Cricket 1897

58 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pril 8, 1897. occurred with such regular frequency that the scorers after the third or fourth occasion gave him a gentle reminder, but not meeting with a result in the desired direction they let it go. Sometime after, when a large number of overs had been delivered, a loud guffaw was heard in the direction of short-] eg, and the players, on looking round to learn the cause, found the seven - ball - to - the - over umpire laughing to his heart’s content. Natur­ ally inquiries were made as to the cause of such apparently meaningless mirth, and to the equally intense amusement of the field, the reply came in soft dulcet tones, “ I didn’t know that I had seven buttons on my vest. A local cricketer in Australia who generally makes runs was recently caught without scoring. On being gently chaffed about this by one of the field he called the opposing team a lot of wind­ bags. One of the “ windbags ” objected to this and proposed to settle the question after the match. The challenge was accepted, but the fight could not be confined to the two men, and the result was an immediate and general scrimmage. After this was over the fielding team went quietly to their places as if nothing out of tbe way had happened, but the batting team, who presumably had the worst of it, refused to go on with the match. T h e following interesting notes are by “ An old Harrovian.” “ In Cricket of March 25th (page 86, in the third column) there seems to be some doubt as to whether Hampshire ever contended against Nottinghampshire. I wish to point out that they have been opposed to each other, twice in the year 1843, and that the full scores are given in ‘ ‘ Scores and Biographies ” of that year. In the same paragraph in Cricket is made men­ tion of matches between Victoria and Tasmania. These scores also are in “ Scores and Biographies” in full. Also scores between these colonies in 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871 (none given in 1872), 1873, &c., are in “ Scores and Biographies.” But not all these I have mentioned were played on even terms. Some were against odds.” “ A n old Harrovian” adds. “ I was informed the other day that William Pilch, of whom a few lines of biography appears in Vol. 3, page 410 of the ‘ Cricket Scores and Biographies,’ died a few years back. His death has never been recorded, I believe, in any cricket publica­ tion, and yet he was a very good all-round cricketer (he could bowl a little), a free bat, and admirable long-stop on rough ground to Mynn. He was originally, like his uncle, Fuller Pilch, a tailor, but latterly he kept a lodging house and went out waiting at and near Canterbury. He is no doubt buried next his uncle’s monu­ ment, and as there are many cricketers of note living now, I believe, at Canterbury, perhaps, if asked, one of them would send a copy of the inscription. Of the famous Kent Eleven of about 50 years back which used to contend against All England, the only surviving member now is, I believe, W. Martingell, though there may be a few more. W. Martingell is, I believe, still alive at Eton Wick, and he curiously enough played for Kent v. England and also for England v. Kent, as can be seen in “ Scores and Biogra­ phies.” But Martingell played mostly with Surrey and the M.C.C. T h e competition held at Adelaide, to which reference has been made in “ Pavilion Gossip,” for the purpose of discovering rising talent, is considered to have been satisfactory, and it is intended to repeat it next year. Last season some of the rising bowlers were opposed by J. J. Lyons, but his hitting so unnerved them that it was decided to dispense with his services this year. The batsmen were George Giffen, Darling and A. Green, and they all found that an hour and a half of very hard practice was no joke. I n a Pennant match between Mel­ bourne and North Melbourne, C. Ross and Roche put on 106 for the last wicket for the former club. Ross made his hundred in fifty-five minutes, and was in the end not out 127, an innings which included a five and 15 fours. At one time, while R'iche was making one run, Ross scored 31. As the South Australians have definitely decided not to send a team to Western Australia at Easter, George Giffen has made arrangements to take a combined team there. He has persuaded the following players to join him : Jones, Lyons, Darling, C. Hill, S. E. Gregory, Kelly, F. Iredale, H. Trott, McKibbin, and Graham. C. H il l has given another proof that he has discarded the style which he adopted in England. His latest innings of over 154 runs, not out, was made in a little over two hours, and included 23 fours. A bowler named A. Nixon, in a small match at Adelaide, took 9 wickets for 8 runs, and twice did the hat trick during the innings. All the runs were made before he had taken his second wicket. Seven of the wickets fell to him in nine balls. G r e a t efforts are being made to estab­ lish the Northumberland County C.C. on a firmer basis, and there is strong proba­ bility that men and money will be forth­ coming. In a very sensible article the Newcastle Daily Chronicle asks : “ Whore are all the public school hoys of Newcastle? Where are all the University men ? Where are all who take any interest in cricket, and would care to see first-class play without having to go from home for it? Where arethe Philanthropists andbenefactors who would promote the most healthy and harmless of pastimes—our truly national game — the pursuit of which clears and educates bothbody andmind ? Let them come forward and subscribe as members to the Club. The sum asked is hut small. A Play­ ing member is sure to get his money’s worth; all, we hope, will gain a sense of accomplish­ ment that cannot be measured by so base a standard. A few gentlemen have spent hundreds of pounds to secure a desirable end ; are they to be left alone and unsupported by the huge general public, whose accumulated “ mickles ” might constitute so formidable a “ muckle ” ? We hope not. The iron is hot, and now is the time to strike.” M r . C. S e y m o u r writes as follows, from Longfield:— ‘ ‘ I notice in the last edition of your paper that you ask if anyone can tell you if Mr. Trotter’s 207, not out, and Mr. Alexander’s 207 were made in the same match. Mr. Trotter’s score was made in amatch played on June 27 and 28, 1881. Mr. Alexander did not make any score for Phcenix over 63. During that season he was credited with the score of 207, not out, by some mistake. The following are the scores in the match in question:— First innings. Second innings. Phoenix........... 160 ... ........... 3B6 University ... 133 .................. 137(lw kt.) Mr. Trotter’s score was in the second innings. My authority is Laurence’s hand­ book of Cricket for 1880 and 1881. I also remember themistake, andhave, I find, stroked it out in Lillywhite’s Annual, in which it is also made. I remember two remarkable- scores made in Dublin some years ago. For the last wicket, in one instance, the last two men put on 211runs ; and in the other 156. In this latter case neither batsman was out. H. H. M a s s ie , in a recent local match in Australia, made 104 not out. His hitting was as hard as ever. I t is proposed to play Electorate matches at Adelaide, as at Sydney. The South Australian Cricket Association has discussed the question, but at present no definite decision has been arrived at. Matches would extend over two Satur­ days, two innings a side to be played if possible in the time ; results to be decided by points. Players would be allowed to play with one electorate club only during the season. In the event of removal from one district to another a player would complete the season with the club he began with, and not change until the following season. A player residing be­ yond the boundaries of the electorate clubs would play with one of the clubs adjoining his district. A m o v e m e n t has also been made ia Adelaide to found a University C.C. on the same lines as the University cricket clubs at Melbourne and Sydney. It will be remembered that any member of the Melbourne or Sydney University who has matriculated is eligible to play for the University C.C. as long as he likes. O w in g to outlay on the pavilion and stands, the Derbyshire County C.C. has an adverse balance of £202. It is satis­ factory, however, to note that on ordinary expenses the club paid its way, and that there is a great prospect that the debt will be paid off during the coming season. Nearly a hundred colts have applied for places in the trial match, which is to take place on Easter Monday and Tuesday. Mr. Walter Boden was re-elected as