Cricket 1896

G eo . G. Bussey & Co., THE LEADING CRICKET AND SPORTS MANUFACTURERS, 478 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. D ec . 31, 1896. CSX Q _J CC o bJ X h ec u > o J l < W h z LiI a < > cc o H O < u . D Z < E CO CRICKET ANNUAL, RECORD OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP. (40 pages, 4to.) Over 50 photos of Leading players; full of interesting cricket matter. 2d,; post, 3d. “ YORKSHIRE OWL ” OFFICE, 48, B R I G G A T E , L E E D S , And at the Offices of this Paper. S c op es a n d b io g ra p h ie s,” vois. i to 4. Price £6 5s., or exchange for vol. 4 and cash.— P a y n k . Bloom Bank. Great George Street. Harrosate. F OR SALE, large number of cricket books. Wanted, Lillywhite’s Guides’ Companion, 1875; Football Annual. 1872.—A. B enson . Mapleton, Hull. Cr icket : A W E E K L Y RECORD OF THE QA MI'., 163, UPPER THAMES STREET, LOUDON, E.C. THURSDAY. DEO. 3 1 s t , 1 8 9 6 . IMPORTANT NOTICE ! Six numbers will he published during the Winter as heretofore, from October to March inclusive. The three remaining dates 'will he:— No. 440.—THURSDAY, JAN. 28. No. 441.—THURSDAY, FEB. 25. No. 412.—THURSDAY, MARCH 25. $ ) a \ 3 t l t o i t ( S o s s t The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— Hnml't. M r. H. R. G ro o m , the honorary secre­ tary of the Croydon C.O., writes as follow s:—“ Referring to the paragraph in your last issue, mentioning that an address bad been presented to me. I think it only due to the member* of the club to state that the presentation con­ sisted not merely of an address, but of a very valauble piano and an address.” The following anonymous and curious post - card apparently refers to the article in the November issue of Cricket on Dr. Grace :— Pilch’s ten centuries were made on bad grounds, and without boundaries. Pilch played cricket, Grace plays boundary. More­ over Grace has played very many more innings than Pilch. But comparison is im­ possible. There is not more difference between whist and bumblepuppy than between cricket and boundary. Put Grace on a bad ground to face Clarke, Mynn, Wisden and Redgate at their best, then you might talk about his wonderful comparative facts, but I don’t think you would. The annual general meeting of the Crystal Palace C.C. was held at the Crystal Palace on Monday, November 23rd. The general business having been disposed of, allusion was made to the death of the club’s former and much esteemed president, Mr. J. T. Noakes, whose connection with the club was a very lengthy one. It is pleasing to think that his memory will be sustained in the club for many years, for there still remain amongst its members Mr. B. Noakes and Mr. Wickham Noakes and his sons. It may possibly have come to the ears of several that there was a likelihood of the club losing its ground, but it will no doubt be a source of gratification to all lovers of cricket to know that there is no probability of this taking place. There are few grounds which can exceed the Crystal Palace C.C. ground for natural beauty, while its pitches have always been found to be excellent. The Palace Company have done wisely in allowing the ground to remain in the hands of the club, which still holds its own amongst the leading clubs of the Metropolis. It has also no doubt proved a valuable source of attraction to the Crystal Palace. One of the old school of Sussex cii keters, John Gilbert, died at the end of November at the age of 66. He looked very much older than he was, and sur­ prised strangers who saw him play at Sheffield Park by the rapidity of his movements. His good temper was un­ failing, and when he was taking part in a match it was impossible for any other player to be otherwise than good- tempered. He played for Lord Sheffield’s team in two or three important matches, and his excuses for failing to make many runs on these occasions were irresistible. H is best performance was for Sheffield Park against Newick on May 27th, 1884, when he scored 250. Mr. A. J. Gaston tells me that Gilbert went in to bat at the fall of the second wicket with the total at 36, and at 6.30 the same evening, at the call of time, the score-sheet was 473. He was at that time 54 years of age, and during the afternoon he hit one six, two fives, thirteen fours, twenty-five threes, and fifteen twos, so that considering how very few boundaries there are at Sheffield Park he must have run out nearly 400 runs. For this feat Lord Sheffield pre­ sented him with a bat with the following inscription: “ Bat presented to John Gilbert by the Right Hon. the Earl of Sheffield for his fine innings of 250 not out for Sheffield Park v. Newick, May 27th, 1884, in his 51th year. G. H. B a iley , the well-known Tas­ manian cricketer, who formed one of the first Australian team which visited England, has been appointed to the office of Diocesan Secretary at Hobart (Tas­ mania). He will now be able to represent the South of Tasmania again at cricket. A c r ic k e t yarn which is having a fine run in Australia refers to the use made of a cricket ball by some prisoners who were allowed to play in the yard of a county gaol. But drives over the gaol wall became so frequent that the prisoners did little else than field and throw the ball back again. At last the overseer became suspicious, and insisted on examining the ball. It was of iudiarubber and remark­ ably light for its size. The explanation was that the inside was composed of tobacco. The halves of the ball screwed together neatly, and it is now said to be one of the treasures of the gaol museum. I t is gravely announced in the New Zealand newspapers that a Mr. Sefton, who some time ago took out a patent for N E X T ISSUE, T HUR SDA Y , J A N U A R Y 28.