Cricket 1898

422 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. S ep t. 15, 1898. THE CLAPTON CRICKET CLUB, 1898. M atches arran gtd . 49; played, 41; won, 13; lost, £» drawn, .0 ; acandoued, 8. M ay 7—v. Hi hmond. D rawn. Clapton, 175 for 5 w ickets (declared) ; Eichmond, 38 for 9 w icket-. M ay 7—v. Enfi Id (a ). Lost. Clapton, 84 for 9 wicket* ; Eufi ld , 124 for 6 tick ets. M ay 7—v. Boutn Woodford. Lost. South W ood­ ford, l'J5 ; Clapton, 49. M ay 4—v. Hornsey. D rawn. H ornsey, 163 for 6 Wickets ; Clap.on, 63 for 2 wiokets. M ay 14—v. Lower Clapton. D rawn. Clapton, 144 for 4 wickets (declared); L ow tr Clapton, 60 for b w ickets. M ay 14—v. Lower Clapton (a ). W on. Clapton, h i ; Lower Cldpton. 79. M ay 19—v Padding on. Abandoned (wet). M ay 21—v. Woodford W ells. Abandoned (wet). M ay 2 1 -rV . Woodford W ells (a ). W on. Wooof »rd W ells, 34; Clapton, 71 for 9 wickets. M ay 21—v. Finchley (a ) . Lost. Clapton, 50; F inchley, 60. M ay 28—v. Honor Oak. D rawn. Honor Oak, 233 for 2 wickets (d eclared ); Clapton, 110 for 8 wickets. M ay 28—v. Honor Oak (a ). D iaw n. Clapton, 162 for 2 wickets (declared); Honor Oak, 82 for 5 wickeds. M ay 30—v. Sou.h Esaex. Won. South E ssex, 33 and 67 ; Clapton, 190 M ay 31—v. B ighgate. Abandoned (wet). Ju n e 1—v. Edmouton. Abandoned (wet). Ju n e 2—v. City of London. A: anduned (wet). Ju n e 4—v. Cheshunt. Loat. Clapton, 80 and 39 for 1 w ick et; Cheshunt, 138. Ju n e 4—v. Cheshunt (a ). D rawn. Clapton, 181 for 5 wickets (d -clared); Cheshunt, 86 for 5 wickets. Ju n e 11—v. H oLorn. D rawn. Clapton, 187 for 6 wickets (declared); Holborn, 69 for 8 wickets. Ju n e 11—v. Holborn (a ) . Won. Clapton, 100; Holborn, 61. J u o e ll—v. Old H olloway Collegians. Drawn. Clapt .n, 110 for 4 wickets (declared); Old H olloway Col egians, 53 for 6 w ickets. Ju n e 16—v. Old H ollow ay Collegians. Scratched. Ju n e 18—v. Enfield. D rawn. Clapton, 141; En­ field, 54 for 7 wickets. Ju n e 18—y. South Woodford. W on. South W ood­ ford, 91; Clapton. 190 for 4 wickets, Ju n e 23—v. Brixton W anderers. D rawn. Cl»p- ton, 257; B rixton W anderers, 154 for 3 wickets Ju n e 25—v. Honor Oak. D rawn. Honor Oak, 157 for 9 w icketa; Clapton, 116 for 8 wickets. Ju n e 26—v. Honor Oak (a ). W on. Honor Oak, 66; Clapton, 142 for 9 wicketa. Ju n e 25—v. W inchmore H ill V illage. Lost. Clap­ ton, 54; W inchmore b ill V illage, 8l f _>r4 wickets. Ju n e 30—v. Finchley. D rawn. Clapton. 168; Finchley, 71 for 6 wickets Ju ly 2—v. Loughton. W on. Loughton, 91; C.ap- ton, 150 for 7 wicltets. Ju ly 2—y. Lougliton ( a ). W on. Clapton, 120; Loughton, 51 and 26 for 6 wickets. Ju ly 7—v. L .R .U .S.R . W on. L .R .U .S .R ., 103; Clapton, 166 for 6 wickets. Ju ly 9—v. Woodford W ells. D rawn. Woodford W ells, 142: C lipton, 108 for 6 wickets. Ju ly 9—Woodford W ells. W on. Woodford W ells, 67 ; Clapton, 140 for 2 wickets. Ju ly 11—v. M.C.C. and Ground. Lost. M .C.C., 293 for 6 wickets (declared); Clapton, 78. Ju ly 16—v. Tottenham . Lost. Tottenham , 168; Clapton, 151. Ju ly 16—v. Tottenham (a ) . Drawn. Tottenham , 201 for 6 wicketa (declared); Clapton, 136 for 3 wickets. Ju ly 23—v. South H am patead. Lost. South H am pstead, 115; Clapton, 108. Ju ly 23—v. B ighgate ( a ) . W on. H ighgate, 47; Clapton, 73. Ju ly 30—v. H ighgate ( a ). D rawn. H ighgate, 171 for 3 wickets (declared); Clapton, 137 for 3 wickets. A ugust 1—v. Old Citizens. D rawn. Old Citizens, 185; Clapton, 179 for 6 wickets. A ugust 6—v. Leyton. D rawn. L eyton, 178 for 7 wickets (dec’a re d ); Clapton, 65 for 2 w ickets. A ugust 6—y. Leyton (a ). Won. Clapton, 149 j Leyton, 66. A ugust 13—y. Islington Albion. D rawn. Islington A lbion, 195; Clapton, 105 for 2 w ickets. A ugust 20—v. Hornsey. W on. H ornsey, 139; Clap ton, 143 for 5 wickets. A ugust 27—y. Tottenham . Abandoned (wet). A ugust 27—v. Tottenham ( a ). Abandoned (wet). Septem ber 3—v. Paddington. D rawn. P adding­ ton, 202 for 4 w ickets (declared) ; Clapton, 64 for 5 wickets. Septem ber 3—v. Paddington ( a ). D rawn. Clap­ ton, 209 for 7 wickets (delared) ; Paddington, 46 for 9 w ickets. C lap ton scored 6,217 runs for the loss of 289 w ickets; average 18*15. Their opponents, 4,762 for 242 wickets ; average 19*54. CEN TU RIES. J . Attenborough, v. Paddington (A) F . A . boys, v. H ighgate (A) ............. 102 * 100 * BATTING AVERAGES. Ten innings. No. Times Most of not Total in an inns. out. runs. inns. Aver. FT. Boyton ............ ... 18 ... 4 .. 528 ... 81 .. . 37*10 F. A. Boys ............ ... 11 ... 1 .,.. 373 ..100*.. . 37*3 H . E. V. Chichester ... 13 .,.. 2 ... 322 . 71*.. . 293 A W . Renals ... 12 ... 1 ... 255 ... 80 .. . 23 2 J L . T ate ............ ... 15 ... 2 ... 283 ... 75 .. . 21*10 H . B. H u g ill............ ... 13 ... 2 ... 220 ... 54 .. . 20*10 W . Goodwin... ... ... 11 ... 2 ... 176 ... 54 .. . 19 5 8. A. Asser ............ ... 16 .... '1 . .. 264 ... 95 ... 18 12 J . H Douglas ... 19 ... 3 ... 281 ... 58*.. . 17-9 J . J . W iggett ... 12 ... 3 ... 169 ... 54*.. . 17 6 A . Dodson ............ ... 13 ... 2 .. 154 ... 26 .. . 14 0 F. L. Jenkins ... 10 ... 1 ,. 98 ... 42 .. . 108 F . A . Bishop ... 15 ... 0 ... 148 ... 32 .. . 9 13 S. Genders ............ ... 11 ... 2 ... 69 ... 21 .. . 7 6 N ine innings and under J . Attenborough... ... 5 ... 3 ... 181 . ..102*.. . 92 0 H . F. Britton ... 7 ... 1 .. 187 ... 71* . 31*1 A. J . Chapman ... ... 7 ... 3 .,.. 78 ... 20*. . 19*2 S. R eyn o ld s............ ... 7 ... 1 ... 78 ... 41 .. . 13-0 C. H. Nelson ... 9 ... 1 ... :03 ... 31 .. . 12 7 F. M . H arding ... ... 6 ... 0 ... 73 ... 47 .. . 12 1 R . H . W albancke ... 8 ... 3 ... 61 ... 20 .. . 120 C. J . L ittle ............ ... 8 ... 1 ... 82 ... 25 .. . 11*6 A . E. Boys ............ ... 9 ... 1 ..,. 92 ... 22*.. . 11*4 Dr. L ad ell ............ ... 6 ... 1 ... 57 ... 17 . 11*2 C. Brown ............ ... 8 ... 1 ... 71 ... 20 .. . 101 A. J . D yke ............ ... 8 ... 0 ... 71 ... 26 .. . 8 7 O A . Covemton ... ... 5 ... 0 .. 41 ... 16 .. . 8-1 G Stanley ............ ... 9 ... 2 . 51 ... 18 .. 72 W . H. Nolloth ... ... 6 ... 1 ... 30 ... 15 .. 6*0 J . Roberts ............ .. 5 .. 0 ... ,*0 ... 16 .. . 6 0 H. E. Trafford ... ... 5 . 0 . .. 26 ... 12 .. . 5*1 The following also batted in one or more innings :— J . A. Abbott, Stanley Brifrga, J . H. D ouglas, ju n ., E. E lkington, P. H. Griffey, W . H . Gordon, L. Jacobs, 8. Meadows, H . A. M ilton. C. McGahey, G. M azengarb, E C. Palm er, J . H . Renals, W . W. Th/>iogocd H. Low e-U rling, M . Van Boolen, H . W interbun, J . P . W ard and E. P. W ard. BOWLING AVERAGES. M i jim u m —S ix innings. Overs. M dns. Runs. W kts. Aver. F . L . Jen kin s ... . A. E. B o y s................... S. G en d e rs.................. A. J . D yke.................... W . Goodwin .......... W . H . N o llo th........... S. R eynold s................. H . Boyton ... . F . A. Bishop .......... S. A . A sser.................. C. H . Nelson ... . F. A. B o y s ................... H . E. V. Chicherter.. The following also bowled in one or more innings : — J . A. Abbott, C. Brown, H. F. B ritton, C. A.Covern- ton, A. Dodson, J . H. Douglas, J . H . D ouglas, jun ., E. E lkington, W . H . Gordon, P. H. Griffey, F . M. H arding, H. H ugill. C. J . L ittle, H. A. M ilton, J . H. R enals. A. W . Renals, J . Roberts, E. J . Richardson. G. Stanley, W . W . Thorogood and E. P. W ard. 187 .,.. fO ... 422 ... 53 . .. 751 . 31 ., 8 .... 77 .. 7 ... 11*0 101 . 26 .. . 251 .. 21 .. 11*20 .206 .. 76 .. . 394 .. . 33 .. . 11*31 . 50 .. . 6 ..,. 160 .. 13 . .. 12 4 110 .... 9 .,.. 405 .. . 3 1 .... 12 21 . 71 ... 25 ... 169 .... 13 . .. 13*0 . 74 . .. 14 ... 26> .,.. 20 . .. 13-5 .217 .. 48 ..,. 530 .. . 37 .,.. 14-12 .223 .,.. 61 ... 538 . .. 35 ... 15*13 . 72 .,.. 20 .... 174 . ,. 9 ... 19-3 . 53 . .. 12 .... 118 .,,. 6 .. 194 . 40 ., 7 .,.. 142 .. 4 .,.. 35 2 LESSONS OF 1898. From a review of thepast county season, in the Field, of Saturday last, we extract the following, partly because of its interest at the present moment, and partly because it expresses in another -form the opinions which have appeared in Cricket from time to time. “ On the whole it may be taken as generally agreed that the frequency with which huge totals are nowadays com­ piled is not altogether to the advantage of the game. Whether it is the effect of the improvement of grounds, and there­ fore likely to be permanent, or an advance in the general standard of batting skill as compared with that of bow ling—in which case time may provide a remedy—is not easily to be decided. A year ago attention was called in these columns to the large proportion of the county matches which had been left unfinished. That proportion has now been exceeded; of 138 fixtures, 56 have given no result. But the difference is more than accounted for by the wet weather of the earlier weeks, and, there­ fore, cannot be ascribed to excessively high scoring. Slow batting on perfect wickets is a natural outgrowth of the great importance attached to the results of county matches and to the methodical endeavours made by most of the elevens to rise as high as possible in the tab]e of a recognised county champion­ ship. The study of averages, too, and the candour with which criticisms of selected players is volunteered by non- players, can hardly be without their effect, especially on those to whom cricket is a means of livelihood, and a place iu a county eleven an indispensable condition of moderate prosperity. Among the proposed amendments of the laws which reasonably find the greatest favour is the extension of the right of a captain to declare his innings closed, in order that his side may not have to remain at the wickets when time is of great, and runs of little, value—the other alternative being to desire his batsmen to make their stay as short as possible. Alterations in the law of leg before wicket are, as heretofore, continually mooted, but they have the serious defect of threatening to spoil other than first- clasi cricket by placing the batsman too much at the mercy of the umpire. The immense advantage secured by winning the toss when the turf is in good condi­ tion has been amply illustrated in many matches of the season, but there are obvious dangers in the proposal to give each side the choice of innings in a pair of home and home matches. On the other hand, the optional follow -on has not been so much in demand in the past as in its predecessors. A glance at the comparative success and failure of the various counties tends to show that material resources still count for a good deal, though the brilliant feats of the Middlesex and Gloucestershire elevens, containing a large number of gentlemen, have helped to postpone the perhaps inevitable hour when a large reseive of professional strength will be necessary for a high place on the ladder. Even now it would seem to conduce to winning the championship that a candidate should have the means to play matches with all the rest, including, of course, the weakest. For this purpose the possession of a ground accessible to a large and patriotic population is no less important than the command of a region fertile in young players, who are nowadays drawn rather from the industrial than from the agri­ cultural classes. The immense value of good bowling is another point enforced by the statistics of the season. Y ork­ shire, without doubt, owes its premiership in the first place to the appearance of a young bowler of exceptional talent ready to take the place vacated by P eel; the skill of Hearne and Trott has been the principal factor in the August campaign of M iddlesex; Gloucestershire has been assisted immensely by Townsend’s effec­ tiveness. On the other hand, the weak­ ness of Leicestershire and Hampshire, and the consequences of the partial loss