Cricket 1893

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron • Regi^ered^OT^ransmTsai'onAbroad. THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 18S3PRICE2d. CRICKET NOTCHES. B y the R ev . R . S. H olm es . I w as up with the lark on Whit Monday, having to write these Notches before catching the 7.30 train for Nottingham. Lramall Lane pulled hard, but Trent Bridge pulled harder. Nearing our des­ tination, a bevy of bright­ faced, hearty young Eng­ lish lasses, accompanied by one young man, either brother or sweetheart of one or more of them, entered our compart­ ment, bound also lor the jnatch. They were all cricket mad. Did I think their county would win ? They were very sorry Lohmann was not play­ ing, but “ we do so much want Notts to beat Surrey.” I assured them, with the pleasantest of smiles, that if their wishes were only con­ veyed to head quarters, there could be no doubt but that their county cricketers would do their very utmost to oblige their fair admirers. The weather was perfect, and the famous Bridge’s ground looked at its best. A n d is there a pleasanter cricket enclosure in the world ? If there is, I ha\e not yet visited it. The ring appeared to be as wide as ever, spite of the recent contraction of the same on the side over against the main en­ trance. The wicketlooked well enough at the start, and at the finish showed no signs of wear. “ None better,” said I laconic­ ally to the man in charge —old Waiker. Quoth he in reply, “ I can see you are a sound judge, sir; two tons of water have I put on it, but had I been told about that fast young bowler from Sur* rey, I fancy I would have given it another ton.” One charm about Trent Bridge is the ample space for pedestrians when they want to stretch their legs; no need to jostle their neighbors. A very ample marquee for tea and light refreshment, that seemed to be well patronized all through the match, was* both an ornament to the ground, and I have no doubt a pleasing item to the followers of Sir Wilfrid Lawson, But was there ever such a ground for barriers ? I had a friend with me, who like myself was somewhat green. Here’s a list of the charges levied on him—quite by T he C h am pag n e or C r ic k e t ” — M r . J. J. L yons mistake as we learned subsequent!) :—six­ pence to enter, first enclosure sixpence, second enclosure one shilling, third enclosure (covered stand) eighteenpence, pavilion half-a-cro*n; total, six shillings. We thought that rather stiff even for Whitsuntide. And so I informed the County Secretary; then we learned that we should have made straight for the Pavilion, and have paid only three ; he very courteously refunded the three shillings excess charged. And did one ever have quite such a luncheon at a cricket match. Breakfast at 6.30, nature began to assert herself somewhat about 1 p m . and having been told in childhood to take time by the forelock ,perhips because the old gentle­ man is bald on the top and behind), we mide tracks for the dining saloon in advance of the madding crowd, and feasted in princely fashion. The memory of that repast will be fresh for many a year; my conscience would have been easier had they charged for two, and not for one. It was a most enjoy­ able match, in my judg­ ment the match of the season, even before Eng­ land v. Australia. Before “ play” was called, every­ thing pointed to a great local victory, for Flowers, Gunn, and in a leeser degree Barnes had re­ cently been making the pace, though Attewell and Shrewslury had been lj ing low ; and on the other hand, Surrey bad been compelled to make experiments ; there was a sirangely unfamiliar look about the Southern team, and most of us were curious io have a first look at Richardson, Baldwin, Hayward, and Marshall. Maurice Read had cried off through the medium of a wire, but a greater than Read was missing, and Surrey was i»ot Surrey without her famous bowler, who is at this moment, I believe, on his way home from the Cape, quite himself again, « e all earnestly hope; for there is but one Lohmann the world over. Winning the toss was more of a loss than a uain, for the wicket was heavy at the start, but impioved before the day was old. When Abel was out to the second ball sent down, the vast crowd almost went frantic. At