Cricket 1898

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toll.” — Byron. n o . 4 8 4 . v o l . x v i i . THUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1898. p r i c e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. M r. E. F. C. d e WINTON. There can be no possible doubt that to the world at large, Mr. de Winton is the famous old Blackheath and International Rugby half-back of three or four years ago. As a cricketer he is only known to the few, and would be the last man in the world to claim for himself the right to be num­ bered among the giants of the game. But it often happens that a man who is famous in one branch of sport, takes such a keen interest in another that his experiences are very entertaining. So it is with Mr. de Winton, who is now- helping his brother, Mr. A. J. de Winton—an old Sher- bornian, who played for his college at Oxford (Merton), and for the Swifts at football in the days before Inter­ nationals were invented—in the management of Sunny- mede School, Slough. He plays for the Marlborough Blues, Windsor Home Park, and occasionally for the Ox­ ford Authentics. He was captain of the Exeter College -C.C. in the days when the ground was situated on the highest part of a field on Cowley Marsh, which ac­ counts for the legend that a batsman hit a ball right through the players in two or three other games, ran twelve for the hit, and was then obliged to pause, be­ cause his partner absolutely refused to run any more, and so spoilt what might have been a record. Inone of theWindsor Home Park matches, against the M.C.C., Mr. de Winton had a pleasant experience which was altogether novel. “ I was batting for the Windsor Home Park,” he said; “ A ball by one of the professionals hit me on the leg. The bowler appealed for leg-before. I was given not out. But in the meantime the ball had taken a circuitous course and after the decision was given, rolled into the wicket, and knocked off a bail. I had been too interested in the appeal of the decision to notice what was happening. To my intense surprise, not to say delight, the bails were put on again, and it occurred to nobody that although I was not leg-before, I was bowled. I sat tight, of course, and pre­ pared to receive the nest ball, which (From a Photo MR. R. F. O. DK WINTON. y Elliott & Fry , Baker Streetf London, W.) arrived in due course, to my great relief, for I expected up to the last moment that someone would rise to the occasion. In another match in which I played against the M.C.C. in North London, the ground was so small that one of the M.C.C pro­ fessionals, a well-known member of the Notts team, was much amused by it. He asked the local umpire solemnly, ‘ How many to this boundary ? ’ Pour was the reply. ‘ How many to this ? ’ Four. ‘ How many to that ?’ Four. ‘ How many out of the ground ?’ Six. Then he slowly said. ‘ Well, when I go in, most times it’ll be fower, and the other times six.’ He got ‘ ought.’ ” “ Who are the most promising boys turned out by the school from the point of view of athletics ?” “ B. J. T. Bosanquet, who hasj ust got hisBlue at Oxford was a boy here. The best bowler we ever had was Von Ernsthausen, a German, who has a chance of getting into the Uppingham X I. As a boy of thirteen he was of medium pace with a very fast yorker. Wace, who has gone to Bradfield, was a very promising bat, but he had unfortunately been ill: and his brother has gone to Marl­ borough, and ought to de­ velop into a very good cricketer. Two shining lights in the rowing world. C. K. and J. L. Philips (C. K. has been president of the Oxford University B.C. for the past year), were also here before they went to Eton.” “ Whatarethe best matches played by the boys ?” “ The match which we are most anxious to win is against Sunningdale School, but we have only beaten them once. That was in 1894, when Yon Emsthausen took eight wickets in their first innings for 7 runs. In their second innings he was unable to bowl through an accident, and they made about 80 for eight wickets and declared, leaving us 60 to get in just an hour. As none of the masters were there exceptmy brother, who only had time to see the beginning of the innings, we were a good deal surprised to hear that the match had been won on the point of time by four wickets, for when a small boy-captain is face to face with a problem like that of getting 60 in an hour, he is apt to lose his head. But Von Erns­ thausen showed considerable judgment