Cricket 1893

:i22 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME; MAY 11, 1893 question whether any player has had a more peculiar experience than fell to the lot of Lilley, the Warwickshire wicket-keeper, in the match at the Oval this week. As everyone knows, in the first innings he did his spiriting anything but gently on the Surrey bowling, which he punished to the tune of 121 runs, staging in while 173 were added. In the second innings the fates were altogether against him. Here, though he went in to bat in precisely the same position, he never even had a ball. He saw the last four wickets fail without even a chance of a knock himself, and without a run being scored. Such is cricket! Should an emergency arise, the selection committee of the Australian team are, I should fancy, not likely to overlook the pres­ ence in England of an all round cricketer who might be very useful. I refer to the elder Trumble, J. W. of that ilk, who was over here with the Melbourne Club team of 1886. Though thi* is his second year in England, he has only taken part in minor matches, having come home for the benefit of his health. Though he only returned to London a week or so ago, he has already been very much in evidence in cricket- Last Saturday, after bowling almo 3 t through the innings of the Crystal Palace, he soored a hundred for Richmond, and then retired. This week, too, his all-round cricket was one of the best features of the match between Mr. Thornton’s team and the University at Cambridge. I t would be just a trifle premature—I had almost committed myself to the stereotyped phrase “ a little too previous ” —to regard the comparatively poor show of the Australian team at Sheffield Park as anything like a reliable indication of their real form. It would have been a severe test to meet such a strong side as that commanded by the G.O.M. under any conditions, and at any period of the tour. to go in for the fourth innings with just over a hundred and seventy runs to win. In each case, too, the runs were got for the loss of three wickets. I f the wickets prevalent in London, at least just now, are to be regarded as a foretaste of what is in store for cricketers this season, batsmen seem likely to have a rough time of it. At all events, the fast bowlers in some cases seem to be enjoying themselves just for the moment. While Hirst, who many thought was discarded a little too soon last year, was playing havoc at Lord’s for Yorkshire against M C.C. and G., Richardson wasmaking the ball do a lot in more ways than one at the Oval, for Surrey against Warwickshire. The “ hat trick ” in an inter-county matoh is of such rare occurrence that Richardson’s per­ formance in the second innings of Warwick­ shire deserves perpetuation in a prominent place. S ir ,—Seeing the little controversy just now going on between the Rev. R. S. Holmes and Mr. Alfred J.Gaston, respecting the date of the formation of the Sussex County Cricket Clubi. I crave [writes Mr. S. G. Gerish] the favour of a small space in your oolumns to list me give what, I believe, is a correct version of the affair. In 1839, the S.C.C.C. was founded, with Mr. G. L. Langdon as honorary secretary, but in August, 1857, the club was really recon­ structed by the late Mesnrs. H. F. Stocker and B. Stent. The object of the second organiza­ tion was to have the most important districts of the county represented oji the committee. You will see by the above that the Rev. R. S. Holmes was to a certain extent correct when he said that the club was formed in 1857, though of course Mr. A. J. Gaston was quite right when he stated that the Sussex County Cricket Club originated in 1839. PRINCIPAL MATCHES FOR N EXT W E E K . May 11—Lord’s, M.CJ.C. AND GROUND v. LAN OA.SHIBB. May 11—Nottingham, NO CTS v. SUSSEX. May 11—Gloucester, GLOUCESTERSHIRE V. YORKSHIRE. flairs of everyday life. Some years ago I remember an eloquent appeal from the late Charles Reade, in the Ddily Telegraph I think,on the great advantage of ambidexterity. It is quite certain that if parents were only alive to the great benefit it would be to their children, not o »ly in cricket but in every walk in life, to be able to use their left hand equally as well as their right, they would be only too ready to encourage what many now condemn as a fault. Some readers may think that is “ rote sar- kastikal.” Peiish the thought! But to be practical. What avista this opens of the cricket of the future. [Under the new dispensation the necessity for enlarging the wickets or decreasing the size of the bats would be for ever gone. If the Attewells and Lohmanns when tired of bowling with the right hand could only vary it with a turn with the left, what infinite variety there would be. But more than that, utility would be served. If such conditions applied, Ihe two or three bowlers on the side would be equal to the four or six under the present style. Sic itur ad astra ! Surrey C rtckf . t readers will have heard of the success of G. W. Ayres in the Warwick­ shire match this week at the Oval with par­ ticular satisfaction, if only for the fact that he was born and bred in the county. His people are well known in connection with an­ other branch of sport as well. The “ Angel,” at Gigg’s Hill, Thames Ditton, is familiar as a household word as a rendezvous for cyclists, and the scene there on a Sunday is a sight to be seen, with, as is often the cas*1, two or three hundred cycles piled up. Y oung Ayres, who has not long passed his twenty-first year, has every possible advan­ tage in the conformation of a cricketer. Standing well over six feet, he has all the benefit of a good reach, and as he generally plays a watchful game should be a difficult wicket to^get. In his style there is often an obvious suggestion of Mr. W. W. Read, whom he has unconsciously imitated, even to the re­ production of some of that gentleman’s unorthodox strokes, e.g., the pull. In playing off his legs in particular, he seems to have modelled himself on Mr. W. W. Read. With care he ought to ba of great service to Surrey. In any case he is almost worth play­ ing for his fielding alone. “ In the country ” he has indeed very few superiors. Curiously enough, in the very first match he played for Surrey, he was not out each time. This was against Hampshire, at Southampton, in August, 1890, when he carried his bat through the first innings, and was not out with 12 out of 24 for one wicket in the seconl. C ricket curiosities of one kind or another are, like the poor, always with us. Still, I As it was, what with the short time for practice, and from causes not altogether un­ connected with that praotice, several of the team were certainly not in the condition to do justice to the high reputations they have made for themselves in Australian cricket. All the same, I am inclined to the belief that the doubts suggested in C ricket of April 20, may probably be justified. On the failure of the team with the bat this week I place little account, on the score first of the lack of practice and secondly of the different conditions which obtained. The fear seems to my mind to be rather with regard to the bowling. If Turner is the same Terror as of old there should be no doubt. It may be of little or no significance, but the fact remains that in the opening match he did no great execution. But—I know there is much virtue in a but. Aye, there’s the rub! A coincidence I In their matches this week both Surrey and Cambridge University had May 11—Birmingham. W ARW ICK SH IR E v. AU STRALIAN S. May 11—Kennington Oval, Surrey v. Leicester* shire May 11—Oxford, Oxford University v. Next Sixteen. May 15—Lord’d, M.C.C. and Ground v. Sussex. May 15—Keoningtoa Oval, SU RR EY v. ESSEX. M iy 15—Bristol, GLOUCESTERSHIRE v. AUS- ST R A LIlN S. May 15—Cambridge, Uaiversity v. Gentlem en of England. May 15—Oxford, University v. Lancashire. W . G. G race scored 204 not out for Thornbu*-y v. Bath Association, at Bath, on Saturday. W b s t’s P o c k e t S co re B ook contains am ple room for keeping Bowling Analysis, &c., for 48 innings. In use by all principal Clubs. Post tree la. l$d., o f W right and Co., 41, St. Andrew’s Hill, D octors’ Comm ons, E.O. G race P arlour C ricket .—This novel game provides amusem ent for one or any number of persons. M atches can be plaved and analysis kept, same as on the cricket field. Sent securely packed, to any addres, on receipt of Is. 10Jd.— W right and Go., 41, Si. Andrew’s Hill, E.O.