Cricket 1897

32 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. F eb . 25, 1897. stump becomes possible only by a degree of skill and a command over the ball which are exceptional. The achievement is not one of necessity, but of effort. That the bowling is really better than it was in the past I cannot admit; it is only straighter, and that on account of the alteration in the method of its delivery. I am certain that six bowlers of the calibre of those playing in an A.E.E. v. U.A.E.E. match in the early sixties, viz , Jackson, Tarrant, Willsher, Caffyn Wisden, and Grundy, could never be seen in the same match to-day. Nor in spite of the larger scores do I agree with those who maintain that the batting has improved. When the weather is in a normal condition, neither drought nor flood, the smoothness of the grounds counterbalances the increased straightness of the bowling, and takes all the di vil out of it, and runs almost come of them selves. But when under the best of con ditions they were rough and bumpy, balls would shoot and rise and twist and curl in the most embarrassing fashion, and a batsman who wanted to make runs was always on the alert, in a state of extreme nervous tension. N >wadays I verily believe some of them go to sleep occasion­ ally during the course of a long innings. The younger generation of ciicketers probably hardly know what a shooter is, but in the old times sometimes there would be three in an over, and no ball requires so much vigilance and quickness to stop. And not only is there Jess ner­ vous tension nowadays, but there is also less physical exhaustion. When there were no boundaries the running of a five, a four, and a three in rapid succession hardly left batsmen in a fit state to cope with liglilning thoolers and other eccen­ tricities. (To be continued.) The followi” g are some of the latest hundreds:— Dee. 26.—J. Lonergan, Queensland v. N.S.W . (Junijrs) ................... ................. 119 Dee. 2 8 .-E . Jansen. N.S.W . v. Queensland (Juniois) ....................................... . 102 Dec. 19. —Liggins, Carisbrook v. Opoho {Otago, N.Z ) .................................................. 102 Dec. 26.—J. C. Noaek, South Adelaide v. No:th Adelaide .......................................... 248 Dec. 26.—J. Busliell, South Adelaide v. North Adelaide ............... . ... ... ... Dec. 19.—H. Trott, S. Melbourne v. Richmond Dec. 19.—P. Kayser, North Sydney v. St. George Dec. 19.—A . Atkins, Redfern v. South Coast (Sydney) .......................................................... Dec. 19.—Blealand, University v. Waverley (Sydney) ......................................................... Dec. 19.—Shortland, University v. Waverley (Sydney) ........... ........... ........... Jan. 5.—J. J. Lyons, S. A u s tra lia v. V icto ria Jan. 2.— J. O’ Ha llo r a n , V icto ria v . S outh A u s t r a l ia .............................................. Jan. 11.—G. G iffen , S. A ustralia v . N .S .W . Jan. 9. —J. J. K elly , N.S.W . v. S. A ustralia Jan. 9. — T . W . G arrett , N ew S outh W ales v. S outh A ustralia ............................. Jan. 29.—P. F. Warner, Lord Hawke’s Team v. Queen’s P a rk ............... . .................. 103 144 209 128 110 155 110 104* 108 131 119 I N T H E P R E S S . Price , ONE SHILLING AND SIXPENCE. A History of the Derbyshire County Cricket Club. /CONTAINING, besides a special introduction, the ^ full scores and bowling analyses of all matches played by Derbyshire since the formation of the County Club in 1870 ; the principal averages for each season ; and other interesting information, together with a portrait of the President ( Walter Boden, Esq.) By W alter J. P iper , J un ., Scorer to the Club. Over 800 'pages. ■Substantially bound. P ost F ree , 1/8 (TwentyStamp.*), from the Compiler, 14, Reginald Stre?t, Derby. NOW READY . 3 4 T H E D I T I O N O F JOH N W ISDEN ’S CRICKETERS’ALMANACK FOR 1897, Edited by Sydney H. Pardon. Contains County, University, Public School, and first-class averages ; Portraits of Ranjit- sinhji, Lilley, Richardson, Trumble and Gregory, and full account of the Australian Tour ; full scores and bowling analyses of all the chief matches in 1896. Back numbers on sale, 1879, 80, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1892, 3, 5 and 6, 2s. 3d. post free; 1889, 1890, 1891, at 5s. each. JOHN WISDEN & Co., 21, CHRJIBOUW STREET, LONDON, W .C. FREQUENTED BY CRICKETERS. Announcements are inserted in this column at a charge o f 21«. per annum. Half-inch space , 50s. per annum Each Hotel inserting an Advertisement will rective a copy of the paper, by post , free o f charge . B IRM INGH AM . THE GRAND HOTEL. Centrally situated. 300 rooms. All modern luxuries. Equal to best London Hotels. P ress N otices .— Best Hotel outside London. Ranks amongst the best Hotels in the country. 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