Cricket 1894

SEPT. 20, 1894 32BICKE®* A WEEKLY BEGGED OF THE GAME-. 403 , heroically. But Gloucestershire—well, there it is, and there it is likely to remain until it disappears altogether. A friend of mine—I won’t give his name, his identity is not hard to find, says laconi­ cally, “ Gloucestershire will drop out when W . G. gives up; then it will rest awhile, and afterwards come to life again, but without the Graces ; they certainly made Gloucestershire, but has their in­ fluence been an unmixed good ? ” Now for the whole reason. Considering the weather, we have no reason to take a gloomy view of English cricket. The batting falls some points below the standard reached last year, though 1887 —Jubilee year—showed individual re­ sults far in excess of any gained in the phenomenal summer of 1898. Last year two batsmen, for the first time in the history of the game, scored more than 2,000 runs a-piece, a distinction to which W . G. alone had previously attained, viz., in 1871, 1873, 1876, and 1887. But let us compare the results vear by vear since 1886. Bowlers — 100 wickets in a season : by 5 bowlers in 1886 ; 4 in 1887; 3 in 1888; 7 in 1889 ; 7 in 1890 ; 8 in 1891; 10 in 189*2 ; 10 in 1893; and 11 in 1894. So in this particular the past season shows up well. Batsmen (a )—Averages above 30 :—9 in 1886; 19 in 1887; 8 in 1888; 10 in 1889 ; 5 in 1890; 6 in 1891; 9 in 1892; 11 in 1893; and 13 in 1894! Not so bad, although five of them have not played in 20 innings. ( 6 ) Scorers o f 1000 runs :—8 in 1886; 7 in 1887 ; 3 in 1888 ; 5 in 1889 ; 4 in 1890 ; 9 in 1892 ; 14 in 1893 ; and 10 in 1894. Nothing to grumble at there. It should be mentioned that whilst this year we have had no Australian matches to swell the list, on the other hand the matches played against four of the second- class counties are included in the averages and analyses, though they did not reckon in the Championship Competition. Glancing at individual names, it may be affirmed that whilst few established reputations have suffered, many a reputa­ tion has been advanced, and not a few have been made. Thus, among batsmen, Brockwell and Brown are entitled to con­ spicuous notice, the former especially. For the first ten weeks of the season he scarcely once failed ; five times he scored an innings of 100 ; and his season’s aver­ age ( 86 ) is five points in advance of any other batsman’s. It is to be noted that he has done little or no bow ling; hence, probably, his advance as a batsman. "Whatever might have once been possible in the case of W .G ., it is certain that the first glace among batsmen will not soon be filled by a man who figures high up among bowlers. Brown has the largest aggregate, and it is not open to question that since Brockwell began to fall off in scoring power, Brown has on every variety of wicket proved our most dependable batsman. But study the completed list of averages : from them it will be seen that perhaps only Tunnicliffe and Murdoch occupy markedly different positions from those they held last year. The bowlers. Richardson is unques­ tionably the bowler of the 3 ear, in spite of his having missed more matches than certain of his rivals. One hundred and ninety-six wickets at a cost of only ten runs is a wonderful return for a fast bowler on slow bowlers’ wickets. Not for many years, not perhaps once sihce our batting all-round showed such marked improvement, has any bowler come out with more emphatic results. In 1878, A. G Steel took 164 wickets for nine runs apiece ; and Alfred Shaw, whose reappear­ ance in first-class cricket has been one of the most interesting features of the season’s cricket, took in 1875 161 wickets for nine runs ; in 1878,196 for ten ; in 1879, 134 for n in e; and in 1880, 177 for eight. Morley in 1879 claimed 146 for ten. With these exceptions I can recall no English bowler, save one, who in one year did so much work as Richardson, and at so small an outlay; that exceplion is Lohmann, who in 1888 took 209 wickets tor ten runs apiece. Mold is a splendid second, and Wainwright and Peel show up grandly for the slows. As my standard for bowling for all the years these Notches have been running, and for many years previous, has been not only the runs per wic’iet, but also the overs per wicket, it will be interesting to note that Richardson has taken a wicket every 4^ overs ; Mold, 6 ^ ; Wainwright, ; Peel, 8 £ ; W. Hearne, 6 J ; Briggs, 7 £ ; J. Ilearne, l b ; Smith, 7 £ ; Martin, 9 ; Lockwood, 6 ; Attewell, I l f . So that, judged by any standard whatsoever, the Surrey bowler has done best. Mold alone has taken more than 200 wickets. P.S.—And thus the weekly journeys of this coach come to an end. For three consecutive summers it has run every week, weather notwithstanding. The proprietor has had some anxious moments; more often than not he has risen at daybreak to see after his team ; now and again there has not been a full complement of passengers. But on the whole he has no reason to complain. Many a kindly hint has been whispered to him from his regulars ; many a friendly touch of the hat from foot passengers on the way. During the winter, as usual, he purposes to travel over less familiar ground, and once a month only. He begs to return his sincere thanks for favours already received, and hopes to be favoured with their renewed confidence. He will do his best never to disappoint expectations. May this coach, which is now “ under most distinguished patron­ age,’’ never have a spill, never stick in the mud, and always come up to time. NORTHBROOK CLUB. Matches arranged 45—W on 15, lost 20, drawn 7, not played 3. FIRST ELEVEN . For Against. Runs. WktH. Aver. Runs. Wkt«. Aver. 4168 ... 4(2 ... 10. *48 | 4819 ... 396 ... 12.97 Highest innings for, 193 for three wickets ; lowest innings for, 14 ; highest innings against, 274 for six wickets ; lowest innings against, 18. B IT TING AVERAGES. A. E. Paw le J. Dacrea ...........11 C. Higham ... 19 C.O.Spri;)gthorpel9 v. W. Blenkiron 15 R. L. Allpirfi ... 6 A. H. Smith ... J. W. Knowles... F. H. Wi Ji i ... H .N . Smith ... H. Abbott . ... W. O Vti lis ... G. A. M jran^ ... C. P ea rse........... W. C. Ford ... A. G. Crai* Vernon Smith .. A. E. C h id wick 4 Tim es Inns, not out. Runs. . 187 . , 151 . 2 JO . , 201 . , 173 .., , 67 ... , 2,:8 ... . 13* .. , 118 ... , 117 ... , 61 ... ^9 ... 13 ... , 22 ... 21 ... ‘/5 .. . 21 ... M ost n an inns. Aver. .. 51 ... 20.7 40 , . 10k* . . 37* . . 19 . . 43 . . 29 . .. 39* , , 22 . . 83 . . 20 . . 15 . 6 * . . 16 . „ 11 . 13 . 10 . 4* . . 14 , 12 4 . 11.14 , 11.8 , J 1.1 , Jl :8 . n , 10.8 , 9.3 , 67 , 5.9 , 4.1 , 4.^ , 32 , 3.1 , 3 The following p'ayed in three innings:—N. B. Walker, 15 2—1; W. Gibbs, 1—9—1 ; W . Harrie, 0- 2*—4*. The fjllow iog played in two innings:—A. East, 3 4 -1 0 ; G. A. Wood, 0—3 ; A. A. Ktnnard, 3 - 2 ; A. E. Lugg, 12—6*; H. M u-phy, 3—3*; C. K°lly, i* —13 ; A. H. WoDlmer, 3 - 0; t\ D. Murphy, 0- 1*. Ih e following played in one lin in g s :—"O. Kuowlea, 0 ; W. Barker, 0; A. Cliyton, 2* ; F. .Vlote, 0 ; F. W. Foston, 1* ; W. D. Butler, 0. BOW LING AVERAGES. Overs. M dos. Runs. Wkts. Aver, A. E. P a w le........... 117 ... 37 ... 242 ... 2l ... 10.* C. Bigham ........... 153 ... 29 ... 453 ... 42 ... 1J32 T. W. Blenkiron... 178.2... 53 ... 389 ... 59 ... 13.16 A. H. S m ith ........... 179.3... 58 ... 367 ... 27 ... 13.22 Vernon Smith ... 126.4 ... 26 ... 306 ... 19 ... 16.3 W . O Ford ...........121 ... 18 ... 314 ... 17 ... 19.1 Four innings and under:— 7. H. W illis, 27.2—6— 7L -1—71; 8. A btott, 1 5 -3 —3 4 -3 —l 1.1 ; J. Dacre«, 9—1—17—0—0; EL Murphy, 8—1—33—3— 1; C. Pearse, 15 3—1—65 -7 —9.9 ; W. O. Willis, 23—8— f5—5—11; E. A. Lu^g. *8.3—21-77—30—7.7 ; C. O. Springthorpe, 9—1—29—4—7 ; J. W. Know e*. 6.1— 0—26—4—6.2 ; A. East,8 -1 —43—0 - 0 ; H. N. Smith, 9 - 0 - 5 4 - 2 —27; A. E. •hadwick, i7—1—54—0—0 ; A. A Ke nu-d, 3—0 -1 8 -1 -1 8 ; N. B. Walker, 8 - 0 - 3 3 - 1 —33; G. A W ood 8 -0 -3 7 -1 -3 7 . A. H. Smith •owled six wide?, W. C. Ford 19, T. Blenkiron 4, Ve.non Smith 1, and A. E. Pawle 2 no-balls. S econd E leven . BATTING AVER AG E3. Tim es M ost in Inns, not out. Runs, an inns. Aver. ff. Leeds ................12... 0 ... 261 ... 84 ... ‘21.9 W . D. i utler ... 19... 1 ... 337 ... 56 ... 18.J3 F. Leeds ........ 18 ... 1 ... 197 ... 44 ... 13.2 A. East ..............11 ... 2 ...114 ... 4 * ... 12.6 F. Plummer ... 6 ... 1 ... 44 ... 2..* ... 10 4 W. Qitbs ............ 5 ... 0 ... 53 ... 2i ...10.3 A. H. Woo’.mer 12 ... 0 ...1 .6 ... 39 ... 9 8 A . C. Clayton ... 11 ... 0 ... 104 ... 27 ... 9.5 H. Plummer ... 6 ... 1 ... 44 ... 2 * ... 8.4 G. A. Wood ...1 3 ... 1 ... 81 ... ‘<7 ... 7 A. E. Chidw ick 7... 0 ... 44... 27 ... 6 2 F. M ct-5 ... 9... 2 ... 33 ... JO* ... 4.5 H. A. Murphy... 6... 2 ... 19 ... 19 "... 4.3 W. Harris.......... 10 ... 2 ... 31 ... li* ... y.7 E. Leeds ... ... 7... 0 ... 2) ... 8 ... 8 4 W. O. F o-d ... 9... 1 ... 20 ... 5 ... 2.4 F. W. PoBtoa ... 13... 7 ... 13 ... 4 ... 2.1 S. O.W oolm er... 4... 0 ... 7 ... 7 ... 13 H. E. Sm dys ... 4... 1 ... 2 ... 2' ... — The following played in three innings Murphy. 9*—1— >; F. D. Siggers, 3—0—3 ; A. A. Kennard, 3—0 -0 . lh e following played in two inniogs:—0. M oody, 1—1: J. F. W oilm er, 0—4 ; N. B. Walker, 15—20; P. J. Swann, 27— i* ; P. J. Sumner. 6—18*. The following played ia one innings:—W. J. Murphy, 0 ; G. H. Murphy, 0 ; G. A. Morant. 1 ; J. Bradshaw, 9 ; D. M. Hope. 0 ; H. lilley, 4; C. O. Springthorpe, 40; F. H. v%iui 55; a . E. Pa^'e, 58 ; C. Kelly, 0*; D. J. Leels, 2 ; T. N. Macartney 0. BOW LING AVERAGES. Ovars. Mdns. Runs. Wkta. Aver. W .C. Ford ...1 3 2 1 ... 46 ... 218... 3‘i ... 6 3 A. East ...........136 ... 4 1 ... 310... 44... 7.2 A. O. Claylon .. 125.3 ... 34 ... 240 ... 28 ... 8. 6 F. W . Fos:ou... 75 ... 20 ... 170 ... 19 ... 8.18 F. L e e d s ........... 68.1 ... 17 ... 139 ... 15 ... 9.4 G. A. W ood ... 13.2 ... 3 ... 36 ... 3 ... 12.1 H. A.M urphy... 41 ... 1 0 ... 7 9 ... 5 ... 15.4 A. E. Chadwick 46 ... 5 ... 134 ... 7 ... 19.1 H. L eed s.......... SO ... 5 ... 83 ... 4 ... 20.5 Four innings and under:—E. Leeds, 3—0—5—0—0 F. B. W illis, 3 - 0 - 1 4 - 0 —0 ; E. A. Vawle, 19-10— 2 1 -7 —3 ; W. Giob7, 11—2—vl—8—7 I w - D - Butler, 4—1 - 6 - 1 —6 ; C. O. Springthorpe, 8—0—15—0—0 ; N. H. Walker 7 -1 -1 4 —1—14. W. C. Ford bowled 13 wides, H. Leeds 2, and GJ A. W cod 1. NEXT ISSUE OCTOBER 25