Cricket 1897

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. Ho. 4 50 . VOL. XV I. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1897. PRICE 3d. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. REV. W . K. E. BEDFORD. Oneof therecognisedauthoritiesonboat­ ing and archery, Mr. Bedford, although he has played very little cricket indeed, has so identified himself with the game that his opinions are asked for by great cricketers, while his inimitable way of telling a story has gained for him mul­ titudes of friends. As the honorary secretary of the Free Foresters C.C., in the early years of its formation, he gained an insight into the hard work thrown upon men who enter upon official duties in connection with the game. Since that time he has been more of aspectator than a combatant, and his active co-operation with his old club is almost confined to an attendance at the Triennial ball. But it has been his fortune to be thrown much into the society of cricketers, whose good fellowship has bound him closely to them. Mr. Bedford has written much on cricket, including an article for a religious magazine on the game from a parochial point of view. He thinks that it is as much a parson’s duty to look after cricket in his village as it is to preach. Mr. Bedford has been singularly fortunate in arriving at cricket grounds in important matches just at the right time, although he has had his disappointments. “ One of the most curious things that ever happened to me,” he said, “ was in connection with the first match be­ tween Marylebone and the Austra­ lians last year. On the day of the match I happened, quite accidentally, to meet Sir Yictor Houlton. He asked me what I proposed to do, and when I told him that I was going to Lord’s, he said that he would go with me for half an hour, although he had not been there for about fifty years. We arrived in the pavilion just after the M.C.C. innings closed, and of course, saw the extraordinary collapse of the Australians for 18. Sir Yictor saidvery little while the innings was in progress, but after it was over he turned to me and asked ‘ Is this the way they play cricket nowadays? I don’t think much of it.’ Then he went away. He had been a colonial secretary for twenty-five years or so, and had spent nearly all his time in Malta, but he hardly expected to find the game so changed. The first time that I saw the Australians was also under peculiar circumstances. At my club I met Sir James Kirkpatrick, who is im­ mortalized in the Badminton Library as the man who kept goal for Civil Service against the Royal Engineers with REV. W . K. B. BEDFORD. {From a Photo by Dickinson, Bond Street.) a broken arm. He said to me ‘ I think I shall go up to Lord’s. I am not a member, so I shall go to the other end of the ground.’ I agreed to go with him, and promised to stay with him for an hour. We reached the ground just as the famous innings of the M.C.C. was beginning, when SpofForth and Boyle disposed of them for 19. I remember that Kirkpatrick and I stood together, while the innings lasted, close to the stands opposite to the pavilion. At that time the number of spectators was very much smaller than it is now in a similar match.” “ Have you had any more flukes of this kind?” “ Several. One of the most surprising was in connection with the famous tie match between Surrey and Middlesex at the Oval. I went on the Friday, and, thinking that the game looked interesting, I determined to go on the Saturday morning, although I had a country engagement in the afternoon. Matters became more and more exciting, and my time for departure had nearly arrived; so an extempore lunch was brought to me, and while I was dis­ cussing it, I saw the conclusion of the match. I then just managed to catch my train.” “ Is there a reverse of the medal ?” “ There is, indeed. I missed the great finish to the University match, when Cobden got the last three Oxford wickets in one over, and won the match for Cambridge by the narrowest shave. Like a good many other people, I had thought the game over and left the ground. I after­ wards saw Hill, who carried his bat. He said, ‘It was the most diabolical thing that ever happened to me and I was wild when I went into the pavilion. In the evening, to try to forget the scene, I went to the Hay- market Theatre, and became so in­ terested in the play that I forgot all about cricket, but, happening to turn round for a moment, I saw one of our men who had lost his wicket sitting just behind me. It spoiledmy evening completely.’ ” Mr. Bedford went to Westminster in 1839, and, during his first year at the school, had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Aislabie— the Aislabie of Tom Brown’s Schooldays— bring an M.C.C. team to play the Eleven. But at West­ minster in those days cricket had to give place to boating, and he did not play at all. At Brasenose it was just the same thing. After he left Oxford, he went to Southwell, in Nottinghamshire, and there he firstbegan to take an interest in cricket. “ A younger brother of mine, who was in the CharterhouseEleven,” he said, “ used to talk to me about the game until I had