Cricket 1892

APRIL 21, 1992 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 73 Barker many years ago leads me to doubt whether his reply was not a little more forcible than Daft has given it. The batsman in the story, as I heard it, was the Master of a School to which Barker acted as coach. It will hardly surprise anyone to learn, so the story at least ran, that the episode led to the necessity of Barker seeking other employment as a teacher of cricket. “ T h e M a s t e r ” and the other good men and true who have been so worthily representing English cricket in Australia during the winter, it is satis­ factory to learn, duly arrived on Thursday last at Colombo, where they were down to play a twenty selected from the local club. The “ Valetta,” which is bringing the tourists home, according to the time - tables published by authority of the P. & 0. Company, is due at Aden to-day, at Port Said next Wednesday, Brindisi on the last day o f the month. The advertised time for her arrival at Plymouth is M ay 10th, but as this is generally anticipated by a day or two, they may be expected there about May 8th. Anyone coming overland from Brindisi should be due in London at the latest on the second of May. L ord S h effie ld followed in the P. & O. Steamer the “ Arcadia,” returning without the partner anyone who did not know him would have been led to expect from the cablegrams which reached here from Australia. Rumour has been true to her proverbial character of un- truthfulness once more, for Lord Sheffield is com ing back to England single as he left it. The “ Arcadia ” left Adelaide the 10th of this month, and is down to reach Brindisi on May 14th, Plymouth ten days later. In an interview while the team were in .Tasmania Lord Sheffield stated to a correspondent o f the Sporting Life that he is endeavouring to make arrange­ ments to spend the winter of 1892-93 at Hobart Town. He will find there a congenial soul and keen cricketer in the Bishop o f Tasmania, the H. H . Mont­ gomery of Harrow and Cambridge twenty years back. In reference to the financial result of the tour, he added that the expenses were so heavy that, though he had hoped the middle tour would have given him a credit balance, there was no prospect of one at the time, and that before they left for England there would be a balance on the wrong side. T he Pall Mall Gazette is responsible for the following paragraph:— An amusing incident in connection with the stay of the English cricketers in Australia was a match that was played at Neutral Bay, one of the most churming inlets of the Sydney harbour, between ladies and gentlemen. Among the former was a daughter of the great Dr, W, G., and among the latter figured, to the general delight, the local clergyman. The ladies won by one run, amid a scene of indescribable enthusiasm. The single, by which the game was won, is typical of a good match, in which both sexes as a rule take great interest. C ric k e t is essentially cosmopolitan, and nothing in the shape of curiosities, no matter their origin, is without its scope. The latest comes from Adelaide, and though in a minor match should not pass unnoticed. In February a young man took six wickets with six consecutive balls, in a match between the workmen in two Melbourne factories. His per­ formance, though, was quite eclipsed last month, by A. Elliott, an Adelaide boy, who got nine wickets for thirteen runs. Eight of these he got in ten balls. With each of six consecutive balls he took a wicket, then an unproduc­ tive ball, a wicket, another unproductive ball, and lastly the eighth wicket. I t is satisfactory to learn that Chatterton’s friends in Derbyshire are not going to allow the consistently fine cricket he showed in South Africa to pass without a suitable reward. According to the Athletic News , the fund which is being raised to commemorate his success has already reached the sub­ stantial sum of a hundred and fifty pounds, with full power, I take it, to increase their number. There is no keener cricketer, certainly no more deserving professional player. His exceptional performance with Mr. W. W. Bead’s team during the winter fairly merits exceptional recognition. C ric k e t leaders will be interested to know that Mr. L. H . Bacmeister, who played for Middlesex in 1889, w ill in all probability reappear on the cricket field this coming summer. Ill-health unfor­ tunately prevented him doing anything in the way of cricket during the greater part of 1890, and also the whole of last season. He has, however, I am glad to hear, so far recovered that he hopes to be able to assist the Hornsey Club in at all events some of its matches this year. T h e announcement I made some weeks ago of the engagement of the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton to Miss Edith Balfour, a relative of the Prime Minister, has been quickly followed by the intelligence of the marriage ceremonial itself. The pair were married on Sunday last, at the British Consulate at San Bemo. A record is always of interest to a cricketer. In this case, Mr. and Mrs. Lyttelton can claim a record, as it was the first occa­ sion on which a wedding had taken place at the Vice-Consulate. Mr.Lyttelton hardly needs the assurance that his wife and he have the best wishes of all cricketers. T he Irish Secretary will be a particu­ larly happy one this year, if the following estimate of his position, which appeared in yesterday’s Daily Chronicle, is to be taken quite seriously. The Chief Secretary for Ireland will this year have the honour (far surpassing any he may have gained in the political field) of being the father of the captain of the Cam­ bridge eleven. Young Mr. Jackson succeeds Mr. M’Gregor, one of the best captains Cambridge has ever boasted. Mr. M’ Gregor is not only the smartest wicket keeper in the world (Blackham possibly not excepted), but he captained his eleven with Scottish coolness, with rare judgment, and with rare knowledge of the qualities of his men. Mr. Jackson will find it hard to follow such a chief, but he has much in his favour. He is strong both with the bat and with the ball, and is one of the most useful members of the Yorkshire county eleven. At all events cricketers will be in complete accord with the views expressed, which no doubt will be a source of com ­ fort to the writer. The following announcement from the Daily News will be of interest to C ricket readers. The bridegroom, it is hardly necessary for me to add, is the amateur cricketer who has done good service tor Cheshire and assisted the Surrey Club in many of its matches during the last two or three years. On April 13th, at Audlern Church, by the Bev. S. Weeks, Vioar of St. Matthew’ s, Chadderton, assisted by the Bev. Canon Atkinson, Vicar of Audlem, Alexander Mere Latham, of 1, Temple Gardens, barrister-at- law, only son of the late George William Latham, of Bradwall Hall, Sandbach, to Kleanor, seoond daughter of Hilton Greaves, Esq., of .Deaker, Oldham, and Hankelow, Cheshire. B ag g u ley , the diminutive youth who made such a favourable impression as an all-round cricketer on his first appearance for Notts last year, has begun the season in a way which justifies the belief that he will be of great use to the County this summer. He was just eighteen when he bowled with such success against Sussex, at Brighton last year. As he is or was then only five feet four inches in height. (It occurs to me though that S. Gregory, the Australian, unless he has added to his stature considerably during the winter, enjoys the distinction of being the smallest cricketer taking part, at least, in first-class cricket). His retention in the County was wisely ensured last year by an engage­ ment at Nottingham. At present we believe he is engaged with the Notts Commercial Club at Trent Bridge. At least, “ James Lillywhite's Annual” credits him with the position. *** Article dealing with the prospects of P c b lic S chool C bicket in 1892 will appear in next week’s CRICKET.