Cricket 1897

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. wo. 464 . v o l . x v i , T H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 , 1 8 9 7 . f b i c e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. T. M. RUSSELL. A great favourite at Leyton, and, for the matter of that, on any other ground on which he may be playing, the Essex wicket-keeper has for many years done a lot of solid work for his county. His is no easy post, for the bowlers whom he has to take have all some peculiarity which makes them different from ordinary county bowlers. As a bat, Russell has also very frequently been of great ser­ vice to his side, and although, during the present year, he has seldom been able to make a big score, there is no reason whatever to suppose that next year he will not be in as good form as ever. His highest innings for the county was 110, but he is the sort of man who, when he is in form, makes his 20’s, 30’s and 40’s pretty regularly. For the last four seasons he has been on the staff of the M.O.C., and several times in club matches has disposed of a lot of men in an innings at the wicket, his best performance in this way (although, of course, a wicket-keeper may do bril­ liant things without making a catch at all), was to catch five men and stump two in the same innings for M.C.C. against Brighton College. “ Are there any peculiar­ ities in your style of keeping wicket ? ” “ I don’t think so. I keep my hands as far back as possi­ ble and hold them down­ wards ; if you don’t, you are liable to get your fingers knocked about very much. But, what­ ever you do, you are sure to get a finger put out of joint now and then, and it is astonishing how you keep getting hit on that finger until it is quite sound again; I suppose that as one is always thinking about getting it hurt, one does not go quite as boldly as usual at the ball. This season I stood out for two matches on account of a damaged finger, and the very first ball which I took in the next match rapped hard upon it.” “ Does Mr. Kortright knock your fin­ gers about much ? ” “ I think that Harry Pickett has knocked me up more than anybody else, because the ball does such queer things occasionally. But in all the years that I have played we have always got on well together—in fact everybody likes him.” “ Whom do you find most difficult to take ? ” “ Well, all our bowlers are more or less difficult, and I don’t know who I should place first in that way. Walter Mead wants a lot of taking, especially if you get him on a bad wicket, and many and many a time has the ball beaten me and the bat, and, unfortunately, the wicket as well. Mr. Bull sometimes beats me with his leg-break, which is, I think, his most difficult ball, although on his wicket every ball is difficult. A lot of batsmen have told me that although they have been watching him very carefully, they have not known which way the ball was going to break. I think he will get a lot of wickets in America. Sometimes a ball from Mr. Kortright gets through my hands, and I have had my chest bruised nearly all over. The batsman gets right across to a ball off the wicket, and it is sometimes impossible to see what has become of it until it is right on you. I believe that Mr. Kortright is the fastest bowler in England at the present time; this year he has been bowling at a wonderful pace, and keeps such a length too. I may say that when he hurt Moor­ house, in the Yorkshire match, it was not on account of the pitch of the ball, but because the wicket was worn; the ball got straight up, and, of course, there was no getting away from it. The blow was a very nasty one, and it was very plucky of Moorhouse to come out again after receiving it. If any­ body were to stand up to the .wicket for him for two matches in succession it would be necessary to have a relay of wicket-keeperg. Another very awkward bow­ ler to take is Albert Trott, who has a very fine fast ba ll; it is difficult to see, and when it is straight, as it generally is, it wants a lot of stopping.” “ You mentioned the Yorkshire match; how did you like the excitement at the finish ? ” “ I was never in a finish like it, and I hope I never shall be again. We thought that we had a great chance until George Hirst came in, but after he was missed, T. M. BUSSBLL. ( From a Photo by F. W. Clark, 284, Romford Road, Forest Gate ., E.)