Cricket 1895

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.” — Byron. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1895. P R IC E 2d. match of the season, against Somersetshire on May 16, he was not available, nor was he present a week later against Kent, but in the victory which Grace and Painter gained over Middlesex, just before Whitsuntide, he made 19 for once out and took six wickets, though at rather a heavy cost, 156. In the next subsequent match when without half their usual team the Western County was defeated by Sussex he made 23 and 31, though his bowling was un­ successful taking but one wicket for 46. In the terrific licking which Surrey administered to Gloucestershire hemade 35 and 10 and had six wickets for 124 out of 388 from the bat,whilst he was not playing when Warwickshire gave his county her second consecutive single innings defeat. Glouces­ tershire had a long rest after this and Mr. Jessop was not available when the county gave Lanca­ shire such a fright, his assistance would in all likelihood have turned the nearly-balanced scale. In the return match with the same county he played, making 4 and 32 and taking in all seven wickets for 57, while in the first innings he had the remarkable analysis of fifty-five balls for 13 runs and five wickets, including Albert Ward, Sugg, and Briggs. When Notts met Gloucestershire in the last week in July, Mr. Jessop scored 55 and 1, and had one wicket for 28, this was the match in which Mr. Townsend took eight wickets in each innings; but in the small-scoring match with Yorkshire he scored only 4 and 4, and took no wickets for 2 runs in the two overs which he delivered. In the big victory over Warwickshire, with which the Western county opened the present month, he made most runs for his side (40 and 50), and took but one wicket less than Mr. Townsend at a much smaller cost, nine for 71 as against ten for 129. This was certainly his best performance so far in first-class cricket, though we are quite afraid to say what his best figures in minor games may look like. Still maintaining his extraordinary all-round form when his aide avenged their former defeat by Sussex, he scored 53 and not out 1, being again top-scorer, and took seven wickets for 54, a trifling fraction worse average than Mr. Townsend’s twelve for 87. In the MB. O. L. .FESSOP. Reproduced by permission o f Hudson <hKearns, London. ME. G. L. JESSOP. Though last year was for Gloucestershire one of scarcely mitigated failure, and there were not wanting many prophets of evil who foresaw the time when, even in an extended field of first-class counties place would not be found for the county of all the Graces, there was yet one hopeful sign in an otherwise dreary prospect. True the remarkable, not to say phe­ nomenal rejuvenescence of the great Grace could not have been foreseen, and the comparative failure in that season of Mr. C. L. Townsend, from whom so much has been, as the. event shows justly, hoped, had proved a severe disappointment, but the fine hitting, fair bowling, and smart fielding of Mr. Gilbert L. Jessop inspired many with the confident hope that following seasons would find him of very great use to his county. True he played only in some half-dozen matches, for last year’s Glouces­ tershire team had but half a dozen regular members; about twenty-two men playing for, the county at one time or another. Still he took third place amongst the batsmen and second place amongst the bowlers, and on several occasions showed that he was a thoroughly good all round cricketer. His largest,innings was the only not out score which he made, a fine 61 in the last match of the’ season at Taunton, when for thelast wicket in the first innings he and Roberts put on 55 runs, taking the score from 60 to 115. In this innings he was batting only fifty minutes, during which time 73 runs were made, of which his share, as already mentioned, was 61 not out. This was sufficient to show that Gloucestershire had found in him a free and punishing batsman, as ten days before his bowling against Kent had proved him a particularly dangerous bowler on a wet wicket. In that match he took six wickets for 22 runs, and as he himself made 20 out of a total of 97 in the first innings, he certainly set an example, which properly followed up, might have saved the defeat which Gloucestershire suffered. It was feared that his avocations taking him away from his county, he being a master at ISeccles College, he might not be available this season, but these fears have been fortunately falsified, and through the sports­ manlike courtesy of the principal, he has been enabled to take his share, and a very considerable share it is, in the revival of the fortunes of Gloucestershire, which so far this season, as will be seen on reference to the table published elsewhere in this issue of Cricket , occupies the fourth place amongst the first-class counties. At the risk of detail­ ing what is already familiar to many of our readerg, a resutne of his performances this year may be given, as it cannot fail to show how valuable his services have been, and how ill his county could afford to lose him either to the University or otherwise. In the first