Cricket 1892

68 CBICKET: CRICKET AT RUGBY SCHOOL. R e pr in te d b y pe r m issio n from t h e English Illustrated Magazine. Cricket, unlike football, was not com ­ pulsory when I was at school— I wish for my own sake that it had been— and now it is only partly so. One result of this has been that recently, until the last year or so, lawn tennis and bicycling have somewhat interfered with its excel­ lence. In 1889 a motion was brought forward at Bigside Levee, that cricket like football, should be compulsory throughout the school. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it was lost by one v o te ; eighty-six votes being given in support o f the motion, and eighty-seven against it. Cricket, however, at the present time, is compulsory for members of the upper school during their first two years, and for members of the middle school during their first three years. That rule was made in 1887, and it ought to raise the standard of the school cricket, which, however, has improved since the purchase, chiefly through the energy of Mr. W . H . Bolton, of “ Caldecott’s Field.” The late John Lillywhite was for six years the school professional, and then came ‘ ‘ A lf ’ ’ Diver, a straight medium pace bowler, who for upwards of twenty years, until his death in 1876, kept Rugby cricket up to the|mark. "VYithDiver, one must associate John Fell, the ground man, who died in 1880, after serving the School faithfully for upwards of a quarter of a century. When Diver died Rugby School cricket seemed to decline; but now, owing no doubt largely to the exer­ tions of a body of Old Rugbeians, with Mr. S. P. B. Bucknill at their head, an improvement is being rapidly effected in the game. “ T om ” Emmett, the York­ shire professional, has been engaged per­ manently, and another bowler tempor­ arily, to coach the boys. In respect of coaching —amateur coaching—without forgetting the name of Mr. David Buchanan—Rugby has not been so for­ tunate as other schools, owing chiefly no doubt to its longer distance from London. There is ample room in the Close for some seven or eight pitches, and when the matches and the “ ends” — let-pass is now forbidden—are in full swing, the whack of the bat and the whirr of the ball are heard during the summer in all directions, and any one crossing the Close is sure to be startled by the cry o f “ Heads” or “ Thank you, ball, sir.” The rules of the School cricket have not been so completely changed as the football rules, but they have undergone many changes of a sort. For instance, leg-nets which took the place o f fagging at the ends were not in use before 1871, when they were used for the first time. It is surprising that nets were not adopted long before then, and that, even now, head-nets, like those used at Lord’s, have not yet been adopted, so as to stop the ball hit in any direction except into the bowler’s hands. Then, in 1885, un­ necessary discomforts and hardships in dress-distinctions were removed, and now boys who are in “ belows ” A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE — i.e. below the eleven and twenty-two —may wear two pads, cricket-gloves, cricket-shoes, &c., with impunity ; and properly, no doubt, the general policy of allowing distinction in colours alone, rather than in dress, has been adopted. Each house has its eleven and its “ belows,”— in matches between houses called “ counting belows ” — “ two belows,” and so o n ; and through the summer term, matches between various teams are constantly played in the Close or in Caldecott’s field— a ground pur­ chased in memory of Mr. C. M. Calde­ cott whose active interest in Rugby cricket! s gratefully remembered by all old Rugbeians. “ P ie” matches are a peculiarity of the School cricket. No doubt in days gone by, winners received the succulent dainties suggested by the name; but nowadays these matches, arranged between teams in one house, or in one form—and there are many of them— are followed by suppers, subscribed for by the players, or provided by the masters, which are the scenes of much amusement and conviviality. The great annual meeting o f cricketers at Rugby is at the time of the old Rugbeian match. It is played between an eleven of old Rugbeians and the school eleven, and at the same time several other games are played between school cricketers, past and. present. The school eleven also play many foreign matches, for instance, matches between college teams from the Universities, the Rugby club, the Free Foresters, the Butterflies, the M.C.C., &c.,; but the match which is o f most importance is the annual match between Rugby and Marlborough, played at Lord's on the first days of the summer holidays. It has for years been an annual match, and down to 1890 it has been won thirty- two times by Rugby, ten times by Marl­ borough, and three times it has been drawn. The eleven also used to play the M.C.C. in London, immediately after the Rugby and Marlborough match. Many a good cricketer has gained his reputation at the two London matches ; and it was, I fancy, in the Rugby and Marlborough match at Lord’s in 1877 that Mr. A. G. Steel met Mr. C. F. H. Leslie for the first time. Among celebrated Rugby cricketers I might refer to Messrs. H . C. Bradby, D. H . Brownfield, S. P. B. Bucknill, F. L. Evelyn, C. K. Francis, F. D. Gaddum, H . W . Gardner, E . T. Hirst, C. F. H. Leslie, B. Pauncefote, A. A. Pearson, F. Tobin, W . Yardley, and G. F. Vernon. STOKE NEWINGTON CLUB. April 30—Home, v. Edmonton April SO—North Greenwich, v. Pontifex and Wood May 7—Walthamstow, v. Walthamstow May 7—Home, v. Walthamstow May 14—Home, v. Ijower Clapton May 14—Walthams ow, v. Lower Claptou May 2Lv-Highgate Kise, v. Brookfield May 21—Home, v. Edmonton May 28—Horn*, v. Second Scots Guards May 28—West Green, v. West Greeu June 4—Ilford, v. Ilford June 4- Home, v. Ilford June G—Cheshunt, v. Cbeshuafc June 11—Home, v. Leyt n June 11—Leyton, v. Leyton June 18 - Woolwich, v. Royal Artillery June 18—Home, v. Navarino GAME. A P R IL 21, 3692 June 18—Home, v. Leyton June 25—Home, v. Ilford June 25—Ilford, v. Ilford June 25—Leyton, v. Leyton July 2—Enfield, v. Enfield T July 2—Home, v. Enfield July 9—Edmonton, v. Edmonton July 9—Home, v. Clapton Wanderers July 16—Leyton, v. Leyton July 16—Home, v. Leyton July 23—Home, v. Brookfield July 23—Edmonton, v. Edmonton July 27—Clapton, v. Clapton July 30—Walthamstow, v. Lower Clapto Tuly 30—Home, v. Lower Clapton August 1—Boxmoor, v. Hemel Hempstead August G- Home, v. Walthamstow August 6—Walthamstow, v. Walthamstow August 13—Home, v. Tottenham August 13—Tottenham, v. Tottenham August VH—Home, v. Enfield August 20—Enfield, v. Enfield An*ust 27—Stonebridge, v. Stonebridge August 27—Home, v. Navaiino September 3—Home. v. Royal Artillery September 3—North Greenwich, v. Pontife and W ood September 10—Tottenham, v. Tottenham September 10—Home, v. Tottenham September 17—Home, v. Stonel ridge HORNSEY CLUB, April 30—Hornsey, Married v. Single May 7—Hornsey, v. Granville May 11—Leyton, v. Essex C. and Ground May 14—Hornsey, v. London Scottish May 14—Wanstead, v. Wanstead May 21—Hornsey, v. Hampstead Nondescripts May 21—Clapton, v. Clapton May 28—Hornsey, v. Norwood May 28 - Hampstead, v. Hampstead June 1—Chiswick, v. Chiswick Park June 4—Hornsey, v. Clapton June 4—Brondesbury, v. .London Scottish June 6 -Hornsey, v. St. Bart’s Hospital June G—Richmond, v. Richmond June 11—Hornsey, v. Strtatham June 11—Hendon, v Hendon June 15—Bighgate, v. Highgate School June 18—Hornsey, v. Woodford \V,eils June 18—Southgate, v. Southgate June 20—Hornsey, v. Butterfl es June 21—Hornsey, v. Clapham Wanderers June 22—Hornsey, v, Hampstead June 23—Hornsey, v. Chiswick Park *June 24—Hormey, v. M.C.O. and Ground June 25—Hornsey, v. Old Rugt eians June 25—Ealing, v. Ealing July 2—Hornsey, v. TrafaJgar July 2—Lee, v. Granville July 9—Streatham, v. Streatham July 9—Hornsey, v. Upper Clapton July 16—Crystal Pa’a^e, v. Crystal I’alace July 16—Finchley, v. Christ’s College July 23—Hornsey, v. Bank of England July 30—Hornsey, v. Ealing August 1—Hornsey, v. Dulwich August 6—Hornsey, v. Hendon A ngU 't 6— T ottenham , v. Trafalgar August 13—Hornsey, v. Southgate August 13—Norwood, v. Norwood August V0—Hornsey, v. London Kamllers August 20—Acton, v. Pallingswick August 27—Hornsey, v. Pallingswi- k August 27—Woodford, v. Woodford Wells September 3—Hornsey, v. Wanstead September 3—Upper Clapton, v. Upper Clapton Sep, emter 10—Hornsey, v. Willesden T ou r . Ju’y 18,19—Portsmouth, v. United Services July 20—Shanklin, v Isle of Wight July 2i—Littlehampton, v. Littlehampton July 29, 23 - Willingdon, v. VV'illingdon July 25, 26—Lewes, v. Lewes Priory July 27. 28—Hastings, v. Hastings & St. Leonards July 29, 30—St. Leonards, v. South haxona * Ground Men’s Benefit. T he Hon. Alfred Lyttelton was married to Miss Edith Balfour at San Remo on Sunday last. T he “ Valetta,” with Lord Sheffield’s Team on board, arrived at Colombo on Thursday last. T he Annual General Meeting of the Eesex County C.C. will be held at Leyton on Friday. May 6. CRICKETERS—Prizes value £100 offered fur competition during 1892. Special Score Forms 2 1. per dozen.—Geo. G. Bussey & Co.. Peckham Rye Winners published weekly in C r ic k e t .— Advt.