Cricket 1895

A p r i l 18, 1895. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME 75 CRICKET IN 1895. Cricket in this connection must be understood to mean not the game in the abstract but so far as it is played by the leading clubs. County cricket would hardly be a title comprehensive enough for the scope of this article and somehow or other the phrase First Class Cricket seems to suggest comparisons which are odorous. So an’ it please you Cricket in 1895 with the interpretation I have given. And Cricket in 1895 is likely to be a pretty large order, what with the recent additions to the candidate for the County Championship, and the newly instituted competition for the minor shires. But space is limited, and there is no occasion for preamble. By virtue of old traditions and its honourable and honoured position at the head of cricket M.C.C. takes the first place. A year or two ago a happy thought occurred to the executive that the day of the annual meeting might be utilised to advantage with the opening match, instead of leaving it as it had been for years an absolute blank as far as actual cricket was con­ cerned. As was only to be expected, the arrangement met with general approval, indeed the only wonder was that the idea had not taken a practical shape before. Consequently, the season at Lord’s will commence on Wednesday week, that is on May 1, with the opening of the match between M.C.C. and Ground and Notts. To mention in detail the im­ portant fixtures arranged at Lord’s would be to repeat a well-known tale. M.C.C. and Ground meet the principal counties and the Universities, Middlesex plays its home matches there, and in addition there will be Gentlemen and Players, Oxford and Cambridge, Eton and Har­ row, Rugby and Marlborough, and, as last year, Cheltenham and Haileybury. Besides these there will be at least one novelty in the celebration of the jubilee of the I. Zingari. The importance of the anniversarywill receive fitting recognition in the match between the I. Zingari and the Gentlemen of England, a fixture which used to occupy a place in the pro­ gramme of the Canterbury week for many years. From Lord’s to the Oval is not a far cry, and cricket at Kennington is only perhaps second in importance to that which is seen at St. John’s Wood. Surrey’s pro­ gramme—never a light one—is heavier than usual this year. Cambridge Uni­ versity is only to be played once, but the match will be at the Oval, so that the members of the Surrey C.C. will not suffer. The home-and-home fixtures with Hampshire will give still another pleasant game on the Surrey ground. The revival of the match with Hampshire takes one back to the earlier days of cricket, and recalls delightful remini­ scences which cannot fail to renew the friendly feeling which has existed between the two shires in the past. It is hardly necessary to say that Surrey Plays all the other thirteen counties now accepted as first class out and home, which makes a heavy programme of twenty- six matches. Besides this there will be the usual series of county matches for the second eleven which are to be increased by the addition of a couple of fixtures with Staffordshire. The Gentlemen are also to meet the Players at the Oval. Two important events will make the Surrey season memorable above its pre­ decessors. In recognition of the good work he has done for Surrey Abel is to have the proceeds of the match with Yorkshire at the Oval on August 12 and two following days for his own use. Even a greater attraction will be the revival of the match between Surrey and England after a break of some thirty years. But interesting as the fixtures must be of itself it will be considerably enhanced by the fact that the Surrey Committee have arranged it mainly as a testimonial match for Mr. W. W. Bead in appreciation of the splendid services he has rendered to Surrey cricket for twenty years. The news of the earlyreturn of George Lohmann from South Africa has, it goes without saying, given great satisfaction, not only to the followers of Surrey but to the general public, which is never slow to appreciate zealous workers, or to use an even more expressive phrase, good sportsmen. Anyhow Lohmann may be sureof thehearty welcome accorded to old favourites on his return to the scene of his former triumphs. As Essex may be said to come within the scope of Metropolitan cricket it is entitled to claim the third place in a question of precedence. The year will be one of particular moment to the supporters of Essex cricket, if only for the reason that it is practically the County’s first test of the heavy responsibilities incidental to a place among the candidates for the Championship. The sportsmanlike atti­ tude of Middlesex and Somersetshire at the meeting of County Secretaries enabled Essex to secure the requisite number of matches to qualify for inclusion in the front rank of Counties. Under consider­ able difficulties Essex has maintained its position with credit as a County club and every one will heartily hope to find it successful in an enlarged sphere of utility. Surrey, Middlesex, Yorkshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Hampshire are the Counties Essex has to meet this year. Report speaks hopefully of the Young Carthusian, J. F. Fane, an honoured name in Essex cricket, as well as F. G. Bull and one Houchin. The Derbyshire eleven will have to play Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Leicester­ shire, Notts, Surrey, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. It is doubtful even now whether Mr. S. H. Evershed will be so far recovered from his accident of last season to take charge of the team. It is hoped that he will, but if not, Mr. G. G. Walker will act. A left-handed bowler named Bewicke is said to be of consider­ able promise. The Derbyshire eleven have shown sterling cricket during the last two or three years, and with anything like luck will be sure to take their own part with the best this year. Just as Derbyshire seems coming quite to the front, it is sad to think it has lost one of its best supporters. Few counties have had a more liberal patron than Derby­ shire had in Mr. G. H. Strutt, who died on Sunday last. A pleasant note has been sounded at the outset of the Gloucestershire season in the excellent innings with which W. G. opened on Monday in the Colts match. Whether this preliminary fixture is to be of any good in other and more important respects, to wit, the introduc­ tion of young players remains to be seen. Eastertide Colt matches are at times of doubtful use, but this may be the exception, as it is to be hoped it will. In the absence of new talent of promise, Gloucestershire will \ a ve to depend on its players of 1891 minus Capt. Newnham, Mr. W. B. Troup, and Murch. The two amateurs have returned to India, while Murch has found fresh quarters in Wilt­ shire. As their seems to be some mis­ apprehension about the extent of Glouces­ tershire’s programme for this year, it may be as well to add that the eleven will have to play, Somerset, Lancashire, Sussex, and Kent at Bristol, Middlesex and Surrey at Clifton, Notts and York­ shire in the Cheltenham week, Warwick­ shire at Gloucester, which with the nine out matches will make a matter of eighteen fixtures in all. In addition to their usual visit to Lords, Hampshire, the latest addition to the list of championship counties, will have sixteen important matches to get through. Of the older shires, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, and Yorkshire have to be met, of the newer order Derbyshire, Essex, Leicestershire, and Warwickshire. The recent purchase of the County Ground at Southampton testifies to the enterprise of the executive, who have, in addition, incurred a heavy expenditure to provide proper accommodation for those who attend the matches. Except that with Leicestershire, which is to be decided at Portsmouth, Southampton will natur­ ally be the venue of the county matches. A very fitting recognition of the keen interest Yorkshire authorities showed in aiding the elevation of Hampshire to the championship ranks will be made in the banquet to the Yorkshire eleven on the occasion of their visit to Southampton in June. The Kent eleven will have a valuable addition this year in the person of Mr. G. J. Mordaunt, the Oxford captain who is now duly qualified by residence. To his influence no doubt is attributable the arrangement of the two matches with Oxford University which figure in Kent’s programme for the first time. Warwickshire will again form the attrac­ tion for the bank holiday match at Canter­ bury, and as last year Yorkshire and Warwickshire will between them share with Kent the distinction of furnishing the cricket for the Canterbury week. The distribution too of the other home matches follows very much the same lines as in 1894. Middlesex and Lan­ cashire will appear during the Tonbridge week. Catford Bridge will be the sceue of the Surrey and Sussex matches this time at intervals. Somerset and Notts will play at Blackheath and Maidstone respectively. Gravesend will also have a fixture, that with Gloucestershire. ' The Second Eleven match with the Secon. i