Cricket 1892

JUNE 9, 1892 CRICKET: A WEEKLY HECORD OF THE GAME. 188 CRICKET NOTCHES. B y t h e R e v . It. S. H o l m e s . W h it M o n d a y at last, the first; high-water mark in success with cricket seasons ; a day rich with memories to some of usbecause of the famous annual battle atLord’sbetween the two picked professional elevens of England—All England and United All England—perhaps the most keenly fought match in the entire history of the game. Never an amateur appeared in that engagement, though both elevens occasionally numbered certain gentle­ men cricketers in their contests with local eighteens and twenty-twos. And never was ihe “ century ” once reached by any batsman in the Lord’s match, though Carpenter got within three of it in 1859, and Richard Daft passed it by eleven when the match was fought out at Manchester in 1867. Some of the greatest names—the giants of the past— met then, and no other match of importance was arranged on the same date. To-day all is changed : one match, how­ ever great, no longer monopolizes the boards, for this year as many as twelve, of more or less importance, will be contested, and out of the twenty-four combatants it is surely worthy of note that the counties claim no less than twenty-three, M.C.C. completing the list. Now, go back with me some thirty years: the actual year is 1861, the same as witnessed the introduction of the old scoring box on wheels, now long since discarded. On one day in that year seven counties met, viz.,Dur­ ham and Yorkshire v. Cambridgeshire, Notts v. Surrey, Kent v. Sussex : “ an unprecedented number,” so runs the “ Guide” of 1862, adding “ What would the old supporters of the game think of that ? ” Ah ! what indeed ? Put the clock forward another third of a oentury, and the seven have swelled into twenty-four 1 To-day’s list is too long for reproduction here, but one county figures in it that possesses for me a somewhat senti­ mental interest. That is Devonshire. “ Devonshire ! ” repeats Young England with a most pronounced curl of the lip. “ And what about Devonshire, pray ; never heard of that county in cricket.” Perhaps you never did, and there you betray your ignorance. But thirty years ago that insignificant corner down West could boast of a county club. The very first “ Guide ” I bought was that for 1864—I have it still—money could not tempt me to part with it. In that Devonshire bulks fairly big with five matches, two of them with a neighbouring county, whose fame has gone out into all the world, though nothing appeared much less probable then. Whilst another of their rivals has also rapidly pushed its way into the front ranks. Gloucestershire and Somersetshire are their names. And here is a delightful little item culled from each of the matches with the former; * *the renowned E. M. Grace contri­ buted 4 and 132,” and “ W. G. Grace 19 and 1.” Now, perhaps you can in a measure sympathise with my streak of sentiment for this old “ Guide.” To-day one would dearly love to be present at certainly six different matches. All eyes will be on Trent Bridge, and many a heart will be there too. My ghost will haunt that ground, and if duty, in the shape of a prior engagement with old friends, did not urge me to Sheffield, I should certainly have accepted a pressing invitation from my honoured chum, Richard Daft. As the weather, at this ungodly hour of 5 a.m., promises to be brilliant in the extreme, what a 'rare hour we shall have when to-morrow’s paper comes to hand. There may be surprises in store. Yorkshire, Middlesex, and Surrey have had a busy week of it, and with the most satis­ factory results—a double victory, though the former met only light-weights.” But Derby­ shire used to count among the heavy dragoons, and may again before long, though not on the strength of last week’s show. The match, however, was worth seeing, if only because it was played on the new Headingley ground. If there is a finer ground in the country than that at Leeds I have not seen it, and I know well all the county enclosures. As at Bradford, football and cricket are played within the same boundary wall, though on separate grounds, and at Leeds there are at least sixteen tennis courts besides. Now, bearing in mind that more than 25,000 spectators were present at a Rugby match two or three months since, and that everyone in that huge crowd could see the game from start to finish : and not for­ getting that the space devoted to cricket is even ampler : then Leeds may well claim to be entitled to a fair share of the county matches. The Surrey men will make their bow there in a fortnight. And all the appointments are on the sumptuous side, Sheffield is nowhere; even the cards are printed by the local authorities, and so visitors are spared the infliction of Billy Whittam’s everlasting “ Now, they’re numbered on the ‘ kyards ’ in the order of going in; anyone say a ‘ kyard ’ here, Goin’ by numbers 1” All funny enough when heard first, but apt to become somewhat monotonous after a while. I was strangely impressed by an anomaly connected with this match. Derbyshire is, of course, only a second-rate county to-day, but boasting a genuine tip-topper in Chatterton. Now isn’t it a trifle odd that when Chatterton plays for his county against Yorkshire or any other of the elect nine,” his innings are not credited to his total in first-class matches ? Let him figure as an M.C.C. man, and they do. On Monday Yorkshire put into the field precisely the same team, man for man, against Lancashire, and here Messrs. Hornby and Co. have a chance of increasing or of reducing their averages. Why this dis­ tinction ? To me, there is no difference. I do not suppose Chatterton regrets the arrangement, as 0 and 0 would certainly knock an ugly hole into his splendid average (so far) of just over 40 runs an innings in the best company. Hirst’ s bowling in the first innings was a wonderful performance for a youngster. True, Chatterton pulled on a ball that was nothing like straight, but the other wickets were taken by genuine rippers. And the five were floored before ever a run was notched off him. That is not a record, as the Northern papers state. Tate, of Sussex, in August, 1888, anticipated it almost to the letter; he was put on against Kent, and immediately secured five wickets, all clean bowled, and before a run was made off his bowling. One run was scored when the fifth man had fallen, and then the innings and the match ended, but in Kent’s favour. W. G.’s feat, in August, 1877, was somewhat different. His last seventeen balls were fatal to seven Notts batsmen, and they yielded no runs; but then he had been bowling some twenty-one overs already in the same innings. I fancy Yorkshire have found old Tom’s successor in young H irst; though very fast, he appears to bowl well within his strength. If somebody would only remind him to fend in a slow one now and again, without altering his run or delivery, he would not only spare himself, but would also bother the batsmen; for it is only with a slowish ball that a man can get much “ work” on. Why is it that all left-hand bowlers have a natural break? right-handers haven’t. For many years I have noted this fact: every lad of ten or twelve that is “ cack-handed,” has this break, and as many have told me—they couldn’t help it, and they didn’t know in the least how it was done. Some dav I may suggest an explanation of this most interest­ ing fact. Surrey’s double success must have glad­ dened the Oval ring; twice over 300 in the course of a week. A margin of an innings and 49 and 179 runs represent a splendid week’s work. Yet in both matches the start was feeble enough, spite of the Captain’s usual luck in the spin of the coin. The “ cracks ” failed both at Oxford and at the Oval, but then Surrey don’t depend on two or three bats; other counties do. They remind me of the best teams that have come to us from Australia: You had never done withthem till the last wicket fell, they could all make runs. Thus, out of Surrey’s total of 340 against the dark blues, Lockwood (102), Hen­ derson (59), Wood (51), and Sharpe (33 not out) were to the front. Where were Abel, Walter Read, and the other big-wigs ? If Gunn and Shrewsbury fail, Notts crumble up. Not so Surrey. And Lockwood has been taking first honours with the ball throughout the week, eight wickets for 71 against Loh­ mann’s six at the same cost, whilst later on he bagged five for 10, Lohmann’s five costing 7 runs a-piece. Oxford were piling them on in the second innings with Palairet and Jones at the wickets ; 80 was on the “ Tally ” and the lines beneath were a blank. Then Lohmann meant business, and 128 was a most inglorious finish. Somersetshire started too well. It’s the pace that kills. Five wickets for only 20 runs was too good to last. Lohmann (73), Abel (64), and Key (47) had a second turn to come, and the Westerners knew it to their cost. The Taunton match of last year was not to be repeated. Still, with the brothers Palairet, Challen, and Roe able to lend a hand, Somer­ set will not say “ die ” without a fierce struggle, even when the champions have to be tackled again. Middlesex also had a week of triumph, and both Sussex and Kent went under. It is worth noting that in each match Stanley Scott scored exactly 100 runs, though only once out against Sussex. Stoddart was himself throughout : Nepean notched 81 altogether against Kent, and the Middlesex pros were strongly in evidence. Rawlin (49) and West (42) with the bat: whilst the Anglo-Australian’s thirteen Sussex wickets, at a cost of 117, proved conclusively the advantage of playing cricket all the year round, and thus escaping such a winter as our last. Hearne, who had only once (viz., v. Notts) done himself ample justice this year, played skittles with the Hopmen on Saturday Inst, taking six wickets for 34 runs; Rawlin and Phillips having carefully attended to them in the first hands. Neither Martin nor Walter Wright found a “ spot.” It looks as if the latter had lost much of his old skill in the accident by which he just escaped permanent disablement. Flowers’ general good form, and the “ hat- trick” against Oxford University, coupled with Barnes’ consistent batting, certainly incline me to think that the odds in favour of Surrey to-day are not more than 5 to 4. P.S .— Mr. I. D. Walker has been kind enough to write me a very interesting letter anent the “ cap ” incident mentioned in my art. The wind blew off the cap, “ and cap and ball came into my hand together. I remon­ strated against the umpire’ s decision in vain, explaining that it was a pure accident; he took a different view, and his decision of course was final.” Ought it to have been? If so, then he either was ignorant of the law, or else he discredited the word of as perfect a gentleman as ever played cricket. In either case the umpire should have been publioly ex­ posed as wholly unfit for so responsible a position. If such an extreme measure were resorted to by a County Captain, the effect all over the country on umpires generally would perhaps prove wholesome. Umpires are not law-makers; but law interpreters. Their decision is not final unless it be confirmed by the written laws. Every cricketer should send 7 stamps to the office of tnis paper for this year’s C r ic k e t C a l e n d a r (24th year of issue). It contains chief fixtures for the season arranged in chronological order, table for registration of players in matches to come, pages for the insertion of other engage­ ments, Laws of Cricket, etc , etc.. Dandy size for the pocket, bound in cloth ; in leather wallets, gilt lettering, Is. 6d. CRICKETERS.—Prizes value £100 offered for competition during 1892. Special Score Forms 2d. per dozen.—Geo. G. Bussey & Co., Peckham Rye Winners published weekly in C ricket.—Advt.