Cricket 1895

J une 13, L3J>. CRIUKliT: A WEEKLY RLCUitD OF T11E GAME. 195 CRICKET NOTCHES. By the Rev. R. S. H o l m e s . I have enough matter for half a dozen papers this week ; what between questions to answer, last week’s cricket, and sundry re­ flections on various points of the game, it is difficult to know where to make a start. It must pour out just as it will, regardless of method and order. I am delighted to learn that just such a book as Mr. de Lugo has given us on W.W. is about to appear onW.G. It will probably be out this week. The compiler, the Rev. H. A. Tate, hailing from Gateshead, has been good enough to furnish me with a synopsis of his work, which is truly a labor of love, and has kindly promised to send along an advance copy. I am very anxious indeed to see it, and hope it will come up to my ideal of what such a book should be. The Testimonial is bowling along merrily. The Tuleyraph’s shilling subscription is a “ happy thought; ” but here’ s a happier, viz., a copper collection in all the schools of the country. Schoolboys have but one hero all the civilized world over ; there isn’t a boy living who has not heard of, talked of, read of, thought of, and dreamed of W.G. Why not give them a chance of having a hand in this national commemora­ tion ? I know enough of the boy naturn to say tbat the pennies will be planked down in thousands, and with downright enthusiasm too. Will the press kindly reproduce and emphasize this suggestion of mine? It nly requires to be brought under the notice of head masters of schools of every grade o catch on immediately. The Times, Punch, and Truth have alike said “ Knight him ! ” Tnat is not in the power of the public : the testi­ monial is. Knighthood or not, he will n.;v. r be anything else to us all than “ W.G.,’ ' and somehow I prefer the simple initials without a handle. If there is space, I will answer four 1.-tiers sent last week; if there is not, they mus stand by till a more convenient season. For Whit week demandsourmost particular attention. There never was such a week’s cricket. The rain did not come as seemed probable up in these parts, so the big scor.'.- did. Were the crowds ever so much in evidence? I reckon that on Whit Mou iay alone the seven first-class County matches must have been watched by close upon 100,000 persons of all sizes and degrees, iiut the cricket was even more noteworthy than the gates. Excluding Yorkshire’s match at Leicester, could anyone say off-hand how many runs were notched in the other mateties on Thursday last ? Five of themwere started ; in no instance was one innings comple ed; exactly 2,000 runs were scored, for the loss of only 36 wickets—average 55runs a-wickjt; and there were six centuries. But let us take a second glance at the pa^t week. Lancashire and Sussex played the highest innings since the present County Championship was established in 1873, and, I take it, these are the biggest scores either County has notched in the entire course of its historyr. Lancashire’s 487 v. Kent just topped their previous best—484 v. the same County in 1892; whilst Sussex’ 518 v. Somersetshire was leagues in advance of their 482 v. Glostershire in 1892. Lancashire's 30 . against Yorkshire on Whit Tuesday was the largest innings scored at Sheffield by any eleven since Yorkshire’s 309 v. Derbyshire in 18s7 ; whilst the aggregate—1,344—in the Sussex and Somersetshire match at Brighton, established a record in <ounty cricket, being 49 runs ahead of the Middlesex and Yorkshiie match at Lord’s in 1889 ; indeed, only once before has this total been beaten in first-class cricket at home, viz., when Cambridge and Sussex totalled 1,402 on the Brighton Ground in 1891. More than this, Sam Woods (215), N. F. Druce (199 not out), Marlow (155), and Paul (140) will have cause to remember last week with pleasurable satisfaction as their best in front-rank cricket. But the best feature of the week is to come, at least, it is the best to old fogeys like myself: I refer to the “ extras” column, the column that never escapes my hawk’s eye. There is the real pulse of healthy cricket, far more so than your centuries. Well, let’s take Sussex first: against Gloucestershire they did not give away one extra in either innings, whilst to Somerset’s totals of 465 and 115 for three wickets, extras contributed only four, liravo, Sussex! There were 11 extras in Lancashire’s 487 v. Kent; 17 in Surrey’s 405 v. Gloucestershire; 10 in Sussex’s 518 v. Somersetshire: 19 in Cambridge’s 515 v. M. C. C. ; and 26 in M. C. C.’s 448 v. War­ wickshire. The Whitsuntide match at Trent Bri.lge yielded only 11 extras in an aggre­ gate of 728 ; 31 at Lord’s out of a grand total of 1156 . whilst at Bramall Lane 35 out of 795—not a serious proportion—was about the worst of the week. I have referred to this item for the benefit of sundry “ hole-and- corner” critics like my dear old friend, F. G. II-- »nd myself tak •stock of much in cricket ihat is n->t '-aviar? to the multitude. And what of the bowling last week? Some or it was extraordinarily good. Thus Pickett j-tine 1the immortals by taking all the Leices­ ter wickets in the fi st innings. Isn’t there a big slice of luck in th<s exceptional triumph ? Without wishing to depreciate any bowler’s kill, one ca >not ignore the fact that this feat has never v t been pulle • off by such giants as Lohmaun -r Mold, to select only two i m s out of tnanv. When W. G. was a .Treat bowVr —in 1867, 1874, 1875, and 1887, he could not do it; hut \*hen he had largely iost his old cunning, he took all the Oxford vie,kefs in 18,'6. John Wisden’ 8 “ all clean- bowled” in 1850—which lies before me as I vrite, and looks strangely neat—has yet to be ri\alled But other bowlers are being kept waiting. In four innings apiece, Woodcock and Kichardson took seventeen wickets at a cost of 3; Pou<rher 18,'average 11; Hirst 20, average 11 : whilst Mold earned off all the honours with 27 wickets for only 239 runs, the unfortunateaccident to the Kent stumperbeing apparently ' e reason why he eannot claim all ten in th^ir second innings. Attewell, I hav.- more than once this season singled out lor special notice; let’s be fair to him now : last week 262 runs were scored off him—just about one-half in eachmatch—and he secured ust s^ven wickets. The rest of the bowling we will not drag out of its kindly obscurity. Nor will we be cruel enough to notice sundry batting failur s, for the victims themselves had been the chief sufferers from these failures. I’hey are unaccountable on the present wickets, and from men who ought to be good for cart-loads of runs. It is along lane, however, that has no turning. * I was at Bra?nail Lane to see the battle of th Hoses; where else could I have been except at Trent Bridge? A real, old Sheffield crowd filling every seat and squatting all over the cycle track. You don’ t know what a genuine sporting crowd is down (or rather, up) in town ; the lingo you would not under­ stand ; the 3-inch thick sandwiches and earthenware mugs of beer would make you all vegetarians and teetotalers ; houses stripped of their window frames—for this occasion only; and a ring filled with men and lads who may not dress in the fashion, may suffer from partial hydrophobia, but every square inch of whom, from the ground up, has the sporting brand on it I hope it has been noticed that the pitch selected was the identical one use for Joe Rowbotham’s benefit in 1873. A fact, I do assure you - the papers said so. I would add that the stumps were fixed in the very same holes which were found after a careful hunt. If anybody doubts my honour, let him speak up. Lan­ cashire won, as I ventured to predict. Never before were they found going so strongly in the early part of the season ; last year, when June closed, they had lost six out of seven matches ; this year they have swept the board. Surrey’s appearance at Old Trafford this week-end ought to be eventful; if possible I shall be there. That Lancashire deserved to beat Yorkshire every sound sportsman will admit. The Tykes themselves won’t—that is, if by Tykes we mean their supporters. A Sheffield mob doesn’t take a licking in good grace; they haven’t the sense to wash down their chagrin with “ old and bitter” even; no, they make straight for home in sullen silence. On this year’s show we haven’t one batsman fit to hold a candle to Ward, a man who wields a very large bat which is somehow always behind the ball. Last week his scores were 20, 68, and 76. That 68 represents a share of a partnership of 144, in which Paul (87) was more useful than ornamental. I see that his innings has been very freely criticized and as liberally discounted. Well, I watched every run of it. It-would be arrant nonsense to compare him with Ward. Paul is aBohemian through and through, hence a very charming fellow. Now, such men must take liberties, they don’t run well in harness; but none the less did he bat in capital style, although the ball did occasionally fall out of harm’s way. But Hirst was pounding them down, making the ball do nothing but kick awkwardly. We had a very bad two and a-half hours on Tuesday. I suggested a visit to the luncheon room at one p.m. to sundry friends, who were evi­ dently thankful for an opportunity to forget their troubles. Oh for a Mold in Yorkshire. I think he’s the prettiest fast bowler (this refers to his bowling action, and not to his looks remember) since Allan Hill. He has dropped a harmless affectation which used to characterize the start of his run. A Middlesex amateur says that he places him above Surrey’s pair ; Mold’s ball does so much more after it “ lets.” Hallam has yet to have a chance of showing the stuff that is in him. One more bowler would be welcome in Lancashire, as, like Yorkshire, their “ changes” can only be called bowlers by a wide stretch of charity. Quite the best feature of Yorkshire cricket is his lordship’s batting; how he welted Mold on Tuesday, and in all scored 79 for once out. Atwhichall whocanappreciateone of ourtruest sportsmen will rejoice. Young Denton—he’s not yet twenty-one—played a very finished innings of 44 not out, and as his out-fielding pleased the ring, nothing more could be said. He is to have a thoroughly good trial. Being at Sheffield I could not be at Trent Bridge ; but a trusty friend was and made sundry mental notes. All his sympathies are Notts:—“ I am tired of Surrey's con­ tinued supremacy and hope somebody will wipe them down ; but I don’t fancy this is likely to come to pass just yet. You will admit that Notts had hard lines in losing Dixon, Pike, and Handford ; and if you refer to the averages you will find that Flowers (batting 36, bowling 16) is very nearly the best all-rounder of the year; so that ugly smash of his hand was a terrible facer for the