Cricket 1893

232 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. JUNE 29, 1893 CRICKET NOTCHES. By the B ev . B. S. H olmes . I ought to be at Nottingham to-day, and quite intended to be there, but the fates are unpropitious for once; should have awoke at 4 this morning, and so have polished off these Notches in time to catch a train at 8; overslept myself two hours, and so must be contented with sending Shrewsbury heaps of congratula­ tions and hearty wishes; three full days’ un­ interrupted cricket, a heavy subscription list, bumper gates, a well-lined purse, years more of high-class batting, and, when the bat has finally to be laid aside, many quiet peaceful hours in the cool of the day with nothing but pleasant memories of cricket and cricketers. And I cannot go to Tonbridge either, though I should dearly like to have been able to accept their hon. sec.’ s courteous offer of complimentary tickets for all the fun of their Cricket Week— two good matches, each run­ ning, let’ s hope, into the third day, followed by I know not how many different diversions— balls, concerts, and amateur dramatics under cover, and water-polo, swimming races, and fetes on the river. And three bands of music thrown in. It will doubtless prove very entertaining, like nearly all similar cricket weeks, Canterbury and Scarborough one knows well. To thoroughly enjoy them, you must form one of a party of half-a dozen or more cheery friends. Gravesend I can hardly associate with high-class pleasure such as Tonbridge ought to yield. Gravesend and shrimps are linked in my memory inseparably; one cannot help it, it’s a survival of early experiences. The fun at night must not be too fast and furious, else next day’s cricket may suffer. I mean nothing by pointing out. one very curious fact down at Gravesend; on Monday last Middlesex ran up a first score of 288, Kent 227; on Tuesday (and the weather was not to blame this time) their second ventures realised 98 and 75! Stoddart’s “ duck- egg ” is a significant little item in this con­ nection. Perhaps it’s as well that our best men do not take part in all these festivals ; averages might suffer. Last evening I was doing duty for an old clerical friend, who has recently come to Brad­ ford from the neighbourhood of London. After church we were comparing notes: among other facts worth recording my friend remarked:—“ Since I settled here three months ago, I have discovered that Bradford people have three fixed articles of belief, 1. Yorkshire is the finest County in England. 2. Bradford is the finest town in Yorkshire. 3. Each man’s particular church is the finest church in Bradford.” Now, gentle reader, substitute “ cricket and “ cricket ground ” for “ church,” and you will be able to form a sounder opinion of a Yorkshireman’s opinions on our great national game than by any other process I can recommend to you. You will understand now that Leeds, Sheffield, and Bradford are keen rivals in everything pertaining to cricket, and that in the matter of cricket grounds, neither will play second fiddle to either of the others. That’s the reason why Sheffield, for instance, is crowing just now. There was a county match, as you may have noticed, last week down Leeds way, which was all over before lunch on the second day. “ What about your superfine Leeds ground now ? ” growled an out-and-outer from Sheffield in my ear. “ Our chaps can do a sight better than that at Bramall Lane; give me the old ground.” The next time I go to Sheffield I must wear a disguise ; and yet one used to be told that honesty was the best policy. I must admit 1 like the Leeds ground; it’s very pleasant to have a row of evergreens and flowering shrubs in front of the pavilion seats ; also a club-room in the pavilion; also a wide awning overhead on such a tropical day as last Monday. One would like better service at the refreshment bars; and the ground certainly would be im ­ proved if a portion of the top side were shaved off, and the pavilion shifted bocily so as to secure a better view of the game. The wickets, too, are not perfect, but only blind prejudice would dream of classing them with those provided at the old enclosure, or of laying the responsibilityof Yorkshire’smiser­ able failure upon them. It was a very toler­ able wicket indeed, as I can personally testify after careful examination; so all felt when 80 went up, and only one Yorkshire wicket had fallen; the total was 107. True, Mold kicked a bit, but then a fast bowler with his delivery always will, especially when he drops them short. Lancashire did no mighty deeds with the bat—only 169, but a lead of 62 was not very for­ midable on a wicket that had manifestly been improved by the smart shower late on the first day. And yet Yorkshire—a few days before equal to an innings of 469 against Somersetshire—stopped short the second time at 53. Wardall (25) was quite at home for more than an hour, and was never once stu^k- up by either Mold or Briggs ; the rest shaped so disgracefully that it wTas hard to believe they had ever taken part in first-class crioket. A more ignominious display I never saw. I spoke last week of the levelness” of York­ shire batting this season; hitherto it had been level good, at Leeds it was level bad. Briggs looked infinitely happy; one likes to witness his honest pleasure whenever he takes a wicket. Old John Jackson (the “ Foghorn” ) used immediately to blow a blast on his nose; the little man from Sutton-in-Ashfield hitches up his “ bags.” Eight wickets for 19 runs speaks volumes for his skill, but I am certain Briggs would admit that it was not so muoh his bowling as Yorkshire’s batting that explains the mystery. Anyhow Lancashire went up a point, whilst we went down one. This and many another matoh have taught me this lesson—if possible, always see the first ball bowled. Some of my friends like to wait till the second day, and so see how the match stands. I met crowds on the way to Head- ingley as I was making for the Station. Given fairish weather, and you can depend upon a full first day ; but after that it would appear nothing is certain. One did not like to see Sugg foolishly throw away his wicket. Maurice Bead did the same at Lord’s on Saturday, whilst W. Newham twice was guilty of the same blunder down at Brighton against the Light Blues. It’s an old Lanca­ shire trick, invented, I should say, by that most daring of run-stealers, A. N. Hornby ;he should have patented it, and then have prosecuted all imitators. A wicket ought always to be esteemed more highly than a run. Now and again a stolen run may upset the field, but for the most part bracket such luxuries with stolen kisses, and have nothing to do with them. W .G. tells us most ingenuously how he and A.N. once, at Prince’s, played tip-and-run for about half an hour, until at length they realized that they had boxed the compass, and then came round to a state of sanity again. If I were a tipster, my advice would be, “ Keep an eye on Lancashire.” In several years they have shown themselves to be bad starters ; like Shrewsbury of late they don’t get into their stride too soon, but the moment they do, they take a lot of stopping. It is not two to one against Shrewsbury heading the averages this year; when but few innings have been played, two or three indifferent scores knock the bottom out of exceptional averages, which of course are not similarly affected when the innings played reach to 40. Gunn and Walter Read found this out last week to their cost. Stoddart is where he was, though with some 200 more runs to his credit. (Pardon this Irishism.) I devoutly hope, if he moves at all, it will be on the up line; it’s a long time since any one man scored at once so con­ sistently and brilliantly. But there, he must be sated with this sort of talk, honest though it is ; he will begin to wish us all farther ere long. Yes, Lancashire are themselves, witness their continuous run of successes against Derbyshire, Notts, Yorkshire, and Oxford. It’s a pity they could not let Briggs go to Trent Bridge to day, but this is not one of the representative England v. Australia matches, and no county in these days of keen rivalry can afford to sacrifice its best all-round man. I quite forgot to mention last week that Sugg’s 127 was the very first century ever scored by a Lancashire batsman against Notts’ bowl­ ing, though these counties first met just 25 years ago. Last week’s cricket may be summarised thus: in five of the matches the side that went in second had to follow its innings, and on one occasion that side pulled off the match. It was so, for instance, in both the Australian matches, Lancashire v. Oxford, Notts v. Gloucestershire, and Surrey v. Middlesex. The Australian matches against the Players and Kent were singularly alike. Aus­ tralia twice won the toss, on each occasion scored under 200—189 and 194, w'hilst the Players’ first total just equalled Kent’s second —89. Tyler fully earned his place in the ranks of the Players’ ; indeed his bowling (8 for 58) was the only redeeming feature of their cricket. ^Richardson did nothing all the week ; it looks as if he would be none the worse for a good rest; I am glad he is idle to-day. But Trumble was the hero of the week with the ball, getting fourteen wickets for 116 runs, and 12 for 84—in all 26 wickets for 200 runs— which sends him right up to the top of all bowlers, Riohardson coming next. Middle­ sex’ s two victories—over Kent and Surrey— were by margins of 84 and 79 runs respec­ tively, but there all resemblance ceases. The Kent match was ordinary enough, Marchant’s 57 and Stoddart’ s 50 showing the way; the bowlers—especially Alec and John Hearne— were more in evidence than the batsmen. The Surrey match at Lord’s was of a quite different colour. I am disposed to call it the “ biggest thing” of the year. Surrey’s start, 287, was something more than respectable, and was noteworthy for the return to form of Abel (45) and Maurice Read (75). K. J. Key (53) must have caused his captain to regret that the old Oxonian oould not get away when his county was at Sheffield. Middlesex crumpled up at 1081 And then came the surprise ; 179 was an appalling adverse balance, but Stoddart (J25' and T. C. O’Brien (113) made light of it, wiped it off, and added 49 more—scoring 228 runs whilst together in less than two and a half hours. It was Lohmann, I think, told me some two years ago that there was no man he had rather bowl to than “ T.C.” not because he was an easy wicket to get, quite the con­ trary, but because he enjoyed liis splendid hitting. He might have changed his mind had he been in Lockwood’s place last week; it is, one would say, more a pain than a pleasure when two are at the same game. It was a magnificent effort, T.C.’ s very best since his historic 100 (not out) ou the same ground in 1899 against Yorkshire. A century from Stoddart,’s bat seems to be expected when he plays at Lords’. All batsmen seem to have theirfavorite ground. I should think this old saw. if analysed,would simply resolve itself into this, that batsmen do best on that ground where they play the most frequently, e.g. Walter Read at the Oval, Gunn and Shrewsbury at Trent Bridge. W .G. found all grounds alike once upon a time, and he was wont to commemorate his first appearance on all enclosures by scoring a century. Was it the wicket again ? or what ? Rawlin or Hearne’s fault ? or whose ? I know not, and am not anxious to find out. All I care about is that Surrey failed at the pinch, and a second total of only 119 sent Middlesex home an easy first. I wanted to say something this week on “ People one meets at a Cricket Match,” but it will keep until a more convenient time. I will write a special paper on this topic before long ; there’ s a lot to be said about it. Mean­ while two or three notches on other lines. Notch No. 1.—Ball lodged in batsman’s pad twice last week—Attewell shook it out, C. W. Wright removed it by hand ; which he should not have done, an appeal being given against him. I wish that appeal had not been made, feeling absolutely certain such a case was never thought of by the orginal framers of law 29. Of course the umpire had to give him out. What if a fielder had removed it after the ball had gone straight off bat into pad, and so ha&not touched ground first—would he have been out then? I should say so, if the out­ side appealed. But wouldn’t it be more sports­ manlike not to do so. Mind you, I believe