Cricket 1896

“ Together joined in Cricket’ s manly toil.” — Byron. No. 426. VOL. XV. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. „ vMR. A. C. MACLAREN. It is not yet six years since Mr. MacLaren played his first match in first-class cricket immediately after he had left school at Harrow, but he has in that short time t ained a repu­ tation of which he may well be proud. In his first match—Lancashire v. Sussex, at Brighton, in 1890—he made a huudred, and aftershowing fairly good form in the later matches in the following year, he became a regular member of the Lanca­ shire X I. in 1892. Since that time he has gone on improving, and everybody will remember how even his great performances in Australia were overshadowed last year, when in addition to making three hundreds in suc­ cessive matches, he scored 424 at Taunton, and was practically at the head of the averages, although Mr. Gwynn, who only played a few innings, was slightly in front of him. Mr. MacLaren is now a master at Mr. E. R. Hastings’ preparatory school for Harrow, and has developed a wonderful, though unexpected, skill in coaching boys at cricket. In answer to a question as to whether there was any truth in the report that when he made his record score at Taunton the first ball bowled to him hit the wicket without removing the bails, Mr.MacLaren said, “ None whatever ; it is a pure invention. Tyler clean beat me with this ball, but it missed the wicket. It was hard on our list five batsmen in that match to be con­ demned as duffers for getting out so' quickly after such an enormous score had been made by the rest, but, as a matter of fact, after I was out we all talked the matter over, and came to the conclusion that the1sooner the innings ended the better. The tail, there­ fore, hit at everything and got out in all sorts of ways. It is very probable that if we had gone for record we could have made over a thousand, but we had to get Somerset out twice, which was the chief object to be aimed at, and in this we were successful. Yorkshire beat our score the other day and went for record, but they lost a victory by it.” THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1896. “ Were you nervous when you began to approach Mr. Grace’s score of 344 P” “ I didn’t know what was his score until the close of the first day, when I was not out 288, but of course we talked about it in the evening, the more especially as after the play was over W.G. sent me a. telegram hoping that I should beat his record. This was exceedingly kind of him, but he has in­ variably been very kind to me. During the progress of my innings I had several tele­ grams, including a very nice one from Stod­ dart about his own recoid. On the second day I kept straight: on and tried to make as many runs as I could. Every dog has his day, and this was one of mine. I had been at Harrow for six weeks, bowling hard at the nets, and I was as fit as I could possibly be. When I had made 400 I wa* quite contented, and did not think of going for Stoddart’s PRICE 2d. record. I didn’t try to get out, but I did not mind, and certainly I ought not to have got out to the ball off which I was caught.’’ “ Have you had much practice this year? ” “ I am not yet really in form, for I don’t hit the ball with the middle of the bat. but a few days’ practice at Lord’s will, I believe, put me right again. When one bats here in the evenings the light, owijag to the trees behind the wickets, is exceedingly peculiar, and the boys bowl me out fre­ quently. But there is always one great advantage in practising on the Harrow wicket in the evening—you find it is very easy to see the ball on almost any other ground. I have played in two or three matches. Against Tonbridge School for the M.C.C. I made 50, but i" was not a good innings, for the wicket was curious, and I continually hit too soon. I have also played for the M.C.C. against Eton Col­ lege.” “ What do you think of the school team this year?” “ We have lost three or four good men, but we ought to be better than last year. There are several boys who can bat finely, Vibart being exceptionally good for a school player. As regards our bowlers, Dowson has grown rathf-r too much for his strength, but he will not be overstrained. Cole is a much better bowler and bat this year than last. The other bowlers are all able to keep a good length, which is a very fine thing indeed in school matches. Of the new flannels Rattigan has made great im­ provement, and the Eton bowl­ ing should suit his and possibly Studd’s style of play. The boys have plenty of good coaching with I. D. Walker, M. C. Kemp, and C. G. Pope to look after them. David Pollard, our pro­ fessional, is a very useful man to bowl to boys, for he can pitch the ball j ust where you want it. I. D. Walker still bowls at the nets, and his lobs are still surprisingly good.” “ How did you get into the school team yourself ? ” “ I was in the lower game—the 1st Fifth— and had to play for the XV III. against the XI. as a substitute for a fellow who had hurt his finger. I was rather lucky and made 36, the top score. Three weeks later I was in the X I., and made exactly 100 against Lord