the public as well as for the members,