Cricket 1893

O c t. 26 , 1893 ©RICiiET k WEEKLY RECORD OF' THE GAMEf 445 received with any great degree o f en­ thusiasm . In the Transvaal it w ould appear as if there was a decided feeling in favour o f the schem e, and undoubtedly it can furnish some of the best all-round players in South A frica. Still, to carry out the matter to a satisfactory and successful conclusion necessitates a general con­ census of approval. In any case, early action is essential if any definite m ove­ m ent is to be made on this side . The Secretaries o f the County Clubs m eet at L o rd ’s as usual on the second Tuesday in D ecem ber, and the arrangements for such a tour w ould necessarily have to receive the ratification o f that meeting. T he news received over here with regard Jto L ohm ann’s health is, every C ricket reader w ill be glad to hear, o f the m ost satisfactory nature. As late as yesterday a letter was received from him by Mr, E dw in Ash, o f R ichm ond, w ith the m ost encouraging account. A ccord ­ in g to recent inform ation he was contem ­ plating a visit to Johannesburg. In any case, he seems to be full o f confidence, and in the best o f spirits. A ll o f which, it goes w ithout saying, is tidings o f com fort and jo y - T h e sub-editor o f the sporting journal w ho called attention to a big score of P rin ce Christian V ictor recently, in India, was very m uch at fault in describing him as P rince Christian V ictor of Teck. It is hardly necessary to say that the cricketer P rince is a son o f Prince Christian of Schlesw ig-H olstein, an ardent adm irer him self o f our national game. The score to w hich reference was m ade was one o f 205. It was made at R aw ul P indee for the K ing’s R oyal Rifles against the D evon ­ shire R egim ent. It is described as the record score in India. This no doubt is right. Still I have an idea that there was one as large, or nearly as large, on the Calcutta ground some few years back. T hat the law at present in force for the declaration o f an innings does not give universal satisfaction is know n to m ost of the initiated at all events. Indeed no one, I venture to think, had an idea that the recent legislation had even an approach to finality i i it. A t all events there have been, as every one knows, several sug­ gestions in the w ay o f im provem ent. The latest, as far as I can hear, is that a Captain m ay declare at two o ’clock on the second afternoon, and if not then not until the third day. It w ill probably com e before the m eeting o f C ounty Secre- tacies at L ord's in D ecember. T he cares o f the adm inistration o f an important portion o f the British Empire have been powerless, as I have pointed out m ore than once, to wean L ord Harris, during his Governorship o f B ombay, altogether from active pursuit o f the game of w hich he was for m any years such a brilliant exponent. Only a few w eeks back he took part in a m atch betw een an eleven of Parsees captained by Mr. Patel and a team representing his ow n house­ hold. W ant of practice, too, has evidently not had a very prejudicial effect on his batting, for he m ade 72, w h ich proved to be the highest score of the m atch . A u s t r ia has hitherto been som ething of a terra in co g n iti so far as cricket is concerned. The same m ight indeed be said of Europe generally, although the D utchm en have just latterly taken to the game and are carrying it on w ith an energy above all praise. Still, it is gratifying to find that cricket has at last assumed a definite shape in Austria. The V ienna correspondent o f the Tim es, at all events, gives particulars o f the first cricket ever played in that country. It was played on Saturday last, at B aden, and the com peting elevens represented the Baden H igh School and the V ienna Club. The B oys, w ho w ould appear to have found a guide, philosopher, and friend in the Chaplain o f the British Em bassy, the R ev. W illiam H eckler, as was only to be expected, w ent down before their m ore experienced opponents of the club, which is composed alm ost exclusively o f Englishm en, and has been in existence for about a year. A s far as one can ju dge, the match seems to have been a success from every point o f view . N o better proof o f the interest it aroused can be adduced than that other m atches are already spoken of for another season. T h e follow in g announcem ent in the Tim es o f September 29 affects a cricketer well-known not only in the Metropolitan area but also in Yorkshire cricket circles. On the 28th inat., at St. Leonard’s Church, Streatham, by the Rev. Canon Murray, Hector of Stone, Richard, eldest son of the late Richard Brooks, of Sutton-on-Sea, to Eleanor third daughter of Baldwin John Duppa Walter. No cards. At home, Nov. 1st and 2nd. R . B rooks did good service as a w icket­ keeper, first for the G entlem en o f Y o rk ­ shire. Since he settled in L on d on he has been actively associated with the Clapham Wanderers, besides assisting the Surrey Club on numerous occasions. H e has, too, assisted Surrey under the residential qualification in cases of em ergency like a good sportsman whenever his assistance has been required, and with considerable success. The only pity is, that to capable a stumper has b y the exigencies of his profession been unable to find sufficient time to take the position he w ould un­ doubtedly have reached w ith better opportunities. T he only surprise in connection with the announcement o f the selection of Harrogate as the ground fo r one o f Yorkshire’s h :m e matohes next season, is that the C ounty executive have been so long in m aking such a choice. The m ovin g spirits o f the H arrogate Club have been conspicuous for enterprise, so that its claims could hardly have been over-looked. Besides, the tow n is not only a cricket centre o f itself, but in the m idst of a sport-loving comm unity. Som e o f the earlier Australian teams played there w ith satisfactory results, and, as I k now o f m y own k n ow ­ ledge, it has not been the fault o f the cricket fathers in Harrogate that the last tw o or three com binations have not per­ form ed on the ground. A first-class m atch was the rule rather than the ex ­ ception there som e few years ago. T hough a few small accounts still re­ m ain to be collected before Maurice R ead's Benefit Fund can t e finally clostd, it is now certain that the net result will be close on tw elve hundred pounds,even if it does not reach that sum. In addition to the donation o f fifty pounds from the Surrey C .C ., several o f the other coun ty clubs are am ong the contributors. Y orkshire, Leicestershire, and Lancashire have each given five guineas, Somersetshire three guineas, and N ott» tw o guineas. The Australian team also, ju st before their departure from England, forwarded a sum o f ten guineas. A g la n c e at the agenda for the annual general m eeting o f the F orest H ill C.C., w h ich is to take place at the “ Telegraph ” H otel, Park R oad, Stanstead Road, on Tuesday next, w ould seem to show that the club has outgrown the lim its o f its present ground. The principal part o f the business, indeed, after the election o f the officers for next season, w ill be to consider a schem e for taking a ground on w h ich (o play third team matches. This is particularly encouraging, as an indi­ cation that the rising talent is not turning its atteniion seriously to other sports, as the pessim ists feared m ight be the case on the introduction o f lawn- tennis. A n Am erican critic o f influence, as well as ability, has written m e a very kind letter takiug exception to a remark I m ade in C ricket o f September 17, that A . M . W ood was “ the forem ost figure at present in Am erican cricket.” M y cor­ respondent claim s the distinction o f “ the forem ost figure in Am erican cricket ” for G. S. Patterson, and from a personal know ledge o f the latter’s all-round ability I am quite prepared to concede the point. Perhaps I ought to have qualified m y praise o f A . M . W ood to the extent that he was one of the forem ost figures. But after all H om er is said to have nodded at times. T he records of Public S chool Cricket have hardly, I should fancy, ever shown a better perform ance in the way o f all­ round cricket than that o f the U ppingham captain, C. E . M . W ilson, for the season ju st over. In eight com pleted innings he had an aggregate of 722-runs,which gives him an average of over ninety runs. B ut in addition to this, as the School averages “ in another place ” w ill prove, he was the best bow ler as well as the m ost successful bat in the U pping­ ham eleven. H is thirty-eight wickets were obtained at a cost o f less than ten runs apiece. A s he is rem aining at S chool for another year, Public S chool cricket in 1894 w ill be sure o f one cricketer altogether above the average as an all-round player.