Cricket 1893

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil. 5 ’— Byron • R e , - ; „ t £ ° d T H U R S D A Y , SEPTEMBER 21, 1893. PRI0E 2d. CRICKET NOTCHES. Ey THE R et . E. S. H olm es. Last week's cricket demands a passing note in that it brought to the happiest conclusion another glorious season. Hastings has been famous for surprises. Thus last year Abel notched his only cen­ tury (117) there, whilst Sam Woods got his bowling knocked about more un­ ceremoniously — 201 runs in a single innings—than ever happened before or since. This year established a more remarkable record, witness the partnership of Ernest Smith (154) and C. E. de Trafford (110) which yielded 254 runs in an hour and three-quarters. A fortnight before Smith and P. S. Jackson thumped up 60 in sixteen minutes at Scar­ borough, or at the rate of 247 in the hour; but the pace would have killed. P. Mar­ chant and Flowers took only 70 minutes to score 152 against the present Austra­ lian team in May last; but we must go back as far as 1883 for the next best joint scoring, when I. D, Walker and Alfred Lyttelton scored 220 in an hour and three- quarters, and 324 for the wicket, which was a record until Shrewsbury and Gunn passed it by exactly 70 runs in 1890. Smith was at the wickets two hours and five minutes; which fact suggests a comparison with Massie's 203 in two hours and 49 minutes against Oxford University in 1882 ; with Lyons’149 in 95 minutes against M.C.C. in May of this year ; and with W.G.’s 135 in 95 minutes only last week. As Smith and his partner scored their runs against such bowlers as Lockwood, Bichardson, J. T. Hearne, and others, the 1883 partnership this year; against Peel and others he scored 135 and 35 not out in the very last fixture. But those who manage these things won’t include that match among the first-class engagements; yet it ap­ peared on the original list, and, spite of the fact that the fast bowlers were not pus on (n) more they were in the second Scarborough match, and for the same reason), yes the bowlers who were tried were as formidable (if not more so) as many that took pare in other front-rar.k matches. I shall count it, however, as it gives W.G.’s average a useful life of three points, whilst W.W.’s will not suffer by his innings ( 112 ) in the same match. And here we are 'with the cricket of 1893 a memory only. The complete averages and analyses, as usual, ap­ peared the day after llie curtain fell at Hastings, thanks to the same busy heads and hands that furnish us with similar lists week alter week. How to sum­ marize the past season ? Was it more or less remark­ able than its immediate pre­ decessors ? A hurried word on various foatures, each of which could be more easily discussed in a separate paper. That much-abused topic, the weather, left nothing to be desired. Never such a summer since 18G8. 1887 was glorious enough till August set in, and then wo had a wretched month. It cannot be too fine for cricket; any weather will do for foot­ ball. There may, however, be too little rain for tbe beet wickets, especially where the turf has been recently laid, as at Shef­ field and the Oval. And may not continuous hard grounds provo most trying to cricketers '? Matches run into the third day too frequently, and tender feet are most prevalent. When up at Scarborough I expressed a hope to against Gloucestershire bowling lags a long way behind. It was in the last match of 1892 that Smith brought off his best of the year — 122 against the full strength of Surrey. It is greatly to be regretted that a cricketer of such un­ common natural ability cannot play the season through. Five overs, and at the W . W . (From a Photograph by E. Hawkins a; Co.. of Brighton.) cost of 50 runs, was another Hastings feat! Bowler’s name religiously repressed. Is that a record too? And here’s W.G. holding back for his last match—at Bei- j gate: 128 v. Kent had been his highest i