Cricket 1897

270 CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u l y 8, 1897. I t was only in the eternal fitness of things, considering the occasion, that the cricket should have been generally of a high standard. The Surrey fielding was, perhaps, the only flaw, but otherwise the play was quite up to the best standard of the counties engaged. The Yorkshire fielding, it is no reflection on the rest of the play to say, stood out in bold relief as quite the most noticeable feature of the match, and nothing better of the kind has been seen this season. Denton, at third man, was brilliant in the extreme —his returns were a treat to witness. A lto g e th e r , there was little to choose between the two sides. It was a creditable performance of Surrey to make, as they did, 246 for the loss of six batsmen in the fourth innings, more especially with Abel out for nothing, and Hayward lost with the total only 24, and on the whole the eleven had good reason to be satisfied with their record for the week. As a result of the match, Henderson it is expected will nett well over a thousand pounds. The receipts showed that over 37,000 persons paid at the gate during the three days. But even this does not represent the money taken for admission. A goodly number of tickets were also disposed of, to which has to be added the not inconsiderable amount on the sub­ scription lists. “ C ricket ” readers who remember with pleasure, as everyone must, W. Bruce’s methods as a batsman will be gratified to find that one of quite the most attractive of left handers retains most of his power, as well as all his style. Though nominally second in the averages of the Melbourne Club in Pennant matches, he is in point of merit the first with an aggregate of S63 for nine completed innings, and an average of 62-55. G. L. Wilson of Brighton College, Oxford University and Sussex memories, also made his mark effectually for the M.C.C. of Australia. His nine completed innings gave him an aggregate of 421 for an average of 46’77. The two professors now engaged at Lord’s, Roche and O’Halloran, were responsible for 65 of the 105 wickets taken. Roche’s 44 cost 13’5, O’Halloran’s 21, 17'52 runs apiece. Though its programme is nothing like so extensive as that of our own M.C.C., the match list of the Melbourne Club, taking into account the comparatively few opportunities the busy Australian has available for cricket, is in its way quite as imposing as that of its senior over here. Last season altogether the senior eleven of the Melbourne C.C. were engaged in 53 matches, of which, 31 were won. In addition to these, the senior second eleven played 12 matches with 10 wins. Besides these, the third and j unior elevens took part in 65 games. These give altogether a little matter of a 130 fixtures carried out under the auspices of the Melbourne Club. Su rrey cricketers will be concerned to know, no doubt, that the old pavilion and tavern will have only a few weeks more in their present condition. The tenders for the new building, so report has it, are to be in by the end of the month and provision, it is understood, has been made for the work of demolition to be commenced on the first of September. Barring accidents, therefore, the members of the Surrey County C.C. should be housed in their new quarters by the commencement of next season. The erection of the new tavern which, as well as the pavilion, will be thoroughly up to date, has received the sanction of the licensing Justices. A most interesting addition to cricket literature has just been made by the pub­ lication of the annals of the West Kent Club. The policy of West Kent and its leaders has never been one of self-glorifi­ cation. Hence it will surprise many of the best-informed Cricket readers to learn that its history takes one back to quite the early part of the century, extending in fact over a period of eighty-five years. How it grew and flourished could hardly have been more completely or gracefully told than by Mr. Philip Norman, himself an active member of the club for many years. Of the noble army of cricketers who played for West Kent at different times its faithful chronicler furnishes a lot of information which would alone make the work interesting even were it not, as is the case, supplemented by the scores of all West Kent’s matches. L a s t April a complaint was made by the North Sydney C.C. against the Pad­ dington C.C., and a committee was appointed to investigate the charges, which were as follows : — 1. Interference by Paddington players with umpires. 2. Wilful waste of time on both days. 3. Paddington players leaving the field before the umpires had agreed as to time, light, &c. 4. Refusal on the part of the Paddingtons to make any further arrangement for con­ tinuance of game. 5. Interference hy Paddington batsmen with North Sydney fieldsmen. The committee decided as follows :— 1. We do not think this charge has been sustained. 2. We think there is some truth in this charge in respect to one member of the Pad­ dington team, and we consider that the evidence of one of the principal witnesses for Paddington is unsatisfactory; hut having procured the scoring-book, and found that 64 overs were bowled in the afternoon, and after making due allowance for time taken after the fall of each wicket, we fail to see how any waste of time could have occurred. 3. We see nothing in this charge. The Paddington batsmen did not leave the field until one umpire had removed the bails and rendered further play impossible. 4. We fail to see any force in this charge ; the play having been stopped by one umpire, no right of action was left to the Paddington team. 5. This charge has not been proved. On the whole we may be thankful that such cases do not arise in England. The idea of a committee solemnly examining a scoring-book to see if any time had been wasted is interesting. T h e chief thing for whioh the Uni­ versity match of 1897 will be remembered is Mr. Jessop’s second innings. It is variously estimated that the innings lasted from thirteen to twenty minutes, but a quarter of an hour was as nearly as possible the actual time. Only nineteen balls were bowled to Mr. Jessop, but off them he succeeded in making 42 runs by hitting which kept the spectators in a fever of excitement, not to say anxiety. D uring his innings against Oxford University, at Lord’s, last Thursday, W. G. drove a ball to the seats in front of the pavilion, and was caught by a spectatpr, to whom the doctir signalled his congratulations. In the University match on Tuesday, one of Mr. Jessop’s drives was caught by a spectator in the pavilion seats. I n a recent match between Warrington Grammar School and Aston H ill Sjhool (Cheshire) played on the ground of the latter team, the visitors were dismissed in their first innings for two runs. The first eight wickets fell in 23 balls for 0. The headmaster of Aston Hall School is Mr. R. G. Carpenter, a batsman who, if he had been living in any other county than Cheshire, would certainly, a few years ago, have had a trial in the eleven. Op cricket-books just now there is apparently no ending, which is hardly to be wondered at with the season at its height. Mr. W. W. Read’s “ Annals of Cricket” have reached a shilling edition, substantial proof of their popularity. Digby, Long and Co. have just issued, in book form, “ A Short Innings and Public School Episode,” by “ Tivoli,” the author of “ Une Culotte.” Sussex is well to the fore, as while the youthful and popular Windsor Magazine for the month has an excellent article on “ Cricketers,” by C. B. Fry, “ Ranji” him­ self discourses on the game in the ever­ green Blackwood. A decision which has ciused much discussion and dissatisfaction in New South Wales has been given by the Cricket Association. It is to the effect that, in the electorate matches, if the innings were over with say, eight wickets down, the innings should not count against the couple of players who were absent. To Englishmen there may seem nothing extraordinary in this, but in Sydney, where electorate matches are played on two following Saturdays, it is found that nun with good averages will sometimes not put in an appearance on the second day if the wicket h ippeus to be sticky. They thu3 are enabled to save their average, while a man who honourably keeps his appointment, is pretty sure to do badly. Oh, these averages! T h e name of Tyldesley must now be added to the short list of men who have scored a hundred in a first-class match in both innings. For Lancashire against Warwickshire this week he made 106 and not out 100.