Cricket 1897

S kpt . 16, 1897. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 431 “ What’s the matter with Yorkshire?” Stoddart’s team completed. “ What’s up with Ranji ? ” Ranji himself again. “ How many times did you say Shrews­ bury had been run out ? ” Abel drops into single figures again. The match of the season—Surrey v. Lancashire. Drawn. “ Well, we shan’t see that any more.” (Pavilion at the Oval to be pulled down and re-built.) Excitement over the County Champion­ ship. Ranji “ off colour” again. “ Did you ever know such beastly weather? ” Brann still makes his 50’s in about two hours. Surrey beaten by Somerset, and so lose the Championship. Lancashire win the Championship. The Scarborough Festival. Bowlers’ averages improve wonderfully. Abel still unfortunate. “ Isn’ t it ever going to be fine again?” Bjwling of Richardson and Briggs. SEPTEMBER. Ead of Scarborough Festival. Wet. Letters to the papers about the Cham­ pionship. Warner’s team starts for America. The Hastings Festival. “ Nice seasonable weather for autumn.” Abel brings his total to over 2,000, and plays himself into form once more. The above diary is only intended to give a very rough idea of the progress of events, and is not to be regarded as of any use for reference. The season will chiefly be remembered for the very close fight made for the Championship, the issue only being decided at the last moment. Among other things which stand out very promi­ nently are—-the great match at the Oval between Surrey and Lancashire, which was thought likely to decide the question of Championship; the two records for the first wicket by (a) Brown and Tunni­ cliffe, 378, (b) Abel and Brockwell, 379; the big hitting of Mr. Ford and Mr. Jessop; the rise of Essex, and especially their victories over Yorkshire (twice) and Lancashire; the drawn games which for so long kept Notts at the head of the Championship table; the visit of the Philadelphians; the discussion about the Eton and Harrow match; the fine weather during most of the season, and the extremely bad weather during the rest of it; and the bowling of Richardson. W. A. B e t t e s w o r t h . MINOR COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP. P. W . L. D. Per- Pts. Finished cent- in. games, age. Worcestershire ...10 7 0 3 ... 7 ... 7 ....100.00 Glamorganshire... 8 4 1 3 ... 3 ... 5 .. . 60.00 Durham ...........8 3 1 4 ... 2 ... 4 .. . 50.00 Bucks .................. 8 5 2 1 ... 3 ... 7 ..., 42.85 Wiltshire ...........10 5 2 3 ... 3 ... 7 .. . 42.85 Norfolk..................8 4 2 2 ... 2 ... 6 ... 33.33 Berkshire ...........10 3 4 3 ... - 1 ... 7 .... —14.28 Northhamptonsh. 8 1 2 5 .. —1 .. 3 .. . —33.33 Hertfordshire .. 8 1 5 2 ... —4... 6 .. . —66.66 Northumberland 8 2 2 4 ... 0 ... 4 .. THE HASTINGS FESTIVAL. There is always something peculiarly attractive about cricket during the Hast­ ings Week. For one thing men are no longer playing with one eye always on their batting or bowling averages; they all feel that whatever they do their averages cannot suffer very much, and consequently they play the game with the greatest enjoyment—not that every first-class cricketer thinks only of his average. Moreover, most of the players feel by this time of the year that the season has lasted long enough, and they are rather glad than otherwise that in a few days they will have a rest. Conse­ quently, they make the most of the time at their disposal, and.it is whispered that some of them have even been known to laugh quite merrily while they have been fielding, instead of looking as solemn as if they were in church or at a music hall. The spectators also seem to enjoy the holiday element about the game, and they do not tremble for fear that their favourite batsman maymake a duck’s egg, or that the result of the match will be unfavourable to the side for which they have a preference. In addition to this, the seats round the ground are arranged so that everybody can see in comfort, which is something to be grateful for. The cricket committee always manages to get a splendid collection of players together, and if this year the Gentlemen’s team was desperately short of batting and bowling, every spectator on the ground knew that it was only owing to a chapter of accidents that the team was not as strong as it might have been. To all this is added the charm of being at the seaside, and for an English seaside town Hastings can hold its own with any other competitor. It is, perhaps, a little too cold to bathe at the time of the year when the festival is iu progress, but it does not seem too cold to paddle, if one may judge by the scene on the beach— not that cricketers are ever known to paddle, even if they have made a hundred or taken nearly all the wickets of the opposing side. As usual, except when the Australians are here, the matches were North v. South and Gentlemen v. Players. NORTH v. SOUTH.' Played at Hastings on September 9, 10 and 11. North won by eight wickets. Both teams were fairly strong, although one missed the names of certain players from each side. But this was unavoid­ able. It was not found possible to play on the morning of the Thursday, and even when a start was made in the after­ noon the wicket was hardly in a fit condition for play. Still, nobody grum­ bled, and the South proceeded to go to the wickets. W.G. was in particularly good form, some of his strokes being very pretty, while others were very j udicious, even if they were not quite orthodox. It was greatly hoped that Abel would succeed in making the necessary runs to complete his 2,000, but he was caught and bowled by Hallam for a duck, amid timid expostulations from the crowd. Mr. Druce made a few good hits, and Mr. Murdoch played a very sound game. As there was no longer any necessity for Mr. Braun to play a strictly steady game it was pretty obvious tbat he was yearning for a hit, but he was soon caught at mid-off before he had got his eye in. The afternoon’s cricket produced a total of 105 for nine wickets, which was increased to 108 on Friday morning. The North team began pretty badly, for Richardson was in fine form, but very good cricket by Davidson and Lilley put a different appearance on the game. Mr. Townsend still required eight wickets to complete his hundred, but, although he bowled very well, and had plenty of opportunities of adding to his total, he was altogether unsuccessful. Richardson took seven wickets for 47, and M?rtin three for 27, while Lilley carried his bat for an excellent 76. With a lee­ way of 45 to make up the South began very well indeed with W.G. and Abel, and while they were together the game was very lively. Abel seemed in a fair way to reach his 2,000 runs, and fre­ quently made good hits, though once or twice he cocked the ball up in the neigh­ bourhood of Gunn at point. Possibly, if avery great deal had depended on the result of the match Gunn would have contrived to stretch his arms the least little bit fur­ ther. Meanwhile W.G. had laid in to Peel somewhat severely. It was inte­ resting to notice his enjoyment when, after making a hit to the on-boundary, he saw the fieldsman who had been be­ hind Peel shifted to the place when the ball had gone. The very next ball went straight to the spot from which the fieldsman had just moved. Everybody chuckled, But another man went into the long field and W.G’s little game was stopped. Cuttell was bowling extremely well, but the other bowler seemed a little “ off” ; nevertheless Attewell bowled Abel with his score at 22, and just before stumps were drawn W.G. was hit on the hand by a ball from Cuttell, which broke back a lot, and sent it hard into his wicket. Mr. Druce and Brockwell played out time, the former making one or two pretty hits to leg. On Saturday there was more or less of a collapse and the North only had to make 85 to win. Ward soon went, but Mr. Wright and Gunn nearly succeeded in knocking off the runs before they were parted. Mr. Wright carried his bat for a pretty 32, while Gunn was caught at the wicket for 38—a good innings. S o u t h . W . G. Grace, b Cuttell ... 36 b Cuttell ...30 Abel, c and b H allam ......... 0 b A ttew ell.....22 N. F. Druce, c Mitchell, b Hallam..................................15 c Lilley, bAtte- well 12 Brockwell, c Cuttell, b Hal- lam ......................... ... 6 c Ward, b Atte­ well ...13 W . L. Murdoch, c and b Attewell .......................... 19 c Gunn, b Atte- _ _ well ........... 0 G. Brann, c Hallam, b Cuttell.................................. 9 b Hallam ....15 C. L. Townsend, b Cuttell... 1 cLilley,bHallam 9 Hearne (A.), b Attewell ... 0 lbw, b Cuttell ... 10 Martin, not out .................. 12 b Cuttell ..... 7 Butt, c Mitchell, b Cuttell... 5 b Cuttell ..... 1 Richardson, st Lilley, b Hal­ lam ............................................. 1 notout ..... 3 B 2, lb 2 .................. 4 B 2, lb 3, w 2 7 Total ............... 108 Total ...129 N E X T ISSUE, THUR SDAY . OCTOBER 28.