Cricket 1897

446 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. O c t. 28, 1897. I t is said that J. J. Ferris intends to make a strong effort to get hack some of his old form this season, and that he will play for the Burwood C.C. T h e English Cricketers reached Ade­ laide safely, so one learns through the ubiquitous Reuter, on Sunday last. All of them were in fine fettle with the one exception of “ Ranji,” who is not one of the best of sailors, as is well known. On this side we shall be waiting anxiously for the result of the first appearance of Mr. Stoddart’s team in the Colonies. One thing is certain that if they get thoroughly in form they will take a lot of moving on those Australian wickets. T h e news of Mr. W. Newham’s mar­ riage had become so well known that it will not surprise Cricket readers to hear of the wedding which took place at St. Mary de Crypt Church, Gloucester, on the 5th of this month. The bride was Miss Rose Simpson, daughter of Mr. E. Simpson, of Gloucester. Mr. and Mrs. Newham have been spending the honey­ moon at Ilfracombe. Among the presents to the Sussex Secretary were a cheque from the Sussex County Cricket Club, a silver tea and coffee service from K. S. Ranjitsinhji. Among other Sussex cricketers, Messrs. G. Brann, L. C.Docker, and W. H. Dudney also contributed to the wedding gifts. Another southern amateur, by the way, was married on the previous Wednesday. Mr. G .J.Y . Weigall was in this case the lucky man. Mrs. Weigall was Miss Isabella Harrison. S o u t h A f r ic a would appear to be more than maintaining its character as one of the happiest hunting grounds for English cricketers during the winter months. Lees, of Surrey, who went out some weeks ago to the Cape to fulfil an engagement with the Western Province C.C., will, in a week or so, be joined by Braund, another Surrey youngster, who has been engaged by the Cape Town C.C. J. Ellis, of Bolton, who has played occasionally for Lancashire, is also off to Kimberley to act as coach to the ciicket club th' re. J. T. Brown, of Yorkshire, is, too, on his way to Cape Town. His trip, though, has no connection with cricket. He is, in fact, going out simply for the benefit of his health. A g o o d old Notts cricketer, and one of the best local players of the day, passed away some days ago at the advanced age of eighty-four, in the person of Thomas Barnes. He was father of William Barnes, the fine cricketer who did such splendid service for Notts some ten years ago. Thomas Barnes was, as already stated, an excellent all-round man, one of the best of the many Sutton-in-Ash- field has turned out. So William Brockwell is going out to the Maharaja of Patiala after all. Now that the frontier troubles are pretty well over the Maharajah is able to turn his attention to cricket, so that Brockwell is again under orders. He leaves London to-morrow to join the P. and O. steamer Arcadia, at Brindisi. With Richardson, Hayward, Brockwell, Lees and Braund away the Surrey eleven is just now a good deal abroad. This reminds me, that Holland is not going to America for the present. It was expected he would have gone to Haverford College, but they have made other arrangements there. Cricket readers of all classes will have heard with genuine regret that Mr. Henry Perkins has formally resigned the secretaryship of the Marylebone Club. Of the value of his services, not only to the M.C.C. but to cricket during the twenty years he has held that distin­ guished position, it is impossible to speak too highly. Those who know Lord’s well, indeed can alone estimate properly the extent of the work he did during his long period of office. In his hands the M.C.C. not only grew and multiplied, but in addition fulfilled to the fullest its mission as the first cricket club in the world. Always at his post, there was no detail too small for him. Scrupulous to a degree in some respects, he was prompt­ ness itself in replying to any and every enquiry of which he had very many. That he will be greatly missed goes with­ out saying. As one who had officially to trouble him often, I should like to place on record my hearty appreciation of the extreme courtesy received at his hands at all times. T h is is the official communication of Mr. Perkins’,retirement. The committee of the M.C.C. have received an intimation from Mr. Henry Perkins that he wishes to resign the secretaryship as soon as arrangements for next year’s matches and the year’s accounts have been completed. The intimation was receivedwith great regret, and the president gave notice that he should at the next meeting move a resolution dealing with the subject. Under the Olub rules members only are eligible to the office and candidates are re­ quested to address their applications to the committee of M.C.C., Lord’s Cricket Ground, N.W., before Saturday, November 6. No one who knows the Marylebone Club will doubt that his long services will receive a substantial recognition at the hands of the executive. A n o t h e r octogenarian, and one, who in his time played a most distinguished part in cricket has gone to his rest. Though to many Cricket readers, William Martingell will only be a name, fifty years ago he was quite in the front as an all round player. He was the only sur­ vivor of the celebrated match between England and Kent at Canterbury in 1841. After playing some 10 years for Kent he assisted his native county of Surrey, and with great success for about 18 years. HerepresentedthePlayers, too, against the Gentlemen on numerous occasions. For many years he was engaged at Eton College, and was much respected by all Etonians. He died at Eton Wick on Michaelmas Day in his eightieth year. IT may be taken now to be fairly certain that the Parsee Cricketers will visit England next summer. Through Lord Harris’ personal influence, several of the leading County Clubs have already promised them substantial guarantees, and in all likelihood the work of arrang­ ing the programme which has been placed in the hands of the Secretary of the Surrey County C.C., will be com­ menced forthwith. The fixtures, so far as one can learn, will be very much on the lines of those made for the gentlemen of Philadelphia last summer. The decisive victory of the Parsees in the recent match against Bombay Presidency shows how their all-round cricket has developed of late. The score appears in another part of the paper. T a l k in g of teams from outlying parts of the Empire, reminds me that Canadian cricketers have also had an idea of sending a combination to England next year. Canada, it may be remarked, has won its International match with the United States more than once of late yqprs, and is therefore justified in thinking that its representatives would be able to make at least as good a show as the Phila­ delphians. Still, in view of the visit of the Parsees, the Canadians are now hardly likely to come. South African cricketers were also inclined to undertake another tour over here next summer. According to the latest news, however, they seem to have thought it advisable to defer it until 1899. A ge does not seem to have withered the infinite variety of that good old Wiltshire cricketer, W. S. Bambridge. His bowling for the Savernake Forest Club this last summer deserves indeed more than a passing notice. He was far and away at the top of the averages for 1897; and for a slow bowler his per­ formance of 43 wickets at a cost of only seven runs apiece was very much out of the common. Good “ Old Bam ! ” A ccordin g to the annual report, the Melbourne Club had a more than ordi­ nary share of success in the season just over. The First and Second Elevens secured the Pennants and Badges, a double Premiership, only once before recorded. The first eleven had a fine average of 364 rims per innings, scoring 3,271 iuns for 92 wickets, against their opponents 2,542 runs for 114 wickets. The bowling, though good, was hardly equal to that of the previous season as the average runs per wicket was 22'34 against 17-52. It will interest English cricketers to know that William Bruce earned the double distinction of having his name placed on the Merit Board for bowling as well as batting. His batting average was 62-55 for ten innings; his bowling 21-15 for 19 wickets. T h e following hundred has been scored since the last number of Cricket :— Sept. 27 J. R. Head, Mr. Warner’s Team v. Gentlemen of Philadelphia................. 101 N E X T ISSUE, THURSDAY , NO V EM B ER 25.