Cricket 1894

84 QKICKETs A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. MAR. 22, 1894 s nted the Gentlemen agains*1 the Players, and frequently a p p e a r e d in the county team. Lennard Stokes was always a da hing bat, but in 1880 his performances were almost pheno menal. His figures read thus : — Innings, 3 ; runs, 301; highest score, 147; average, 100.1. Both Lennard and Graham Stokes, the latter also a firs -rate bat, figured several times in the county team. The Rev. J. W. Marshall is an o il Cambridge “ Blue,’ and is the only cricket Blue the club has ever had the distinction of possess­ ing. He was a first rate wicket­ keeper, but rarely “ turns out ” now. The summer of 1880 was the most successful season the club has ever known; nineteen matches were won, five drawn, and only one lost. In 1881 the Blackheath Morden defeated M.C.C. by an innings and 61 runs. Morley, the f «mous fast bowler, was playing for the M.C.C. and, if we remember right, G. W. Burton hit him over the tents for seven. The M.C.C. have been defeated four times, but have been the viotors on six occasions. Mention must here be made of L. W. Stobart, who was honorary secretary from 1877 to 1883. A more energetic and hird working official never existed. The summer of 1885 saw the Blackheath Morden for the last time on the heath. With the formation of the Blackheath Cricket, Football, and Lawn Tennis Company the BUckheath Morden took up their aboie at the Rectory Field, Charlton Road, where they have been ever since. G. G. Hearne was entrusted with the laying of the ground, and the first match on the new ground was against his team. The team which he came with was a strong one, including six Hearnes, as well as Wooton and Pentecost, and the Club suffered defeat on the first innings by 20 runs. On the following Saturday K. Christo­ phers on scored the first century on the ground against the Bank of England. The first season on the new ground was a very great success; nineteen matches were won, and only four lost. With the removal to the “ Rectory Field,” the title of the club also changed, and it is no longer called the Blackheath Morden,” but th§ “ Blackheath Cricket Club.” Under its new name, the club has, during the last ten years, won as many as 153 matches, while it has only lost 77, and drawn 82. During the best part of this period, F. S. Ireland has been the moving spirit of the club. He was honorary secretary for six years, having been elected in 1886, and under his able management the club has gained a very high position amongst the metropolitan clubs. As a cricketer, he shines in every department of the game, bu especially in batting. Possessed of a very fine physique, he treats any loose ball with scant courtesy. When once set, indeed, it is poor fun for any bowler, and, worse still, the said bowler will soon find out that the longer he stays there the harder he will hit. He has played several times for Kent,and would have played oftener MR. H. C. STEWART. From a photo by Hawliiiis & Co., Brighton. MR. J. R. MASON. From a photo by Hawkins & Co., Brighton. but for business and other engage­ ments which prevented him from accepting when asked. At Lord’s, in 1887, he played a grand innings of 87 against Middle­ sex, and when he retired from the honorary secretaryship the club piesented him with a pair Of silver lamps in recognition of his efforts on behalf of the club. M. J. Druitt was another kern and enthusiastic cricketer, who did many good feat^'with the ball, but the finest bowler the club has ever turned out is Stanley Christopher - son. He was selected for All England v. Australia in 1884, and also appeared several times in the Gen­ tlemen and Players’ matches. Blackheath’s latest additions to first-class cricket are H. C. Stewart, wbo is an extremely finished bat, and J. R. Mason, who is quite <ne of the most promising all-round players of the day. Amongst other county cricketers who have been connected with the Blackheath Cricket Club, and who have done good service for it at various times, may be mentioned Lord Harris, A. E. Stoddart, A. Daffen, A. J. Thornton, C. E. Horner, S. Castle, Percy Chris- tophtrson, F. Evershed, aud G. J. Mordaunt. The club plays matches with nearly all the chief Metropolitan clubs, but the matches against Bickley Park and Beckenham are especially keenly contested, Nine matches have been won against Bickley, six lost, and four drawn, and against Beckenham six have been won, six lost,three drawn. During the match against Bickley Park in 1887, two remarkable incidents occurred which were thus recorded in C r ic k e t at the time : “ In the match between Black­ heath and Bickley Park on Saturday two rather curious incidents occurred. “ P. C. Parr, bowling light hand over the wicket, having taken his usual lun, was about to deliver the ball when his hand struck against the wicket. “ The umpire called ‘ No ball’ for going over the crease, but Parr did not deliver the ball at all, and was in the act of pulling himself up when he was no-balled. The umpire (Bickley Park) at the end of the over, called out to the scorer not to score the no* ball. Probably he was right. “ Later on in the match one of the Blackheath batsmen (C. L. Hemmerde) played a ball into the top of his pad, where it stuck. The wicket-keeper (W. B. Pattison) dodged round to try and get a catch, but the exertions of the batsman in trying to get rid of the ball nearly damaged the wicket­ keeper’ s front teeth, and the ball at last fell to the ground. “ The appeal of the wicket-keeper to the umpire for ‘ obstructing the field,’ did not receive a favourable reply,” The season of 1837 was a most successful one. The club had a very powerful side, including as it did Lord Harris, S. Chris- topherson, F. S. Ireland, A. Daffen, H. C. Stewart. Lord Harris played a grand innings of 92 against the Royal Artillery this summer. George Street is the present ground-man to the club. He is a nephew to the old profes-