Cricket 1895

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil Byron. Jm^ofUoad. THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1895. PR ICE 2d. SURREY HOLLAND. There was a double record connected with my interview with Holland at the Oval on Monday last. He had j ust obtained the first duck’s egg that he has ever scored for Surrey, and he expiated his fault by submitting for the first time to be interviewed. Surrey were doing very badly at the time against S. M. J. Woods and Nichols, and wickets were falling all too fast, but though an hour re­ mained for cricket, the young Surrey professional had doffed his play gear in full confidence that his colleagues would play out time. The Mercury attendant upon the Surrey secretary personally conducted to me a tail and rather loosely-built young man, and with a “ Here is Holland, sir,” abandoned the novice to the tender mercies of the interviewer, which like those of the wicked are cruel if not unscrupulous. But if the public interest in those who are making their mark in this or in that direc­ tion is to be sustained and satisfied, it is necessary that the examination in chief should be undergone and the history of the subject written from information received. It was not of much use to begin much earlier in his career than his birth, and therefore I enquired the date of that event, which Holland assured me was as recent as the 10th of February, 1876, so that he has just completed his nineteenth year. He was born in the land o’ Burns, not Ayr, but Battersea, where his family still lives, and is thus a Surrey man born and bred. But let himtell his own tale. “ Is your’s a cricket family, Mr. Holland?” “ Yes, all my relatives, brothers, uncles, etc., play cricket, but none have been so fortunate as I in having the opportunity to play in first-class games. It was through my brother that I first obtained alocal reputation at Battersea.” “ And how did that come about ? ” “ As a lad I was the captain of a club at Battersea Park called the Advance C.C., which in the year 1890 won the Battersea Park Association challenge cup, and my brother used to play for the Oxalis C.C. a team of men which I occasionally assisted. At the age of 15 I played in six matches for the latter and made an average of 35. My average for my own club had been 32 in seventeen innings, and so I wrote to the in the latter. In the match against the South Africans I had a few overs bowling, but ob­ tained no success.” “ But you have bowled for the Seconl X I.? ” “ Yes, and last year had the secondaverage to Street, 17 wickets for an average of thirteen and a half. But I do not think I am likely to be much wanted for bowling. ‘ ‘ What was your second eleven batting average last year ? ” “ A trifle over 34 for 14 innings. In Surrey Club and Ground matches my best performances were perhaps 143 against Honor Oak, and nine wickets for 20 against Godalming. My batting average in these matches was 42*6 for 11 innings, and my bowling 7’35 for 28 wickets.” “ You are, I think, the youngest member of the Surrey eleven this year ? ” “ Yes, I think Smith comes near to me, but no doubt I am the youngest man in the team.” “ Presumably you are not still growing, so I may record your height ? ” “ Most likely I shall not grow any more. I am now exactly six feet, and my weight is 11 st. 11 lbs. (Holland hardly looks either his height or weight, which is probably due to his being remarkably well proportioned.) “ Have you played in all Surrey’s matches this year?” “ In all but one, that against Leicestershire.” (I looked carefully at the young professional as he made this somewhat equivocal state­ ment, but could not detect any arriere pensee in his expression of voice or of countenance as he referred to his single omission from the team.) “ "WTiat are your favourite strokes? ” “ lam not particularly strong in driving. I like hitting to the off, and get most of my runs by cuts or through the slips. Of course I am only too pleased to hit toleg when the occa­ sion arises, but one does not often get the chance against first-class bowlers, though a leg hit was my favourite stroke in my early cricket.” “ Have you any partiality for particular bowlers ? 1 ’ “ I have done best against Mr. Kortright’s fast bowling for Essex, but I have hardly experience enough yet to talk about bowlers as if I had played them for years.” Oval and asked for a trial in the colts’ matches.” “ It was your wish to take up cricket as a profession ? ” “ Yes, I was very fond of the game, and had no liking for any other line in life, and thought if I could get a trial that I might be able to take up the occupation which I should prefer above all others ” “ Had you any friends who recommended you to the Surrey authorities?” “ No, I simply applied for a trial and was given one, and in the result I was engaged at the Oval on the ground bowler’s staff in the year 1892, after playing in April in the colt’s match. Since then I have played fairly regularly for the second eleven, and last season twice played for the first team, against the South Africans and Essex.” “ I think you scored well in those matches?” “ I made 31 not out in the former and 76