Cricket 1897

180 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J une 3, 1897. BUSSEY’S ■< S i C B « - BATS. H IG H E S T G RAD E . BUSSEY’S BALLS. H IGH E S T G RAD E . BUSSEY’S 7 f < p n / a *j\ y I j W GUARDS. H IG H E S T G R AD E . BUSSEY’S GLOVES. H IG H E S T G R AD E BUSSEY’S BAGS. H IG H E S T G RAD E . CRICKETERS’ <CG f t « DIARY I S A G E M F O R 6 d . CATALOGUES ON APPLICATION TO CITY DEPOT— 36 & 38, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, LONDON. OR DEALERS ALL OVER THE WORLD. MANUFACTORY— PECKHAM, LONDON. TIMBER MILLS— ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. BETWEEN THE INNINGS. I have looked back over the records of more than twenty years and have failed to find another instance of two Sussex howlers bowl­ ing unchanged throughout two completed innings of an opposing side, as Bland and Tate did at Cambridge last week. Of course the feat is not unique; but it is a big one, and one that is not accomplished many times in the course of any first-class season. Alfred Shaw and poor Fred Morley did it no fewer than four times in 1878, against the Australians, Surrey, Yorkshire and Kent, twice (against Derbyshire) in 1879, and twice (for the M.C.C. against Oxford University and Derbyshire respectively) in 1880. Charley Turner and Ferris managed it three times during the 1888 Australian tour, and twice in 1890. Among other instances that I can recall are:—A. G. Steel and A. H. Evans, Gentlemen v. Players at the Oval in 1879 ; F. S. Jackson and S. M. J. Woods, in the same match at Lord’s in 1894 ; Peite and Watson, for the North v. the Australians at Manchester in 1886 ; and Briggs and Loh­ mann, for England v. Australia at Sydney in 1888. Bland, the new Sussex man, had been somewhat lightly treated previous to the Cambridge match ; but there must be some­ thing in his bowling, or he would not have taken 14 .wickets for 72 against a batting team that is certainly not weak, and on a wicket on which his own si ie had been able to score 455. Though not a great batsman, he would appear to be something of a run- getter, too, and altogether a very useful man. Killick’ s bowling at Leyton looks well, too. If only the Horsham boy would fulfil the bowling promise he was once thought to show, I think Mr. Murdoch would forgive him if he never made a run. By the way, I imagine going in first does not suit Killick. He was seldom seen at his best w’hen first man in last year. On the other hand, George Bean’s spell of ill-luck appears to have been broken by a change of position in the order. It is, of course, merely a suggestion ; but how would Mr. Brann with his new style do for first man at the wi. kets with Marlow ? When did Roberts do anything with the ball to equal his form at Mote Paik ? Never that I can remember. Fifteen wickets for 123 runs; it is a record worthy of Richard- son, Mold, or Jack Hearne, and, doubtless, will prove the crowning feat of the hard­ working Gloucestershire pro.’scareer. Roberts is taking his benefit this year, so that a few words about him may not be held out of place here, especially after his feat of last Thursday and Friday. Roberts has never been anything of a bats­ man ; but he is by no means destitute of defen­ sive powers, and on more than one occasion has kept up his wicket at the end of an innings while his captain scored, or made a useful fifteen or twenty in a small total. Only in one season since he has played with Glouces­ tershire has he averaged double figures ; but his wicket has never been quite a gift to the opposing bowlers. His best scores have been 38 v. Yorkshire at Bradford in 1892, 35 v. Kent at Gloucester in 1890, and 34 v. Kent at Maidstone in 1893. The rain would seem to have a special spite against the Notts and Lancashire matches, for since the fixture reappeared in the list in 1886, after being dropped on account of the “ throwing” dispute, eight or nine of the games between the two counties have been almost entirely spoiled by bad weather, which both last year at Nottingham and six years earlier at Manchester ruined the Midlanders’ chances of even making a good fight; which in 1896 at Manchester allowed Lancashire only one innings and Notts none at all, in 1891 on the same ground allowed only one innings each, in 1889 (again at Old Trafford) ruled that an incomplete innings by Notts should be the whole of the game, spoiled and prevented the finishing of both matches in 1888, and inter­ fered with the Old Trafford game (Barlowr’ s benefit) in 1886. Last week Lancashire had an innings, and Notts part of one. Thus of the last twenty-three matches between the two counties seven have been drawn owing to rain, and only one (at Nottingham in 1S90) through big scoring. Abel's great record for the first four weeks of the season brings to mind the fact that he had an almost similar one in 1896, making three centuries during the mmth ; in 1895 he made two, and in 1894 one. Evidently the “ Guv’nor” is a good starter. His figures for first-class cricket during the first twenty- eight days of the season in this and each of the last three years may be of interest. Here they are:— Not Inns. out. Runs. To May, 29, 1897— 144, 8, 95, 250, 5, 156, 61 ........ 7 ... 0 ... 722 To May 30, 1896—138, 152, 231, 2, 42, 3J*, 82. 60........ 8... 1 ... 740 To May 29, 1895—6.8,217,48.165,0,1 7... 0 ... 445 To May 30, 1894—32, 16, 3, 63, 10, 13b*, 37 ........ 7 ... 1 ... 297 The only other batsman who has been in the century list for each of the last four Mays is Mr. F. S. Jackson, who scored 102 for Cambridge v. M.C.C. in 1893 ; 131, Yorkshire v. Sussex in 1894 ; 122, Mr. Thornton’s X I. v. Cambridge in 1895; 117, Yorkshire v. Warwick in 1896; and 124, Yorkshire v. Somerset in 1897. Mr. Jackson, it will be seen, goes one year farther back than Abel, beginning in 1893, which, owing to an affec­ tion of the eyesight, was the worst season the “ Guv’nor ’ ’ hasever hadsincehereally cameto the front. Ranji is to be found in the list for May in 1897, 1896, and 1895, with two cen­ turies this year, three last, and one the year before; and W .G .’s name is there in 1894, 1895, and 1896, but not this year. I have not been giving from week to week a list of the long partnerships recorded, as I did last year ; but I am now going to set out here details of those which have taken place in the first four weeks of the season, putting the qualifying point, as before, at a minimum of 100. Here they are :— THE LONG PARTNERSHIPS OF 1897. (To May 29inclusive.) May. 172 ..2...Abel & Hayward...Sy. v. Lcics....Oval, 3 137.. 3 . McGahey&Perrin Ex. v. Sy. ... ,, 10 171..1...Paul & Ward ...Lncs. v. Dby. Drby, 10,11 158...2..Dixon&Shrewsbry.Notts v. Sx. N’ham, 11, 1 11 ... 6 ... Dixon & Dench ... „ „ M 11, 175. .3 . Druce&Marriott...C.U. v. Thrn’s.XI. Camb. 11 111 . 4 ..Druce & Stogdon ... „ ,, „ 11 115 . 2 ..Trott & Warner ...MCC v.Yks. Lord’s, 12 119...2...Abel A Hayward ...Sy. v. Wwk. Oval, 13 180 . 3...Abel &L.-Gower... „ „ ,, 13,14 173...3...Murdoch & RaDji ..8x. v. MCC Lord’s, 13 137...2...Brown & Jackson . Yks. v. Glos. B’tol, 18,14 175...7.. Hirst&Wainwiight „ „ „ 14 119...6...Board&W. Brown Glos.v. Yks. „ 15 205...3...Denton&Jackson ...Yks. v. Smt. Tntn. 17 108 . 8 ..Fowler &Stanley ..Smt. v. Yks. „ 18 132 . 3...Carpenter &Perrin Ex.v.Wwk. B’ham 18 170...6.. Jardine & Ranji ...MCC v. I a . Lord’s, 104 . 6...Hawke & Storer ... „ v. Kt. „ 20 126...6...Baker & Smith ...La, v. Hnts. 8’ton, 20 135.. .3...Harington&gtewart Kt.v.MCC Lord’s, 2 \