Cricket 1893

474 (TR10KET s A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME, DEC. 28, 1898 treasurer} he played for the Gentlemen against the Players in 1842 and in 1844, scoring in his two innings 64 : he played in a great many matches for the M.C.C. at Lord’s, long-stopped a great deal, and was a very useful member, but not quite in the front rank of amateurs. Mr. Kynaston was a g and “ buffo ” singer. He died June 21,1874. Mr. C. Morse, of the M.C.C., and one of the oldest members of I Zingari and Old Stager?. He took an active part in the theatricals of the Canterbury week. Died March 25, 1883. Mr. W . Marcon, Eton, and Lansdowne Club, <tc., was one of the fastest bowlers ever known, and at Attlebury, in 1850. bowled four men in four successive balls. To break stumps was a common feat with Mr. Marcon. Mr. Grace (the eldest of the Grace family) averred that while standing at point to Mr. Marcon’s bowling, he conld hardly trace the ball with his eye, and once in Gloucester­ shire, a stout young farmer stood up boldly with his bat over his shoulder determined to have a swipe, when the ball, coming like a shot, took the bat clean out of the Bucolic’s hand and right through the wicket! Mr. J hn Marshall, Harrow. He played for his school 1842, 1843, and 1844; well- known both at Lord’s and the Oval as an enthusiast of the game, but does not appear to have shone as a player. Died Feb. 22, 1890. Mr. Edwin and Mr. William Napper both belonged to the Surrey Club, and both played for their county, Sussex— the former off and on for twenty years—and at Lord’s. Both left hai ded batsmen, who bowled right arm rouod. The whole family of the Nappers were cricket enthusiasts. Edwin played for Gentlemen v. Players in 1846. Mr. Henry Osmond Netheroote, Harrow. Played for Harrow v. Eton in 1835, and subsequently for Oxford in 1840 and 1841; also played for M.C.C. and I Zingari; a good bowler and neat bat. Died at Moulton Grange, Northamptonshire, on August 23, 1886, aged 66. Hon. Frederick George B. Ponsonby was the third son of the fourth Earl of Bessborough, to the title of which he succeeded as sixth Earl. He was bom Sept. 11, 1815, and educated at Harrow and Cambridge. A s Fred. Ponsonby he played for the Gentlemen of England and All England Elevens, and for more than forty years was vice-president of the Surrey County Club, and constant amateur coach of the Harrow Eleven nearly all bis cricket life : was a good cricketer and manager of a match, and a conscientious supporter of the gam e; he was a warm and attached friend of the Hon. Robert Grimston. Mr. Ponsonby was one of the number who formed the Zingari Club, July, 1845, and drew up rules. Of Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. Pycroft writes:— “ Just then (about 1836), among the number of our much-reapected opponents (of Oxford), were names since known to fame, Ponsonby, Taylor, Broughton—gentlemen who were the admired of all beholders, with buskin as with bat: for private theatricals divided their leisure hours with cricket, whence sprang many matches under various names—with dramatic entertainments for the evening, after the usual pastime of the day— and, ultimately, the annual Canterbury meetings, which have now stood the shock of time and the caprice of fashion for the full period of twenty years.” (1863)— Cricketana ” p. 31. About the year 1837 the Gentlemen v. Players’ match, in consequence of the in­ equality of the play between the pro­ fessionals and the amateurs, wai likely to be discontinued, as we read in the ‘ Cricket F ield,” p .287— 8, that “ W ith the leading members at Lord’s the match had now fallen into disrepute. It was useless for the Honour­ able Frederick Ponsonby or Mr. Charles Taylor to repeat their sincere convictions that by play­ ing the match regularly year by year it might be brought to something like equality. In 1841 the Hon Frederick Ponsonby announced that the match of Gentlemen and Players not being considered of sufficient interest to warrant the Committee of M.C.C. in offering it their support, he proposed to raise a sub­ scription that it might be played. The judgment he had formed with Mr. Charles Taylor proved correct; sufficient funds were soon forthcoming; and Mr. Dark having in the following year most liberally taken on himself the whole expense, and the Gentlemen having on that occasion broken the spell of years, this became an annual M.C.C. match, since played with varitd success.” Mr. Ponsonby presided at the formation of the Surrey Club in October, 1845. Mr. E. H. Pickering, Eton, and Sussex, was a brilliant fieldsman, but was not of the reputation as his brother Mr. W. Pickering, or ‘ B u ll’ Pickering (his Eton nickname), who was never surpassed by any living man. They both played for All England. Mr. Cyril Bandolph, Eton, and Oxford, a noted bowler in his school and University da\s, and afterwards a fine player. At Oxford in 1846, playing in a match for his University v. Blenheim Park, Mr. Bandolph took 6 wickets and scored 116 runs. Mr. Hayter Reed played for the Black­ heath Club and was a good cricketer. Mr. E. Swann, who played for Kent, wad an excellent long-stop, and very fair all­ round crickfter. He played for Kent v. England at Lord’s in 1846. Mr. J. Spencer belonged to the Blackheath Club, was a well-known amateur cricketer, a friend of Mr. Felix, ai d possessed the first catapulta— a rough iron machine, made by the village blacksmith at Blackheath. Mr. Charles George Taylor, Eton, Cam­ bridge, Sussex, Gentlemen of England, and All-England elevens. One of the most brilliant all-round amateurs of his own or any day—beautiful bat, good medium bowler (could tnwl break backs over the wicket), splendid field, with thorough knowledge of the game, and was called the “ Pride of Snssex.” Mr. C. G. Taylor was the most scien­ tific batsman at that period in his county. His defence was fine in the extreme, and his hitting equally cautious and brilliant. He was also a good change bowler, and as a fieldsman was scarcely misplaced at any point. In 1846 his batting averaged 14 runs per innings in 21 matches, and bis highest score in one innings was 67. During the same year Mr. Taylor bowled in 13 matches, and his average wickets were three, but he gave 17 wide balls and one no-ball. In play­ ing for England against Kent, at Lord’s, July 6 and 8, of that year, Mr. Taylor’s was highest score in the match—viz., 16 in the first innings and 43 in the second. In this match Kent made 91— 66, England 71—87, England winning by one wicket. Alfred Mynn was highest scorer for Kent with 21— 17. I have a portrait of Mr. Taylor, in cricket costume. He is represented in the conventional tall hat of the period. His attitude with ihe bat is both easy and grace­ ful . Mr. Taylor appears to have been a very handsome man, with a profusion of black, curly hair. Mr. Pycroft, speaking of Mr. Taylor’s batting,says : “ In respect of delight­ ing the spectators, Parr is decide lly before Pilch, and Mr. Charles Taylor was before ther.” — “ Cricketana,” p. 112. In 1843, July 31st, for the Gentlemen v. Players, Mr. Charles Taylor scored 89, and the Gentlemen won in one innings by 20 runs. The Players obtained 137 and 99— the Gentlemen reaching 256. Mr. William Ward, Winchester, formerly M.P. for the City of London, was a staunch supporter of cricket and the M.C.C., for which Club he first played at Lord’s in 1810. One of Mr. Budd’s reminiscences of Lord’s ground is the following. It was reported that the ground was for sale, and Mr. Ward remarked to Lord, “ It’s said you are going to sell us.” Lord said he would dispo e of the ground if he could get his price. “ What is your price?” said Ward; and having the reply, £5000, Mr. Ward said, “ give me pen and ink.” A cheque was at once drawn for t’ e amount, and the purchase was thought a investment.—Mr. Wheeler, “ Sporta- scrapiana,” p. 239. As a batsman Mr. War.l was a tremendous hitter ; he was a great supporter of tbe game in London, Hampshire, and Kent, and all over England, and also believed to be one of the fine-t whist and piquet players in England. His big score at Lord’s of 278 was not beaten until Dr. W . G. Grace topped it about fifty years afterwards. In 1837 Mr. Ward, in order to give the Gentlemen a chance of winning against the Players, proposed a “ method of reducing the odds on tbe Players; the Gentlemen defended wickets 27 by 8 inches, the Piaj ers wickets 36 inches by 12. This was called the ‘ Barn­ door match ;’ by some, ‘ Ward’s Folly.’ It was not favoured by much popularity— it was with great difficulty that Mr. Ward got an eleven toge her, and the Players won in a single innings by ten runs. The big stumps are preserved like their rela ives Gog and Magog, and may be seen at Lord’s Cricket Ground.”—Bev. J. Pycroft, “ The Ciicket Field,” pp. 286-7. Mr. Ward died June 30, 1849. EdwardTurnour, fourthE ailof W intertor, was born May 18, 1810, and died March 1, 1879. His lordship was a great patron of the M.C.C., of which he was formerly president and one of the Committee. He was a great lover of cricket, and in 1846 his lordship’s Eleven beat 57 labourers at Shillinglee Park, Sussex, August 23 Another extraordinary match was played in Lord Winterton’ s Park, when in 1856, an innings was played without one run being scored ; Challen bowled. The same side that scored 0 first, scored 100 second innings. It is stated that Lord W inteiton, in engaging his male servants, gave preference to those who were proficient in the game, two of his retainers, Heather and Upperton, the former as a bowler, and the latter as a wicket keeper, I eing very pro­ ficient players. HiB lordship was a steady batsman, though not a free hitter, and was an excellent fieldsman. Mr. GeorgeYonge, Eton, Oxford University, etc., who lived at Eton, and played first for the school Eleven in 1841, bowled to the Eton boys every day when not playing in a match. He on one occasion, playing against the Etonians, put the whole side out for six runs. Mr. G. Yonge;is described as being a most excellent fast bowler. He played in 10 matchfs in the year 1847, and his average was above 12; he bowled 45 wickets, and 13 were ca ght from him. The next year, in 13 matches, his average was above 9 ; he bowled in 9 matches and obtained 74 wickets —namely, bowled 59, caught 5; and 9 were caught, and 1 hit wicket from him. In 1849 Mr. YoDge was selected to play for the Gentlemen v. Players, and scored 19, not out. The Gentlemen won this match by an innings