Cricket 1894

u Together joined in crickets manly toil.”-— Byron. Registered for Transmission Abroad TH U R S D A Y , FEBRUARY 22, 1891. P R IC E 2d. M R . J A M E S D O U G L A S . As the Lytteltons and the Studds to Eton, the Walkers to Harrow, or the Fords to Repton, so the Douglases to Dulwich. In the brotherhood of Douglas, Dulwich College has a record in its way perhaps unique. In any case as far as our memory, not the most reli­ able it may be, serves, no school of the status of Dulwich can claim to have had the sole training of such a capable brotherhood of cricketers as the three Douglases. First A. P., then R. N., and last but not least of all the little Jimmie. Like his elder bro* thers, too, the junior of the trio was born in Middlesex. Norwood Green, Southall, was the precise locality, and the date Jan. 8, 1870. Just about the time A P. was playing for Surrey he was entering at Dulwich College. Indeed, though it was not until 1895 that he got into the cricket eleven, he had been in statu pupillari there for seven years before. This will be sufficient to show that it was to Dulwich that he was chiefly indebted for his cricket training, although, in addition, he had the benefit of some excellent coaching from private sources. His all round cricket, too, was one of the most noticeable features in the resords of Dulwich College during the five years he was in the eleven. Some of his best per­ formances, especially with the ball, were in 1887. In the match against Tonbridge Sohool he d il the liat trick and this was only one of many notable achievements contributing to an ex­ ceptional summary for the season of 72 wickets at an average cost of under 11J runs. Even at this early stage his promise had not been overlooked by the Surrey authorities. On the con­ trary the high compliment was paid him of a place in the match between Gentlemen of Surrey and Gentlemen of Sussex, which was played at Hastings towards the close of that summer. The latter part of his stay at Dulwich found him more in evidence a:s a batsman perhaps than a bowlar. In any case, his best record of any re*l note was in his last year, when he made the big score of 166 against Brighton College. An interval of two years followed his retirement from Dulwich, and the commencement of his Uni­ versity career. Still the time was not wasted so fir as cricket was concerned. On the con­ trary, his moments of leisure were devoted to the game, and with eminently satisfactory results. The news tbat he had come into residence at Selwyn College in the latter part of 1891, of course gave general gratification to Cambridge men. Nor was he long before he justified the expectations founded on his school promise. The summer of 1892, indeed, found him in po3session of his cricket “ blue.” It was not until his second year that he showed of what he was capable. Before that he had only been moderately successful, and his consistent all-round cricket during last summer in consequence came to many as something of a revelation. Against the Australian team in particular he was very much in evidence. His success, moreover, was as marked with the ball as it was with the bat, for in addition to a capital score of 52 he took five Australian wickets at a cost of only forty-five runs. Before this, and at quite the commencement of the season, he had made his mark effectually with an exoellent innings of eighty not out against Mr, Thornton’s England Eleven. In the Inter-University match, unfortunately, he had not the best of luck. Still, just about that time he was in rare form, aud indeed, his innings of 102 against M C.C. & G. at Lord’s only the week before was a really sonnd and attractive display, the most creditable of many creditable in n iD gs for Cambridge during the season. Meanwhile in the absence, pre­ sumably, of any invitation from Surrey he had promised to help Middlesex. The execu­ tive of that County were naturally by no means indisposed to secure the services of suoh a useful all-round cricketer, and at the first available opportunity. His first show in County Cricket was against Sussex at Lords, last July. He was, too, of distinct use to the side, and indeed in the first innings of Sussex, but for his effective bowling, which resulted in the dismissal of five batsmen, at a cost of ninety-eight runs, the total of 346 would no doubt have been much larger. As a batsman he was not perhaps so successful as his form earlier in the season for Cambridge would have led anyone to expect. His best innings indeed for Middlesex was his record score of 54 against Somersetshire at Taunton, and his average for six innings for the County just exceeded fourteen. All the same, in him Middlesex has, beyond a doubt, an all round cricketer considerably above the average. His batting for Cambridge was more in accordance with his true form. An aggregate of 509 for 15 completed innings will speak for itself. With plenty of defence he can hit well if opportunity offers ; indeed, he errs, if at all, on the side of an ex­ cess of zeal, that is, in his anxiety to make runs. A right-handed bat, he is a left-handed bowler. He has, at least, the merit that he does not mind Leing hit, and as he uses his head well, and varies his pitch and pace j udiciously, he is often very success- iu I. In any case he would be almost worth playing for his ability in saving runs alone. In the out-fleld, indeed, he has no superior, and is an absolutely safe catch when the ball is anywhere within reach. While at Dulwich, he was in the School fifteen. During the last four years of his stay there he was the holder of the Single Fives Cup as well. Since he has been at the University, he has played in the Association team, but only on some three or four occasions. On the completion of his terms at Cambridge, he is going in for a mastership. Our portrait is from a photograph by Stearns, of Cambridge. T he proposed new rule respecting the follow- on was tried for the first time in the Inter­ colonial match between South Australia and Victoria last month. C a m b r id g e U n iv e r s it y C l u b .— The follow­ ing are ihe bowlers engaged at the University ground for 1894;—Watts, Shaipe, Lockwood, Haywaid, Richardson (Surrey), JPickett, Car­ penter, and Mead (Kssex), Hansell and Tolman (Norfolk), Davidson (Derbj shirt), Millward and Rayner (Worcestershire), Smith (Kent), Bowler (Middlesex), Cream, H. Edwards, Hurry, and J. O'Connor (Cambndges1ire).