Cricket 1898

S ept . 8, 1898. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 403 W ALTER HUMPHREYS. (From “ Famous Sussex Cricketers.” ) [See “ Gossip,” page 401.] With Walter Humphreys it can be truthfully stated that we have seen the last of lob bowlers. True, others occa­ sionally introduce this style of trundling, but no cricketer of the present time con­ fines himself exclusively to lobs with success. For more years than he cares now to number Walter was loyal to Sus­ sex, and both with bat and ball achieved many a brilliant victory for his county. The memorable encounter between Sussex and Yorkshire, at Sheffield, in 1883, will ever remain green in the annals of Sussex cricket. It was practically won by Walter, who, going on at a critical juncture, dismissed in quick succession Ephraim Lockwood, Frank Sugg, and J. Hunter, and Sussex won by the narrow margin of three runs. Walter Alexander Humphreys was born at Southsea, on October 28th, 1849, but his cricket has been exclusively identified with Sussex. It has been stated that he started as amiddle pace round arm bowler, but he himself contradicts the statement. Perhaps his first performance of note was at the Queen’s Park ground when but a very small boy. He was asked to bow l at Mr. Adams, the skipper of the Queen’s Park team, and immediately delivered a ball which broke in half-a-yard from the off, and took his wicket. “ D o that again,” said Adams, “ and I ’ll give you sixpence.” The manoeuvre was repeated, and with a “ thank y o u ; that will do,” the captain left the ground. Subse­ quently Walter became one of the stars of the Queen’s Park Club, and for several years participated in the majority of their engagements. But it was as a batsman that Hum ­ phreys first made his name, and during his early of county cricket he frequently opened the innings. In local matches he has performed some remarkable feats with the bat, one of his first, and best, being 176 not out, on the Brighton College ground, 28 years ago. On May 27th, 1880, he achieved a batting performance that has few equals, viz., by scoring 113 not out when no other member of his side reached double figures. On one occasion, too, in first-class cricket, he was credited with a century, and scored 82 against Lancashire the same year. Humphreys first assisted his adopted county on June 22nd, 1871, in a match against Kent, on the old Brunswick cricket ground, when he was responsible for a contribution of 44 ; but it was not until ten years later that his bowling met with success. Against Surrey in 1880, after compiling two excellent scores of 17 not out, and 35, he was tried with his lobs, and so effective did they prove that the wickets of W . W . Read, J. Shuter, C. W. Burls, R. Humphrey, andE .Pooley, were cleaned bowled by him. His success lead to a tiial in the Australian match at Brighton the same season, when he was even more destructive, capturing five of the Colonial wickets for 32 runs, and per­ forming a feat commonly known as the “ hat trick.” It is somewhat curious that he accomplished the same perform­ ance against the Australians four years later, on the same ground. Undoubtedly his best year for Sussex was in 1893, during which season he obtained no fewer than 148 wickets for his county, and created a record that has never been beaten. In one match — that with Somersetshire — he was respon­ sible for fifteen of the wickets that fell. On several occasions in minor fixtures Walter has captured the whole ten wickets in an innings; and in a match at Uckfield, on April 6 th, 1888, against the Nutley Olub, he actually was credited with eight wickets withouthaving a single run scored from him. He has, however, at times been expensive, for the same sea­ son he was punished severely by the Light Blues ; having 92 runs scored from him without capturing a wicket. He is capa­ ble of accommodating himself to all kinds of experiences, and was always ready to help a comrade. As an instance, in 1892, when his batting abilities had somewhat diminished, he kept up his wicket for seventy minutes without scoring a run in order to enable Mr. G. Brann to reach his hundred. In reply to a question once put to him Walter replied, “ I can assure you that it is the hardest of hard work to bow l lobs. It may seem easy, but it is not. I put out all my strength when I am bowling, and a fast bowler can do no more. Y ou see I take a long run and follow up the ball a good deal.” Humphreys was also a brilliant field, especially to his own bow l­ ing, and was almost worthy a place in the county eleven for that department only. His brother, George, used to assist Sussex years ago, and his son, Walter, junr., promises to uphold the tradition of lob bowling. He was tried in the recent Colt’s match at Hove, and captured five wickets for 48 runs. Walter Humphreys is one of the few cricketers who have assisted Sussex for a period of twenty years. I can only recall a dozen without time for research, namely : H . Morley, James Broadbridge, C. G. Taylor, the Brothers Napper, George Barton, James Dean, Tom Box, John Lilly white, G. W . King, James Lillywhite, Harry Phillips, and the sub­ ject of this sketch. NONDESCRIPTS. M atches played, 20; won, 4 ; draw n, 10; lost, 6. BATTING AVERAGES. No. Times Most of not in an Total inns. out. inns. runs. A ver. H. H . C o b b ......................14 ... 2 ... 165 .. 536 ... 44 66 J . 8. H aycraft ............. 14 ... 2 ... 129 .. 412 ... 34 33 E. L . M arsden ............. 8 ... 0 ... 150 ...218 .. 27'25 E. W . H . Heaton........... 16 ... 2 ... 71 .. 328 ... 23 42 G. A . S. Hickson............ 6 ... 1 ... 33 ... 97 ... 19 4 C. D. D. M cM illin ... 19 ... 2 ... 65 .. 274 ... 16 11 R . A . H ill ...................... 8 ... 0 ... 32 ...123 ... 15-37 A . R. Trim en ............. 7 ... 2 ... 61 ... 76 ... 16 2 R . Leigh-Ibbs ............ 13 ... 4 ... 36 ...126 ... 14 00 H . W ade ...................... 9 ... 1 ... 50 ...112 ... 14 00 8. 8. Paw ling ............ 8 ... 1 ... 21 ... 58 ... 8-28 H . C. Preston ............. 9 ... 0 ... 18 ... 66 ... 7 33 A . E iloart ..................... 8 ... 2 ... 8*... 35 ... 6'83 L. HutchinBOn ............16 ... 4 ... 10 ... 42 ... 3*5 The following have also batted : W . W . A’Deane, 71; W . T. C. H . D anby, 35, 2, 49 ; F . R . D. Monro, 36 ; D, M acGregor, 37, 3 ; J . G. Q. Besch, 27, 6 ,1 3 ; R . H . M allett, 29; R . M atthews, 5, 3, 0, 14; H . R. Hebert, 2, 7, 11* ;L .A . Cane, 7, 3, 5, 0 ; L . Corke, 2, 4.12 ; F . S. Young,8, 6, 0 ; F . V . Selfe, 0 ,1 ,4 ; H . G. P rice-W illiam s, 6 ,1 1 ; J . Gibbon, 2; W . H . Kelson, 2 ; W . F . Hancock, 0 ; H . T . Tewson, 0 ; G. H ead, 0. BOWLING AVERAGES. (Six innings and over.) Overs. M dns. Runs. W kts. Aver. A. E iloart ..................... 2 2 ... 2 . .. 8 1 ... 7 ... 1156 A. R . Trim en .............. 63 ... 17 ... 169 ... 13 ... 13 00 E. L . M arsd e n ...............267 ... 80 ... 561 ... 38 ... 14’5 H. H. Csbb........................ 64 ... 8 ... 245 ... 18 . 1886 S. S P aw ling ...............157 ... 37 ... 471 ... 22 ... 2143 H . C. Preston .............. 63 ... 10 .. 206 ... 8 ... 25 74 L . H u tch in so n ..............315 ... 70 .. 787 ... 29 ... 27’13 The following have also bowled and taken w ickets: F. V. Selfe, 8 for 55; E. W . H . Beaton, 6 for 72 ; J . Gibbon, 2 for 24; R . H . M allett, 2 for 25 ; W . T . C. H. D anby, 1 for 15 ; G. H ead, 1 for 16; L . Corke, 4 for 59; L . A . Cane, 9 for 145: H . W ade, 8 for 56 ; R . M atthew s, 4 for 89 ; H . G. P rice-W illiam s, 2 for 45 ; J . S. H aycraft, 8 for 108 ; H . R . H ebert, 2 for 92. C R Y S T A L P A L A C E . M atches played, 49 ; won, 23; lost, 11; draw n, 15. BATTING AVERAGES. No. Times Most of not T otal in an inns. out. runs. inns. Aver. J . M . Cam pbell............ 11 ... 1 ... 439 ... 125 ... 43-9 F . A . B . Anderson ... 17 ... 0 ... 580 ... 110 ... 31-2 8. Colman ...................... 13 ... 3 ... 335 ...70*— 33 5 E. G u y-T u rn er............ 15 ... 1 ... 384 ... 135 ... 27’6 C. M itc h ell..................... 17 ... 0 ... 447 ... 90 ... 265 J . H . T o d d ..................... 12 ... 1 ... 290 ... 61 ... 26'4 L . 8. W e lls .................... 30 ... 2 ... 624 ... 76 ... 22 8 W . C. Collins ............. 18 ... 2 ... 338 ... 62 ... 21’2 F . C. B a rch a rd ............ 17 ... 1 ... 314 ... 36 ... 19-10 W . M oran ..................... 10 ... 0 ... 194 ... 43 ... 19-4 F . H ill............................... 11 ... 3 .., 144 ... 44 ... 18 0 H. Colegrave ............. 11 ... 1 ... 178 ... 64*... 17-8 G. E. B icknell ............. 13 ... 1 209 ... 31 ... 17 5 R . H . D illon ............ 30 ... 2 ... 469 ... 88 ... 16 21 W . F. Um ney ............ 16 ... 3 ... 196 ... 46*... 16-4 T. A . D arke ............ 19 ... 4 ... 223 ... 50 ... 14‘13 L . W alker ...................... 16 ... 0 ... 226 ... 43 ... 14-2 R . W hite ..................... 13 ... 3 ... 125 ... 36*... 12‘5 F . J . Flem ing ............ 11 ... 0 ... 123 .. 61 ... 11-2 G. Cosens ..................... 10 ... 2 ... 80 ... 26 ... 100 A. B . C ipriani ............ 14 ... 1 ... 112 ... 54 ... 8'8 J .C . M allam ............ 10 ... 0 ... 7 2 ... 1 7 ... 7'2 F. M . M allam ............ 10 ... 2 3 8 ... 12*... 4’6 Under ten in n in gs: — F . H . Nelson ............ 8 ... 1 ... 232 ... 101 ... 331 H . Vanderzee ... ... 9 ... 1 ... 192 ... 50*... 24*0 G. Gordon-Smith ... 5 ... 1 ... 90 ... 34 ... 222 A Cosens ..................... 7 ... 1 ... 107 ... 62 ... 17’5 W . F. L . F r ith ............ 9 ... 2 ... 109 ... 32*... 154 D. E liott-Lockhart ... 7 ... 0 ... 96 ... 44 ... 13*5 H .W . D illon ............ 6 ... 1 ... 68 ... 31 ... 133 E. B . Howell ............ ff ... o .. 102 ... 66 ... 12‘6 R . H . H ayne ............ 9 ... 3 ... 70 ... 18*... 11-4 A . A . K night ............ 8 ... 2 ... 61 ... 32*... 10'1 W .E . B arber ............. 6 ... 0 ... 6 0 ... 2 7 ... 8 2 W . B rander ............. 7 ... 2 ... 41 ... 11 ... 8 1 K . C larke ..................... 8 ... 0 ... 6 4 ... 1 8 ... 8'0 Seton-Browne ............ 8 ... 1 ... 54 ... 22 ... 7'5 W . E. H ardy ........... 6 ... 1 ... 33 ... 28 ... 6 3 E. H . Lulham ............ 6 ... 1 ... 32 ... 11*... 6-2 F. A . Glover ............ 7 ... 2 ... 16 ... 6 ... S’l Thefollowing also batted P. C. B aker, 1 ; F . B ellam y,16 ,12;Colonel F. Cam pbell, 12*; F. W . B. Cam pbell, 3 ; H . P . Cram pton, 2 ; Curtis H ayw ard, 0, 9, 8, 2 ; R . H . Fox, 10, 8, 4 ; E. H . Heasm an, 3 ; C. G ordon-Smith, 20, 0, 6 ; H . R . L adell, 2*, 5*, 6 ! J . L . E liott-Lockbart, 1 ; G. M arks. 6, 2, 7 ; A . Mor­ tim er, 3*, 7, 3*; C. F . Powell, 7*; H . W . P ullen, 2*, 0 ; A . F . Todd, 5 ; H . Lloyd-T urner, 21, 10; J . C. Um ney, 4*, 0 ; H . G. V eysey, 12, 0 ; H . O. W ells, 0,16’ , 1 1 ,0 ; H . G. W ood, 0, 6* ; F . A . W om bwell, l j R . H . D arke, 8*, 11, I * ; V . M ostyn, 10; Covell, 1 ; R . B . Brooks, 29*, 11, 0. CENTURIES. F. H . Nelson, 101; J . M . Cam pbell, 125; E . Guy- T um er, 135; F . A . B . Anderson, 110. BOWLING AVERAGES. 100 overs or tw enty w ickets : — Overs. M dns. Runs. W kts. Aver. W . E. M oran ............ 164 ... 37 ... 387 ... 34 ... 11-13 A. A . K night ............ 121 ... 36 ... 241 ... 19 ... 12 13 W . F . U m n ey............ 329 ... 98 ... 670 ... 54 ... 12'22 F. J . F le m in g ............ 137 ... 44 ... 298 ... 22 ... 13'12 L . W alk er ............ 200 ... 63 ... 469 ... 34 ... 13 27 L . S . W ells ............512 ...10i ...1562 ...116 ... 13'67 F. C. B arcbard............ 124 ... 26 ... 356 ... 21 ... 16'20 U nder 100 overs E. Guy T urner;........... 80 ... 19 ... 212 ... 17 ... 12’8 W . B rander ............ 40 ... 11 ... 136 ... 10 ... 13 6 H . Colegrave ............. 67 ... 14 ... 139 ... 10 ... 13 9 W . C. Collins ............ 90 ... 20 ... 219 ... 16 ... 13'11 G. C o sen s..................... 81 ... 19 ... 170 ... 9 ... 18'8 Curtis H ayw ard ... 44 ... 11 ... 135 ... 7 ... 19'2 K. C la rk e ..................... 32 ... 4 ... 100 ... 5 ... 20’0 E. H . L u lh am ............ 69 ... 11 ... 223 .. 8 ... 27'7 A. C osens..................... 86 ... 21 ... 231 ... 7 ... 330 The following also bowled and took wickets J . M . Campbell, 2 for 96 ; W . E. Barber, 1 for 22 ; G. E. B icknell, 3 for 165 ; 8. Colman, 1 for 64 ; A . B. Cipriani, 1 for 3 6 ; R . H . Dillon, 3 for 106; F. A. Glover, 1 for 13 ; E. B . Howell, 8 for 88; W . F . L. Frith. 1 for 84 ; F. H ill, 3 for 42 j F. H . Nelson, 4 for Si ■ H . W . P ullen, 1 for 16 ; C. M itchell, 1 for 6 ; H. O. W ells, 1 for 26 ; and F . A . B . Anderson, 1 for 44,