Cricket 1897

462 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. N o v . 25, 1897 Oval, it is possible that cricket will not be anything like as much in evidence on the Surrey ground next May as of recent years. Great progess by the way has been and is being made with those same new buildings. Gbbat Scott! The Almanac over whose death, on the authority of a Colonial paper, I shed more than a passing tear in Cricket of August 26, is, after all, alive and kicking. At least, I have a satisfactory assurance to that effect in the shape of a letter, dated Melbourne, October 2, and in the hand- writing I know so well. It was another “ Dave Soott ” who died, a Queenslander by the way. Anyhow, all who know, or have known the Almanac personally, or by repute, will be delighted to hear that he is still going very strong, as his long letter indicates. Moreover, he has two boys coining along who bid fair to make really good cricketers in a year or two. P r o f e s sio n a l cricketers may be interested to know that there is likely to be an engagement shortly for a bowler in New Zealand. The authorities in Auck­ land have it seriously in contemplation to engage, if they can, a fairly good player for the winter months, that is from October to Match. Communication is now so easy, and the climate of New Zealand is so good, that an engagement there under such circumstances might be well worth the consideration of some professional cricketers. When the matter developes further, particulars will be given. H. F. B o y le , the Australian veteran, is now in the service of the Victorian Government, located away up among the mountains in Gippsland. He is Inspector of Tracks, and the duties of his position require that he should be on horseback most of his time. As some Cricket readers may remember, he went to Brisbane, but life in Queensland evidently did not suit him, and as will be seen, he lost little or no time in returning to Victoria. E. T. J o n es , the South Australian fast bowler, was no-balled, it is hardly necessary to remind Cricket readers, by James Phillips in the recent match be­ tween Mr. Stoddart’s Team and South Australia. E ssex , so it is reported, are not un­ likely to meet Oxford next year. The excellent all-round cricket shown by the Essex eleven last summer has made them popular everywhere, and their appear­ ance would be heartily welcomed, too, in any part of the country. Essex cricket bids fair, indeed, to be one of the most striking features of next as it was of last season. I f the reports of the applications for the secretaryship of tbe Marylebone Club be true, the committee will have plenty of good men from whom to make their choice. It would not be discreet, of course, to give any of the names. The difficulty will be for the Marylebone Committee to come to a decision where there are so many competent applicants. Three old University players of distinc­ tion, I am able to say of my own know­ ledge, are well in the running. The name of a well-known military cricketer was freely mentioned at one time as a promising candidate, but it appears with­ out any real ground. The following are some of the latest hundreds:— N o v . 12.— H . D o n n a n , N e w S o u t h W a l e s v . M r . S t o d d a r t ’ s T e a m .........................................104 Nov. 1 3 . —A . C . M a c L a r e n , M r . S t o d d a r t ’ s T e a m v . N e w S o u t h W a l e s ...................142 Nov. 15.—A . C. M a c L a r e n , M r . S t o d d a r t ’ s T eam v . N e w S o u t h W a l e s ...................100 Nov. 15. — K. S. R a n j it s in h ji . M r. S t o d d a r t ’ s T e a m v . N e w S o u t h W a l e s .................*112 Sept. 25.—J. Cooper, Carlton v. Melbourne..............102 Oct. 2.—S. Donahoo, South Brisbane, v. Toowong (Queensland) ......................121 Oct. 2.—L. W . Pye, Central Cumberland v. Carlingford (Sydney) ..............................136 Oct. 4.—L. W . Pye, Central Cumberland v. Hawkesbury District (Sydney)............*239 Oct. 24.—C. Y. Davy, Bangalore Gymkhana v. Capt. Hoare's X I ....................................108 Nov. 20.—A . E. Stoddart, Mr. Stoddart’s Team v. Eighteen of Newcastle ...................116 Nov. 20.—Hirst, Mr. Stoddart’s Team v. Eighteen of Newcastle..........................139 Nov. 23.—Hayward, Mr. Stoddart’s Team v. Gleninnes..................................................*108 ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. W . W . (Wigan) —“ The English Cricketers’ Trip to Canada and the United States,” by Fred Lillywhite, 1359, is rare, but we do not know its value. E n q u ir y .— The test matches played during Mr. Stod­ dart’s last tour, resulted as follow sD ecem b er 14 to 20 (1894), at Sydney—Mr. Stoddart’s X I. won by ten runs ; December 29 to January 3 (1896), at Melbourne - Mr. Stoddart’s X I. won by 94 runs; January 11 to 15, at Adelaide—Australia won by 382 runs; February 1 to 4, at Sydney—Australia won by an innings and 147 runs ; March I to 6, at Melbourne—Mr. Stoddart’s X I. won by six wickets. G. B. O sb or n e (Vigo).—W e are sorry that we cannot help you, but a list of the principal players from 1870 upwards would about fill the paper. a b o u t f i e l d i n g . INTERESTING REMINISCENCES BY “ FELIX.” From the Australasian. In the deep field or “ country ” I have never seen anyone to surpass the late Fred Grace, and in the very year in which he died (1880) he made one of the finest catches ever seen in England. It was in the first test match ever played in the old country between England and Australia. The hit was by George Bonnor, and two runs were actually made before Fred Grace caught the ball. The veteran F. Gale chained the distance with two of the ground men at the Oval, and the measure­ ment was 115 yards. The ball appeared almost a speck, and at its greatest height “ hung ” in the air. The cheering when that catch was taken was simply deafen­ ing. Fred Grace evidently made catching in the long-field a study, and the number of men who have been dismissed through the Grace trap (W. G. bowling and F. G. fielding) is surprising. No one ever dreamt of Fred Grace missing a chance. George Parr, too, was a splendid outfield in his prime, and a splendid thrower. He was once matched at Lord’s to throw against a soldier of the Foot Guards, and George won with a throw of 110j yards. George Bonnor was a grand thrower from the outfield. On the Military Parade ground, in Plymouth, he won a wager of £50 by throwing 119 yards 2 feet 5 inches in 1882. The bet was that he would not throw 115 yards the first throw on the first day he landed in England. I trained old Bon on board ship for that throw, rubbing him down twice a day and putting him through dumbbell exercises. I believe that Bon has thrown a ball 128 yards, and Spoff ran him close with, I think, 122 yards. It is not generally known that Aph Davis could throw about 112 yards. I could throw a cricket ball 103 yards, and I think my old friend George Bailey, of Hobart, could beat me. We were both reckoned very good outfields in 1878, and one of the strangest incidents that ever occurred on a cricket field was when George Bailey, in returning a ball from the outfield on the Sydney ground broke his arm in the act of throwing. I remember the late Dr. Fortescue’s comment when he examined the broken arm in the pavilion, “ Bone too brittle; a beautiful break though.” One of the best and most accurate throwers I have ever seen is Syd Gregory, who when first he went to England astonished and delighted the spectators by his brilliance at cover. You remember how he threw Johnnie Briggs out. Wasn’t it Johnnie’s father who told him to learn how to field at cover from little Syd ? My friend, Mr. Mudie, the Lancastrian, thinks that Syd may fairly be bracketed with the Rev. Yernon Royle as a cover-point. Old Tom Emmett, brisk and eager as he was for stealing runs, would never dream of running when a ball was played towards Vernon Royle. “ N oa! I tell thee I woan’t go ; it’s gone t’ plaace.” “ T’ plaace ” always meant the spot where Vernon Royle was stationed. Tom, as you know, used to punish on the off. Once when a fields­ man at point was standing rather close, Tom said to him, “ If I were thee, mister, I ’d stand a little furt her back, because when I hits there, I h its adjectival hard.” The fieldsman, without delay, acted on Tom’s advice. I think it was W. H. Cooper who had a narrow shave once at point from a flashlight stroke of Tom’s. The ball tipped W. H .’s ear, and was at the boundary in no time. Two years later, when Tom came out with another team, the first words he uttered on seeing W.H. were, “ That was a narrow shave you had that time, Miv Cooper.” Talking about “ point,” I think our own “ little wonder,” the late T. J. D. Kelly, may be classed with the very best at that post either in England or Austra­ lia. Absolutely fearless, he stood boldly up to the most aggressive off-player, and, perhaps, there never was a more brilliant catch at point than that which T. J. D. made when he caught Caffyn off Frank Allan in 1867. So swift was the stroke, so sudden the catch, that people wondered where the ball had gone, but presently, when they realised the true position, the “ little wonder ” was greeted with the heartiest of plaudits. In Sydney once he stood close up to Alick Bannerman on a perfect wicket. It was easy to see that Alick did not like it, and before long he let out at one to see if he could shift N E X T ISSUE, THUR SDAY , DECEMBER 30.