Cricket 1894

APBIL 26, lfiO-l P IC K E T ; A WEEKT.l EECOBI' OF THE GAME. 87 bridge Wells, etc. There is a home week prior to the Bank Holiday in August. Imme­ diately alter this the Sussex tour takes place, including contests at Eastbourne (the Saffrons and Devonshire Park), Willingdon, South Saxons (St. Leonard's), and Heathfield Pa'’k. Th9 ground still shows the effect of last season's draught, but, no doubt, under tl e careful supervision of J. Pe eh, who has been engaged for the fourteenth successive year, it will be in good order in due time. The committee have also e- gag d Murrin (a Kent Colt) as assistant ground man and bowler. The first match of the season is against &id- cup, on April 28tb, from which date until September 15th, the club authorities will have a busy time of it. A good card has been arranged for the H am pstead C.O., including fixtures with most of the leading Metropolitan clubs. The opening match is at Teddington on May the 5th, and as on this occasion the local club will open a new pavilion, both sides expect to 1 e strongly represented. Hampstead will meet the Gentlemen of Holland on August 13th, and the game is looked forward to with great interest. Two matches with Beckenham ate included in the list of fixtures for the first time for many years. The week, which com­ mences on June 25th, includes matches with M.C.C., Wanderers, Bishops Stortford, Crystal Palace, Hendon, and Surbiton. A week’s tour, from August 20 to 25, has also been arranged in Sussex, consisting of three two-day matches at Eastbourne, Willinsdon, and Blue Mantles respec'ively. The club is represented by a very strong committee, in­ cluding A. E. Stoddart, G. Macgregor, F.R. Spofforth, W. Danby, W . S. Hale, S. S. Pawling, T. M. Farmiloe, and F. S. Alford. E. F. Carey, of 39, Belsize Avenue, is again the honorary treasurer, J. G. Q Besch, of 63, Broadhuret Gardens, South Hamp-tead, h >n. secretary. A. Bussell- Parker also continues to act as vice-president, a post he has beld with pronounced success for many years. A. Hilton having accepted an engagement on the County Ground at Brighton, his place h s been filled on the staff of ground bowlers by E Perry, a promis­ ing fast bowler. C. Boot, T. Gregory, and G. Walker will again assist the club in this depirtm nt. A goodiy list of candidates is on th - club books for elect on, and ho doubt some useful talent will be added to the already large resources at the disposal of the committee. . The fixtures of the H ornsey C lub are much of the same cbaract r as usual. The officers have been re-appointed, and it is ex­ pected that a’ most identically the same team will represent the club this year as last. Some of the younger players showed great promise at the close of last season, and it is hoped that they will prove of even greater utility in the future. The ground is looking very well, and will be, as for some years past, in the hands of the same groundmeu— T. Brown and S. Bradford. The card of the K ensisgton C lue contains a more than ever formidable list of engage­ ments including the usual annual tour on the South coast. This year there is a good in­ flux of new members, and with all the old blood available and some very lik ly young- stets coming on, they ought to have ample talent for both teams wh:ch have to be JV'Und every Saturday during the season. Ihere is plenty of both batting and bowling available, so that the first el- ven ought again to do well and r<pe it the successes of t1e la-.t few years—during the last three of which their losses all told do not exceed half a dozen matches. The personnel of tbe club remains the same, and C. E. Bloomer (33, John Street, Bedford Row, W .C.) will act as captain and hon. sec. for the fourteenth successive year. Salmon, who gave general satisfaction last year, is again engaged for the fourth time, and as the new ground in Wood Lane, of which the c’ub has secured a fixity of tenure, is in capital condition, ought easily to furnish an unlimited number of wickets. The South Coast tour, which commences on Aug. 11 at Ashford, includes five other matches, ag dust Devonshire Park, Silverbill, Hastings and St Leonard’s, Rye, and Lewes Priory. The veteran, A. Springett, retains the captaincy of the N orwood C.C., which has F. S. Hallam (Mapledene, Avenue Boad, South Norwooclj once more for hon.sec. The “ Week ” is rather early, commencing on July 2. Ih e card seems to suggest that there is still a vacancy for the last day. The fixtures for the preceding days are against Croydon, Crystal Palace, Mitcham, M.C.C. and G., and Burlington Wanderers. The Gentlemen of Holland are to spend the August Bank Holi­ day on the Norwood Ground. To Dr. Conan D oyl-’ s connection with the club this visit of the Dutch cricketers is no doubt attributable, at least to some extent. These are the chief features of an in' eresting match-list As in the previous season, W . Last occupies the position of groundman. The P laistow (Kent) C lub has no regular captain. The different members selecting the teams during the se ison either act as captaiDS for the matches they get up, or appoint some one playing to act for them. The hon. sec.s of the Club are W . L. Knowles and R. S. Mayne, and any communicat'on addressed to the Bromley and County Club, Bromley, Kent, will reach them. Plaistow bas a week on its own ground, commencing on the 4th July, and consisting <f matches with M.C.C. and G., St ics, and Beckenham. Tbe ground is in first class condition, due to tbe great care bestowed on it by R. StubberBeld, who has acted as ground man ever since the Club was started in 1876. The practice wickets on the Plaistow Ground are of the very best, and as the card contains a very good list of fixtures, the season should be a busy one. The club numbers about 100 members. An old friend of the club (Geo. E. Cotton) recently organized an amateur theatrical performance which considerably augmented the funds of the club, and with the assistance of a few more playing members, the committee hope to stand, still higher amongst the leading Metropolitan clubs at the end of this season. It may be addel that four members, W . L. Knowles, F. Solbe, H. W. Keeling, and H. E. Bouch, have already assisted the County. C. H. Buffies (Laburnum Villa, Bushey Green, Catford, S.E.) still acts as the organis­ ing official of the P rivate B anks C.C., which has Lord Hillingdon for its president, and Lord Kinnaird for its vice-president. The ground at Catford Bridge, belonging to the Private Banks, is one of tbe very best round London, thanks to the skill, experience, and care i f the veteran George Hearne. The club card is not a long one, for obvious reasons. Still with the Brixton Wanderers, Pallingswick, the Joint Stock Bank, Heath­ field, Stoics, Iownley Park, Beckenham, M.C.C. and G , Marlborough Blues, and Barnes, there will be plenty of good cricket for the members. Beside this there will be a great attraction for th s whole district in the Kent week. This will commence on July 23, with the match against Surrey, for Wootton’s benefit, and finish with that against Sussex, lh e South African team, thanks to the kind­ ness of the club, will have their preliminary practice on tbe Piivate Banks ground. A. M. Inglis ( Child and Co.J is tbe captain of the club. In addition to George Hearne, the ground staff numbers G. Cook, as well as A. E. Birch and W. C. Bishop, who are both bowlers. The hon. sec. of the P allingsw ick C.C. (A. W. Graham, 4, Arminger Road, W .) has some two or three vacant dates wbich he would like to fill up. To judge by the card, one of these is on Tuesday, July 17. This is the second day of the Pallingswick week, in which M.C.C. and O , Hampstead, Dalwich, the Erratics, and Mr. Mayo’s Eleven will take part. The first actual fixture of the Club will te on May 5, when, if one is to taka a line from the form of their opening match against Thames Ditton on Saturdry, the ttoics will furni b a formidable opposition. Among tbe other clubs to be met are Ealing, Private Banks, Hornsey, Hampstead, Richmond, Chiswick Park, Barnes, Bo-ton Park, Hampton W ick, Clapton, and Enfield. R edh ill C.C. bas for its captain H. Trower, London Road, B elhill. The groundman is “ Old Joe ” Coates, who will also act as assistant secretary. E. G. Field (St. Johns, Redhill) still retains the position of hon. sec., though owing to great pressure of business be fears he will be unable to continue in the office. Ernest Nice, who made a promising debut as a Surrey Colt, learned his cricket at Redhill, and it is hoped may prove to be a help to his county. The fixtures of the Club are mostly against Surrey clubs in the neighbourhood. Among these may be mentioned Addiscombe, Earls- wood Asylum, Croydon Amateur, Brockham, and Kenley. G.H.Windelerhas retired from ihe captaincy o f the S urbiton C l u b , a post he has h ell for nine years, and bis help both in batting and bowling will be greatly m is-el. The reason is that he is going to America to be married, but the club still hopes to have his services when on a visit to the old country. In seven years he has made 2,233 runs and taken 235 wickets. He is succeeded by F. Fielding, o f Incogniti and Surrey reputation, w dl known for his ability behind the “ sticks.” The Bev. A. E. Beavan still acts as hon. sec., whilst W . Strachan will again occupy the place of ground man. Until the season commences it will be difficult t > s y what the “ new blood” will be worth. A great want is dis­ tinctly a good fast bowl r, as in H. H . Jupp, the old Brighton boy, who was last season responsible for 59 wickets, the club has a medium bowler above tbe average. Another great need is a new pavilion. The present structure is quite unworthy of a first-class club, but until the committee can be assured of the renewal— or the contrary— of the present lease no steps c in be taken to supply the want. Rumour says tbat G. Brann purposes taking up his residence in this locality. If so, his services would be of the greatest possi­ ble value to the Surbiton C. C. 1he Surbiton week extends from July 23 to 28. It ismade up of five matches, against S. Castle's XI. (two days), Streatham, Wimbledon, Surrey C. and G , M.C.C. and G., in tbe order given. The ground,is in capital order, the late rains having done a deal o f good.