Cricket 1897

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. no. 454 . vox., xv i. THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1897. p r ic e aa. got out it was close upon time, and Warwick­ shire had to make 30 or 40 runs. “ Is there any performance of this kind on which you look back with particular pleasure?” “ Yes. In the Notts match—the first year that I played for the county—I went in when the gime was in a perfectly hopeless con­ dition, for we had pretty nearly all the day before us. The Notts men wanted to catch a train before fclunch, but W.G. was getting F. O. ROBERTS. (From a Photo by Hawkins de Co ., liriyhton. somewhere near his hundred,'and the crowd shouted out to me to keep in until he had done so. When the time for lunch came, the Notts men were so anxious to get off that they didn’t stop play, but it was not until about a quarter to three that W.G. said to me: ‘ Now, Fred, you’ve played so well that you may have a hit.’ So I had a go, and was caught off the next ball. I was particularly pleased at keeping in so long because it was the first time I had ever been in with W.Gr., and I wanted him to make his hundred, which he did easily.” “ Are there any more of these innings ? ” “ Well, I kept in once to lose a match. We were playing Sussex at Brighton. We had about four to get to win when I went to the wickets. Humphreys was bowling, and he kept such a length that I couldn’t hit him. Then, at the last, Board was bowled, and the crowd rushed on the ground and carried Humphreys, who had taken most of the wickets, to the pavilion. It was an exciting finish. On another occasion, some six years ago, we were playing Kent at Clifton. I managed to keep in with Mr. Frank Town­ send, who was one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever played with, until not only was the innings defeat saved, but Kent had about 60 to win. I need hardly say that Mr. Townsend did the run-getting.” “ You have several times gone in first for Gloucestershire ? ” “ Yes. To play out time when stumps had to be drawn in a few minutes. On one occasion against Middlesex I managed to keep up my wicket till the day’s play ended, and for a joke, I offered to bet two to one that I kept in on the following morning until lunch time. I continued to stay until one o’clock, but then I was lbw to Mr. Nepean. Once against Yorkshire I had to go in over­ night and stopped in on the next morning until I had made 38. Dr. Grace was so pleased with this that he took me round to have a drink, and in the short time that we were away three of our men got out. I have made 38 three times and that is my highest score. “ Can you remember some of your best bowling perform­ ances? ” “ One of the beat was against Kent at Moreton-on-the-Marsh— 29 overs, 22 maidens for 8 runs and 5 wickets. I was also very successful against Sussex in Walter Humphrey’s benefit match, taking 7 wickets for about 16 runs, and in the two innings 12 for 58. I remember that I had a bad leg, and when somebody mentioned this to Humphreys he said that he wished to goodness my leg had been all right for then I shouldn’t have bowled half as well,” CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. F. G. ROBERTS. For many years Roberts has been of the greatest service to Gloucestershire, both as a bowler and as a bat of the most pronounced stonewall type. Asa fast left hand!,bowler he is able to make the ball do a lot, if the wickets give him the least assistance, and he can make it come with his arm or the other way, according as the wind or the lie of the ground may require. On some days he is irresistible — witness the Kent match at Maidstone this year, where, aided by a favourable slope, he took 15 wickets at a very small cost, and was the chief factor in the success of his county. He is to have a benefit this year, as everybody knows, on August 5, 6 , and 7—the Middlesex match on the Bristol county ground. As he is extremely popular in Gloucestershire it is likely that his benefit will be a “ bumper,” and it is to be hoped that ci icketers who wish to put their names on his subscription lists will not delay to do so until, as sometimes happens, they find it is too late. It may be mentioned that Dr. E. M. Grace, Mr. Brownlee, Murch, and Board are working very hard indeed for the success of his benefit. Roberts has a good business as a cricket outfitter and tobacconist at 191, Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol. It is well known that Roberts can often keep up his wicket for an unconscionable time when it is particularly convenient for Gloucestershire that he should do b o . Once at Taunton he made one while Mr. Jessop made 55. Last year, in the Warwickshire match, when the wickets had been falling very rapidly, he kept in with Mr. Thomas while the amateurs were making 50 or 60. Roberts made 5. In this match he earned talent money twice—in the first innings because he kept in with Mr. Thomas, and in the second because he saved Gloucestershire from defeat. When he went in there was an hour to play and two wickets to fall. “ Dr. Grace,” said Roberts, “ told me that if I saved the match I should have talent money. The field swarmed all round me, but I kept’ in long enongh to make a draw, for when I