Cricket 1896

42 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M arch 26, 1896. travelling in the provinces. It is hardly necessary to add, that the headquarters will be as before at the Tavistock. If it be true that no member of the team will be allowed to work for the Press, I can only register my opinion that the provi­ sion is a very wise one. To show to the best advantage, in such a heavy tour, it is enough to play cricket without the addi­ tional anxiety of having to write about it. A ll being well, the team should reach Colombo on Wednesday next. As I have already said, I think they are due at Plymouth on the twenty-fifth of next month. They will take their pre­ liminary practice on Mitcham Green, the use of which has been kindly offered them “by the Committee of the Mitcham C.C. An invitation has already, I understand, been sent them by the Executive of the Surrey County C.C. to a dinner at the Oval. In contrast to the phenomenal scoring which has recently been recorded in Melbourne and, only in a slightly lesser degree, in Sydney and Adelaide, it is refreshing to come upon an instance of quite the opposite kind, in which the poor bowlers had the fun all to their little selves. The Tasmanian Mail gives an instance of small scoring in New South Wales on the 18th January. The match was between Tomerong and Bomaderry and the latter only scored eight runs in their double innings. Of these eight, seven were extras, so that the bat was responsible for one single. No wonder under such circumstances that there was a bowling performance out of the common. It was furnished by Lamb, who took fourteen wickets for that one run. M arch 11th last was, as “ R:T.” writes, momentous in more ways than one, for the “ Incogs.” on that day assembled at Waterloo Station to bid adieu, and to give a “ cheer off” to Sir Augustus Hemming, then proceeding to British Guiana, as the accredited repre­ sentative of Great Britain to act as the “ Governor and Chief Commander ” of that part of our Colonies. It is most pleasing to record that the members of this popular wandering club—The Incog- niti—mustered in strong and representa­ tive numbers. Amongst the Incogs, there were Sir William Russell, Lieut.- Col. Bircham, Phil Hilton, William Winter, W. J. Seton, Samuel Bircham, Walter Bird, J. E. Raven, Col. Atkinson, E. A. Parke, Rev. T. R. Hine Haycock, Willie Martyn, H. W. Gribble, Dr. E. M. Tuke, W. J. Duncan, W. J. Ford (the original “ Gentle Tapper” ) and R. Thoms —who had expressed that he would be there ‘ 1to see the first turn of the wheels, and watch the train out of sight.” Sir Augustus, with Lady Hemming—who was all vivacity—and their two daughters must have felt highly gratified at such an attendance of Incogs, and other friends, amongst whom were a number of ladies. The hand-shakings and farewells were most fervent and hearty, until the sound of “ take your seats ” showed the time of departure and separation had arrived. Then, amidst hurrahs and the waving of hats and handkerchiefs—W. J. Seton having brought, most thoughtfully, the Incog, colours, which he most fittingly handed to the “ Woodcock” to flourish— Sir Augustus Hemming sped forth, to try his “ Diplomatic ” hand in the neighbour­ hood of Venezuela, where, with his sooth­ ing temperament, he will at once gain hosts of friends, as he has done duriug the past thirty years, not only at Downing Street, but also on the cricket field and as Hon. Sec. of the Incogniti Club. There is little doubt, too, that he will, in his new home, endeavour to foster and spread “ Our National Game,” well knowing that cricket has done —and is doing —more to cement the friendship and attachment of the Colonials to the mother country than any other factor or event of which we can boast. “ So say we, all of us.” T he death of Mr. W. R. Wake, deprives Yorkshire cricket, not only of a staunch, but a liberal, supporter, and not only Sheffield, but Yorkshire players, of atruefiiend. An excellent footballer in his day, he was a leading personality in the Sheffield Football Club, the oldest of all Football Clubs. As a cricketer, too, he did good service for the Yorkshire eleven on several occasions. S t il l , he will be best remembered by Sheffielders, as the founder of Cricket Challenge Cups. The donor of the Wake Challenge Cup, a costly trophy of a hundred pounds, he had the satisfac­ tion of watching the good work it did in the development of local cricket for many years. The success the Pitsmoor Club attained was due mainly to his unceasing interest and native support. But his liberality was not confined to one particular club or class. Essentially an all round sportsman, he was keenly interested in athletics of all sorts. A member of the Yorkshire committee for many years, he was always foremost in helping along deserving players, and many professionals have reason to be grateful for his good efforts. He died on Saturday last at the com­ paratively early age of forty-four. W arw ickshire loses, it is to be hoped only for the time, a useful all round player in J. E. Shilton. Last season he was ailing, and to such an extent that he was almost entirely absent from first class cricket. By medical advice he has to go to South Africa for the benefit of his health, and on Saturday last he left London for the Cape. His destina­ tion, according to present arrangements, is Ceres, a healthy resort not very far from Cape Town. Y et another record of Australian cricket to hand. This is the “ Australian Cricket Record” for 1894-95. It is edited by Mr. J. Fitzpatrick, of Erin Junee, New South Wales, and published at one shilling. In addition to a quantity of club statistics “ TheRecord” contains the full score of all the important matches. M r. A lf r e d J. G aston, of Brighton, writes:— ‘ ‘ Cricket bibliophiles and students,of early cricket literature will he pleased to learn that I have recently acquired a copy of The Post Boy for March 30th, 1700, a two page post folio newspaper, published and printed hy R. Beardwell, next the Red Cross Tavern in Blackfriars, in the reign of William III., now exactly two hundred and ninety-ssx years ago, which contains the following advertise­ ment of a cricket match ‘ ‘ These are to inform Gentlemen, or others who delight in Cricket-playing, That a Match at Cricket of 10 Gentlemen on each side, will "be Play’d on Clapham Common, near Fox Hall, on Easter Monday next, for £ 10 a Head each Game (five being defined), and £20 the Odd one. After that Diversion is Ended, any Maid may Run for a fine Flanders Lac’d Smock Value £4, they being to start exactly at Three from the Watch- House. There will be likewise an Entertain­ ment Gratis as soon as the above-mentioned Recreations are Ended.” In Cricket for April 16th, 1891 (vol. x. p. 56) I gave extracts from old newspapers of 1721 and 1736 containing direct references to cricket matches, hut the above date—1700— is certainly one of the earliest advertisements extant dealing with the game of cricket. During the past twenty years, Mr. Gaston adds, I have made it a feature to collate and preserve newspapers containing references to cricket prior to 1750, and this glorious find of a direct notification of the game so far back as 1700 is particularly refreshing. M y good friend, F. G.—otherwise the “ Old Buffer ” —sends the following :— THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS. I have just returned from the funeral of one of the oldest friends I had in London, and, without exception, one of the best judges of cricket I ever knew; and his experience has extended over three quarters of a century. Mr. George Richmond, the oldest Royal Acadamician, barring Mr. Sydney Cooper, who is now 92 years old, was an habitue of Lord’s ever since 1816, when his father used to carry him in on his shoulders when seven years’ old, until he insisted on going in like a man when a year older, and being paid for. His memory was wonderful, and his first recollection was having Bill Beldham pointed out to him on his first visit; and he witnessed Beldham’s career until 1821, when he retired. From 1850, when I first knew him, until a very few years since—three or four only—I have sat beside him at Lord’s hundreds of times, I suppose in the aggregate. He often told me that, barring two years when he was studying in Italy, he had. never missed a Gentlemen v. Players match ; and as during his whole life he had lived not far from Lord’s, the best doings of amateurs and pro­ fessionals of all eras were familiar to him. Amongst those men whom he delighted in were Fuller Pilch, Alfred Mynn, Herbert Jenner, and the “ Doctor.” He was very strong in praise of Saunders and Serle—two left-handed batsmen in the thirties,—and in the fielding of Mr. Parry in the twenties at mid-off. I never knew a man who was happier on a cricket ground, either at Lord’s or on a village green, than Mr. Richmond was ; and it was a sight to see him in the fifties, especially in 1851, the Great Exhibition year, when all the world was at the fair, and all trades andprofessions were slack, owing to the mania for the Glass Palace, playing a single­ wicket match at Lords. The whole scheme was his own, and the invitation has “ Cricke