Cricket 1897

408 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. S ept . 9 , 1897. BUSSEY’S < C C B « CR ICKET BATS. THE HIGHEST GRADE. BUSSEY’S < CCB« F O O T B A L L S . THE HIGHEST GRADE. BUSSEY’S HOCKEYCLUBS THE HIGHEST GRADE. BUSSEY’S “ POJLLOID” HOCKEY BALL. Always the same weight. Always the same shape. Never hardens. Never softens. No stitching to give way. Absolutely Waterproof. BUSSEY’S I|VlPIiE|VIE|!TS FOR A L L SPORTS & GAMES . THE H IGHEST GRADE . A P PL Y FO R CATALOGUE TO 36 & 38, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, LONDON, OR DEALERS ALL OVER THE WORLD. MANUFACTORY— PECKHAM, LONDON. TIMBER M ILLS— ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. BETWEEN THE INNINGS. FIRST-CLASS CRICKETERS IN 1897. Let me start fair by remarking that, although for convenience sake I have grouped the cricketers of the year according to their sides, and when deal­ ing with the men of any county have some few words to say as to the fortunes of that county as a side, I have no inten­ tion of limiting my remarks on individual performances to county matches only, but refer to all first-class matches. Writing as I do before the Hastings Festival, I am forced to judge some of the men on incomplete records; but, generally speaking, it is only the cracks of the year who are playing at Hastings, and whatever they do in those two matches their record for the season will scarcely be made or marred thereby. To Lancashire, as Champion County, belongs the honour of first place, inde­ pendently of any consideration as to whether Surrey may or may not have been a really stronger side. On the whole, Lancashire has never had a stronger and better balanced eleven. With her best eleven up, she had one of the best and most popular captains who have ever directed the destinies of a side (A. N. Hornby), five great batsmen (A. C. MacLaren, Albert Ward, Frank Sugg, Baker and Tyldesley), four first-class bowlers (Mold, Briggs, Hallam and Cuttell), and a wicket-keeper (C. Smith) good enough for any side; while in reserve were such good men as S. M. Crosfield, S. M. Tindall, Paul and I’Anson. Though MacLaren only had about six weeks’ first-class cricket in 1897, he only fell short of a four-figure aggregate by 26, and had a splendid average of over 50. He was not out once without scoring, and besides his 244 against the not over strong bowling of Kent, made 152 v. Yorkshire, 70 v. Somerset, and 68 v. Gloucestershire in successive innings, besides 76 v. Sussex at Brighton, and 35 and 60 for Gentle­ men v. Players at Scarborough. Albert Ward was in far better form than in 1896, and was on the whole the most consistent run-getter on the side, for besides his two centuries he made eight |“ talent-money ” scores, and ten other innings of between 20 and 50. Frank Sugg’s play was very streaky, and at one time his place in the team began to look doubtful. He began fairly well, two scores of 71 each being among his first ten innings; but at one time during June he played ten innings for 71 runs, and until the match with Essex at Leyton in August he had by no means done justice to his reputation. His fine play in that game, in the Old Trafford match with Yorkshire, and v. Surrey at the Oval (when he was disabled) will be fresh in the memory of all who read. During the first three months of the season Baker was always making good scores ; and in May he made no fewer than 322 in two matches by innings of 140 and 29* v. Hants at Southampton, and 153 v. Notts at Trent Bridge. In August, save for a big score of 186 v. Sussex at Brighton, he was scarcely at his best. He was the first Lancastrian to reach a four-figure total for the season, only Abel, the Prince, Brown and Wainwright heing before him. Altogether 1897 was decidedly Baker’s best season thus far. It was also Tyldesley’s. The little man was only doing fairly well until the beginning of July. Then in three successive matches he made 54, 53, 106, 100* and 174, accomplishing the rare feat of two cen­ turies in a match, and placing himself at once among the leading batsmen. He could not retain his place, however, though it must be admitted he was handicapped by an accident. His only good score after those mentioned was a 68, and his last ten innings only realised 65 runs. However he, like Ward, Baker and Sugg, figures in the 1,000 ruus list. Perhaps Smith was the most useful of the other batsmen. He was always getting runs, though in no very strict academic style ; and the accident which robbed the side of his services in its later matches deprived it of a good batsman as well as of one of the most active and successful wicket-keepers in the county. Briggs, too, though he made but one long score, and by no means emulated his averages of ten years or so ago, often chipped in with a welcome contribution, and was the same smiling, plucky, cheer­ ful cricketer as of yore. Paul, after a good start (65, 32, 32 and 50 were his first four innings), fell away altogether, and lost his place in the team. Tindall made but one long score; but the criti­ cisms levelled at his inclusion were quite uncalled for, for he is well worth a place on the side. Though his highest score was only 32, the veteran captain nearly always made a few runs; and it was in­ deed a pleasure to find him assisting in as many as eighteen matches. Cuttell has considerable batting ability, and will make more runs in future years. S. M. Crosfield played very good cricket in the three matches in which he took part, and is by no means to be reckoned among the “ has-beens ” yet. Of the bowlers, one must place Briggs first. In the earlier part of the season he was only moderately successful; but since the latter part of J uly he has performed with such con­ sistent success as only Richardson has equalled, and has a rec _>rd worthy of his best days. Mold was as good a man as ever ; but accidents kept him out of several matches and curtailed his bowling in others, so that for the first time since he began to play first-class cricket he fails to reach a three- figure aggregate of wickets for the season. The new man, Cuttell, has done so, however, and, es­ pecially in the last few weeks, has shown really fine form. Hallam has done more work than ever before, and has done it well. He is only six short of the 100 wickets at present, and is down to play for North v. South at Hastings. These four did practically all the bowling of the side. I ’Anson, who performed well in the earlier matches of 1896, did better with bat than ball in his half-dozen games in 1897.