Cricket 1893

190 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. JUNE 8, 1898 REM IN ISCENCES OF CR ICKET, B y RICHARD DAFT. Tommy Adams, the old All England Player, used to declare that he should achieve perfect happiness if he could play with a team who would stop at the wickets for three full days, keep the opposite eleven in the field, and at the end of the third day wish them good evening and thank them for a pleatant game ! If I only keep my wicket upon this new pitch, for the enjoyment of C ricket readers, my cup of happiness will be as full. C a ffy n . Caffyn was always freatly put out if he got out for a small score. As he neared the dressing tent he would first fling in his bat from a distance of perhaps ten or fifteen yards, next would follow a glove, then another, and finally Billy himself, stamping hia feet, and telling us he ought to be horse­ whipped for getting out. These little ebulli­ tions of temper were soon over, however, for it was not in Caffyn’s nature to be put out long together. G e orge P a r r . There seems to be an idea now-a-days that Parr was greatly addicted to hitting straight balls to leg. In his latter days I often asked him about this matter, and he always declared that he never did hit a straight ball round to long or square leg. He said that he very often used to make a hard leg hit from a ball just outside the leg stump, when there would generally be an outcry on the part of some of the fielders of “ it was straight,” “ it was on the middle peg.” “ But,” George used to observe, “ I know better.” Be this as it may, some of these leg hits of George’s were quite as wonderful as if they had been made from straight balls. How he could hit a ball so hard round to long leg that was only just an inch or two off the wicket has always been a mystery to me. Certainly no .man before or since has ever done so with anything like success or certainty. Bignall hit in a similar v ay, and could make some leg hits as well as Parr, but he certainly required a ball much uider of the wicket. Parr s leg stroke may be described as a country batsman’s “ m ow ” brought to perfection. We have all seen how some“ agricultural ” players mow across at a straight ball. Parr did this to his leg balls, but did it marvellously quickly and Lit so very hard. I often in his later years used to talk to him on the3e subjects. At this time he was a martyr to gout, and always walked very lame. In hot weather he generally wore an old hat with a kind of curtain at the back of it, which he had brought with him from Aus­ tralia. Besides this he often used an umbrella as a protection from the sun, and also assisted himself along by a thick walking stick. Be­ sides having the umbrella opened in one hand and the stick in another, he often, too,had one or a couple of fox terrier dogs chained and tugging at him. I remember once standing talking to him on the road when he was hold­ ing a dog by a chain in one hand and a stiok in the other, and there came up to us a gentle­ man who considered himself something of a wit. “ Why, Mr. Parr!" he exclaimed, “ I thought you were a blind man being led by a dog." “ I’d sooner be led by a dog than by a fool any day,’’ was George’s prompt and abrupt reply. J ack S e l b y . Any one who has seen the splendid photograph taken in Philadelphia of the Anglo-American Team will notice that Ephraim Lockwood is placed in a position which differs considerably from that of any of the rest in the group. This was owing to poor Ephraim’ s face being so disfigured by the mosquitoes. His left eye was nearly closed, so that the photographer had to place him almost sideways in order to keep the eye as much out of the way as possible. Haying fixed Ephraim’s head in a certain position, in order to keep it there he propped it up with the instruments photographers use for this purpose, and proceeded to get the camera to work. Just as we were all composed for the photo to be taken, Selby called out to the photographer “ Can’t yer gie Lockwood a prop for that e y e ? ” This remark caused such laughtes as to disarrange the group from one end to the other. Bon T homs . Robert Thoms, the celebrated umpire, has in his possession a small pocket knife which has cleaned the spiked boots worn by nearly all the great cricketers who played at Lord’s in olden times. Bob is intensely proud of this curiosity and declares that money would, not buy it. U m pires . I heard a good story of a country umpire the other day, who, when his own side were batting, gave a man in who was palpably caught at the wicket. The wicket-keeper remonstrated in very strong language against the decision, and told the umpire he knew nothing whatever about cricket. The umpire said little in reply, but presently when the other side were in,and his friend the wicket-keeper was batting, the latter was appealed t i as being run out, although it was plain to be seen that he was well in. “ O u t! ” shouted the umpire, and added, looking savagely at the batsman, “ I’ll teach you whether I know owt about cricket or not.” Another story I heard which I am afraid is an old one, but will bear repeating. In a remote country village a cricket match was got up against another club, and it was resolved to ask permission cf the village butcher for the match to take place in his field. To this he readily assented, and de­ clared he would take part in fhe game him­ self, and when the match commenced he came in to bat first. An apjejtl was made for leg befoie against him in the first over, and the umpire at once said “ out.” ‘‘ O u t!” roared the butcher, greatly enraged,“ then you’ll all on j er thundering soon go *out* of my field, I can tell y er! ” A gentleman in Notts, who often played against a local umpire, was once injudicious enough to remark that this umpire was a good “ tweltth man.” This was at once retailed to the umpire, “ Mr. So and-So says You’re a good ‘ twelfth man.’ ” “ Does he indeed,” replied the umpire quietly ; “ he’ll gain nowt by i t ! ” I myself met a curious umpire at Alfreton, in Derbyshire. We always have a most enjoyable match every year at this little town. Last year they had a new umpire against us. I wa9 afraid at the outset that he was not a Thoms or a Car­ penter in this department. When he gave the batsman guard he holloaed out at the top of his voice “ Two legs.” This phrase he had evidently learnt recently, and was very proud of it, and made use of it as often as possible in a voice loud enough to be heard two or three fields away. One batsman who came in asked for guard, and having been given the usual “ t vo legs,” brought his bat still more towards the leg stump, whereupon the umpire quietly said “ Middle.” During the match one of our batsmen, at a critical part of the game, was given run out by the umpire, althojgh every­ one could see he was actually past the wicket before it was put down. The spectators, how­ ever, behaved nobly, and rose in a body and insisted on our man being allowed to continue his innings. I would not allow this, however but said to the umpire “ How on earth could you have given such a decision ? the man was past the second crease.” I know he were,” returned the umpire with a resolute air, “ but his bat was na1down, Mester Daft, say what you like.” O ld C l a b k e . A good story is told of old Clarke when he first took the Trent Bridge Ground at Nottiogham. Till then the County matches had always been played on “ The Forest,” which was then, as now, unenclosed and free to all spectators. Consequently when the matches were removed to Trent Bridge and sixpence admission was charged there, a great outcry was raised against Clarke by the roughs. During the first match played at Trent Bridge, he was subjected to a good deal of chaff from these gentlemen,who raised ironical cheers whenever the old man’s bowling was hit.He was also cheered—ironically enough again—when he came in to ba t; and when during the first over an appeal was made against him for leg before, and he was seen to be returning in the direction of the pavilion after the decision had been given, looking very crestfallen, the delight of the spectators was unbounded. But their joy was quickly turned into sorrow when they saw the old man return to the wicket after walking twenty yards or so away from it. He had really been given not out, and had determined to turn the laugh against his friends, the spectators. Clarke, I have been told, would always insist on choosing the easiest end to bowl from. “ I’ll have this en 1, and you can have wbioh you like,” was what he usually said to the bowler he put on at the opposite end. I had the pleasure last Saturday afternoon of playing with the two famous Somersetshire players, Messrs. Hewett and Woods. Thanks to the match at Trent Bridge being over early, the Wollaton team was made rather a warm one. SUTTON v. ADDISCOMBE.—Played at Addis combe on June 3. A bdiscomre . R. Allen, c substitute b Bacon .................21 R. J. Gr <nt, b Bacon.. 11 J. Grant, b Da'ly H. E. Dyer, b Dally ... A. C. Bi61d, run o u t... M. Hughec, b Bacon R. Mann, c Hunt, b Dally........................ N. Cutler, b Bacon... F. Perrin, c Evans, b Dally .................. 0 G. A. Martin, run out ........................ 5 D.M. Roberts,not out 11 B 8, lb 4, w ?, nb 2 16 Total ...8 5 StJTTOS’ A.Hyslop, b J. Grant 31 D. K, Hallam, b G. Martin ................. 5 E. B. Cotton, retired hurt ........................69 E Morley, not out ... £8 S. Dally,,c Mann, b J. Grant .................... 38 W. Hunt, cand b J. Grant ................. 3 D. G. Evans, not out .................11 B 12, lb 1, w 6, nb 1 19 Total ...211 FOREST HILL (2) v. TWINING’S BANK.—Playe I at Catford on June 1 an 12. T wjning ’ s B ank . First Innings. . 1 17 6 S. Silverthorne. Nicolls .......... R. Caraby, b Reid J. Rimmington, b Nitoils ................. A.Howard, b NicollB 6 J. R. L i!lico not o u t.. 24 C. T. Donaldson, b Nic >lis ................. 1 J. EVeritt,cHarpur,b NicoJla ................. 0 S. Harrison, inn out 1 1 In the Second Ibnings Silverthorne scored, b Russel), 2, Camby. run out, 13, Rimmington (not out) 4, Ho vard. b Russell, 11, Li'lico (not out) 2, b 4, w 1.—Total 67. F orest H il '. D. Salier. b Harpur A. E. Bellringer, st B. Gieeo, b F. Green .......... H. w . Jones, flarpur .......... B 6, lb 2 ... Total ... 0 0 65 W, S. Ho t, b Rim­ mington .................19 H. Green, c Everitt, b Rimm ington.......... 1 G.A.Nicolls.cHcfward, b Rimmington ... 1 W. P. Dean nCamby 101 F.Green, b Rimming. ton ........................11 J. Trotte-, hw, b Donaldson .......... 8 A. W.Harpur,b Camby 17 E.C. West,b Camby 2 H. W. Reid, c and b Rimm ington......... S. Russell, b Rim- mingtoQ... R. D. Boxall, cut ................ B 10, w 1 not 5 11 Total.........182 FOREST HILL (2) v. LINDEN—Played at Forest Hill on June 3. L in den . B. M. Clarke, b Healey .................17 G. Fletcber, b Dean 10 D. Bennett,c Douglas, b Dean ................. 6 F. Eve, st Seel, b R ook ........................21 H. M. Martin, b Healey ................. 1 R. J. Kry, b Parker ... 0 Total H. Williams, c Toke- ley, b R jck .......... 6 F orest H ill (2). C. Drew, b Rook ... H. E. Williams, not out ........................ A. E. Allen, b Parker ................. W. E. Watson, b Parker ................. B 5, lb 6 .......... 95 A. E. Quiney, c Drew, b Fry........................12 F. Peel, not out..........44 G. Tokeley, not out 14 B 13, lu 5,nb 1 ...19 W. Eoyd Smith, c Fletcher, b Eve ... 11 P. B. Parker, b Watson .................25 C. 8. J. Douglas, c Williams, b Martin 38 G.Nicholls, b Watson o Total S. Dean, b Williams 90 H. Green, st Clarke, b M artin................. 2 F. Healey and W N. Rook did not bat. 255