Cricket 1896

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.” — Byron. no. 4 2 8 . v o l . x v . THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1 8 9 6 . p r i c e 2 d. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. COLONEL A. H. BIRCHA.M. Like most other Army officers, Colonel Bircham has been obliged to confine his cricket chiefly to regiinentaland clubmatches, hutalso, like most other Army officers who have seen much service, he has had a very wide and interesting experience of the game. He began his military career as a volunteer at Eton, and after joining the 60thRifles, he became Adjutant to the St. George’s Rifles, and later was in command of the Victoria Rifles. When he left the Army, he went into the Militia, and, after thirty-two years of service, he is now en­ joying a well-earned rest. He took part in the fighting during the Zulu War of 1879. The Colonel was born within a few hundred yards of Lord’s, and the applause of the spectators could easily be heard at his home. “ We left the neighbour­ hood when I was five years old,” he said, “ and it was not until some time afterwards that I knew anything about Lord’s. I was told that it was called Lord’s and consequently thought it must be a wonderful place. I am now a member of the M.C.C., and am on the committee of the Surrey County Cricket Club, which contains a number of old Etonians besides myself—G. H. Longman, A. S. Tabor, Rev. E. W . Northey, Major Marindin and Colonel Farmer. At Eton I only played ciicket in a desul­ tory sort of way, and when about 17, I went to Le Fleming, the uncle of the well-known Kent amateur, who was the most successful army tutor of the time —I am talking of 1862 or ’63. While I was with him I used to play a good deal in the neighbourhood of Tonbridge. Afterwards, when I was in the 60th Rifles, Colonel Wallace, with whom you had an interview a short time ago, took me in hand and popped me into the eleven, and I can very well remember the first time I went out to practise at the nets at the Curragh. A corporal came to bowl to me, and I said to Wallace, ‘ Why, that’s so and so, who was at my tutor’s at Tonbridge with me.’ He said, ‘ No, he’ s Corporal Fletcher,’ but I was certain that I was right, for I knew his bowling by heart; indeed, it turned out that I was right. The corporal who, like many other gentlemen, had enlisted, after­ wards purchased his discharge, and the night before he went away he came to my rooms and had a chat with me.” “ Did you play much with Colonel Wallace?” “ Yes. We were old companions. I have played with him in England and Malta, but not in Canada. He spoke to you about the wicket which he made at Malta—I forget whether it was of asphalte or cement, but I am inclined to think it was of cement. We used to keep a bit of charcoal behind the wicket to make our block. I can very well remember the first match we played on the new pitch. Everyone prophesied that it would be a failure, but we made about 280. While we were batting, I hit a seven to leg to the barrack gate, and Wallace, off the very next ball, made a drive for nine to the Porto Reale. I can, in imagination, see the ball now; it was hard work to run sixteen for two successive hits. In my younger days, I could throw in pretty hard from the long field, and this led to an amusing incident some years afterwards, when I was playing on the Portsmouth Recreation Ground against the United Service. On this occasion, Colonel Wallace, who had not played with me for a very long time, was on the opposing side; he hit a ball to leg, which I had to run after, and when his part­ ner called him for a fourth run, I had the ball in my hand. Wallace refused to run, callin'? out ‘ he can shy like blazes.’ He did not know that my ability to throw had ceased to exist, owing to a strained arm, but I regret to say that the fraud was exposed shortly afterwards.” For twenty-four years Colonel Bircham has been a member of the Incogniti, serving on the committee for twenty-one years, and for the last four years acting as treasurer. ‘ ‘ 1 think,” he said, ‘ ‘ that the Incogniti have done a great deal for cricket in the way of taking touring teams about the country. This year we have arranged for 52 matches, which include tours in the Channel Islands, Wales, the West of England, and Sussex, and a school week — Clifton, Cheltenham, and Sherborne. We also play other schools, includ­ ing Uppingham and West­ minster. I used to ffo on all the northerntoursintheold days when Charley Brune (who sometimes played under the nom de guerre of “ Julius” when he couldn’t get leave), Philip Hilton, A. II. Winter, Willie Winter, and John Smith, of the Derbyshire eleven, were among our party. We went through the North and Midlands, Derby, Cambridge, Manchester, Worcester, and so forth. I remember once making a catch off John Smith at Worcester, as much to his surprise as mine. I had a very bad headache, and had remarked that it seemed as if two men were breaking stonss onmy head. When I had made the catch, I said, ‘ I think I have got rid of one of the men and a boy,’ and the headache was certainly much better afterwards. Thoms, of ^course, went with c fjftc/t* __________________ ______________________________• COLONEL A . II. BIBCHAU. From a Photograph by Dickinson, New Bond Streeft London.