Cricket 1899

98 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M a y 4, 1899 weak, simply because the men had no opportunity for anything like good practice. It seemed cruel sometimes to bowl them out, but they were one and all very anxious for me to play against them, because, like all cricketers in South Africa, they take every possible chance of learning something. I found all our opponents most sportsmanlike, and if they could only be coached I am con­ vinced that many of them would play well; there is plenty of good material to work upon.” “ You always played on matting ? ” “ Yes. The grass is much too coarse for wickets. The matting wickets varied very greatly. Sometimes the ground was hard underneath, sometimes it was soft, and sometimes it was covered with grass, in which case the ball would do all sorts of curious things. I should strongly advise any club in England which thinks of using matting for practice or for matches to have the ground perfectly bare underneath, and as smooth and hard as possible—asphalte for preference.” “ What is about the standard of the clubs with which you came in contact ? ” “ The best of themwould be about on a level with second-class London clubs at present. But there is so much good material to work upon that with a few years of coaching they would leave that standard far behind. I was very much struck with the playing of the school­ boys in South Africa, especially those at St. Andrew’s College, Grahamstown, and the Diocesan College at Cape Town. They have no professionals, but some of the masters are English University men, who understand the game remarkably well. Speaking of the best players in my own club at Cradock, I should say that the best of them are Yan Heerden, Henrey, and Dudley. When I first went there I found that they, like the rest of the members of the club, had only about one stroke. This was to slash a ball round fromthe off to leg, not because they had heard it was fashionable, but simply because they had a good eye, and did not know any other way of hitting. But it was astonishing how quickly they took notice, and picked up other strokes as soon as they were shown how to make them.” Like other professionals who go to South Africa, Hayes had the opportunity of enjoying some shooting, and one of his reminiscences is interesting: “ I was asked to go out aud shoot baboons one night; ” he said, “ they are very trouble­ some in the neighbourhood of Cradock, and will come down in large numbers, sometimes in broad daylight, for a raid upon the farm, and carry off cattle, sheep, fruit, etc. So every now and then the farmers combine against them. After a ride of twenty miles, a doze for a couple of hours, and another ride for about an hour, the party arrived at the bottom of a bill at about half-past two in the night. Climbing the hill there we waited, ten yards away from each other, in pitch darkness, below the cranze in which the baboons sleep, until half-past four, when the dawn came. Then suddenly there arose a tremendous yell from the Kaffirs who were acting as beaters, and I found that the baboons had started. I could see absolutely nothing, until three big baboons, tearing round the hill at a great pace, suddenly loomed up in front of me. I had not time to take aim, but I fortunately remembered to let off the gun, and one of the baboons fell.” W. A. B e t t e s w o r t h . Below will be found Hayes’ averages for Surrey in all matches :— BATTING. Not Total Highest Year. Matches. Inns. out. Runs. Score. Aver. 1896 ... 5 ... 9 ... 2 ... 152 ... 62 ... 21-71 1897 ... 4 ... 7 ... 0 ... 113 ... 50 ... 1614 1898 ... 13 ... 16 ... 2 ... 256 ... 38 ... 18'28 22 32 4 521 62 1862 BOWLING. Year. Matches. Balls. Runs. Wickets. Aver. 1896 ... 1 5 0 ... 1 ... 1897 ... 4 ... 265 121 ... 5 ... 24-20 1893 ... 12 ... 770 351 .. . 15 ... 23-40 17 1,010 472 21 22-47 HUNDREDS MADE B Y HAYES. 161* All Comers v. X IV . of Cradock, Dec. 7th, 1898. 202 Honor Oak v. West Kent Wanderers, July 30th, 1898. 1^1* Honor Oak v. Clapton, Mav 28th, 1898. 129* Honor Oak v. London Rifle Brigade, July 9th, 1898. 113 Surrey (2) v. Durham, August 8th, 1898. 124* Honor Oak v. Battersea. August 7th. 1898. 117 Surrey C. aud G. v. R M.C., May, 1896. 125 Surrey Colts v. N.C. Officers (Woolwich), July 1st, 1895. 134 Surrey (2) v. Northants, August 9th, 1895. * Signifies not out. EPSOM. MAY. 6 Epsom, v. Sutton Guild Royers 6. Stamford Green, v. Stamford Green 13. Baustead, v. Banstetd 13. Epsom, v. Ashtead ‘20. Epsom, v. Dorking 22. Epsom, v. Leatherhead 22. Cuddiogton, v. Cuddington 27. Epsom, v. Che?sington JUNE. 3. Epsom, v. Cheam 3. Sutton, v. Sutton Guild Rovers 10. Epsom, v. Crystal Palace 10. D.jraing, v. Dorking (2) 15. Eps< m v. Upper Norwood 17. Ashtead, v. Ashtead 17. Epsom, v. The Capital and Counties Bank 20. Thames Ditton, v. Thames Ditton 24. Merton, v. Merton 24. Epsom, v. Mertoa (2) 23. 8ut‘on, v. Sutton JU LY. 1. Ewell, v. Ewell 1. Carsh^lton, v. Carshalton 8. Leatherhead, v. Leatherhead 8. Eps »m, v. Sutton (2) 13. Epsom, v. Croydon 15. Dorking, v. Dorking 22. Epsom, v. Me«ton 22 Merton, v. Merton (2) 29. Epsom, v. Baostead 29. Chefsiogton, v. Chessington AUGUST. 4. Croydon, v. Croydon 5. Epi» m, v. The Wanderers 5. Ewell, v. Ewell (I) 7. Cuddington, v. Cuddiogton 7. Epsom, v. Eton Ramblers * 9. Epnom, v. Free Foresters * 12. Epsom, v. Ewell 12. Ewell, v. Ewell (2) 17 Epsom, v. Sutton 19. Epjom, v. Malden Wanderers 24. Lordship Lane, v. Upp r Norwood 28. Epsom, v. Sutton (2) *6. Dorking, v. Djrking (?) SEE-TE YIBER. 2. Crystal Palace, v Crystal Palace 2. Epsom, v. Staini rd ureeu 9. Ch -am, v. (.heam 9. Caishalton, v. Carshalton * Two-day match. MARLBOROUGH BLUES. MAY. Streatham, v. Streatham Beddington Park, v. Beddington School Ground, v. Epsom College JUNE. St. Quintia’s Park, v. Kensington Park South Hampstead, v. Hampstead Wormwood Scrubbs, v. Kensington Marlborough, v. The School* JU LY. Reigate, v. Reigate Ealing, v. Ealing <" * Broxboume, v. Broxboui ne School Ground, v. Haileybury College Surbiton, v. Surbiton AUGUST. Esher, v. Esher Bushey Park, v. Teddington Tonbridge, v. Tonbridge Club & Ground* \ Canterbury, v. St. Lawrence* Tunbridge Wells, v. Tunbridge Wells* i tt - f Tunbridge Wells, v. Blue Mantles* Goddington, v. Mr. Mallet’s X I. Beckenham, v. Beckenham* Crystal Palace, v. Crystal Palace SEPTEMBER. Catford Bridge, v. Private Banks } UXBRIDGE. MAY. Uxbridge, v. London Hospital Uxbridge, v. Ealing Uxbridge, v. South Hampstead Uxbridge, v. Hampstead Uxbridge, v. The Wanderers JUNE. Ux> ridge, v. University College Hospital Kensington Park. v. Kensington Park Uxbridge, v. Stoke Green Hampstead, v. Hampstead JU LY. Uxbridge, v. Kensington Park Uxbridge, v. Eton Ramblers Uxbridge, v. M.C.C. and Ground Uxbridge, v. The Nondescripts Uxbridge, v. Old Wykehamists AUGUST. Uxbridge, v. Dover Wanderers Uxbridge, v. Hornsey Uxbridge, v. Highgate Ealiog, v. Ealing Uxbridge, v. Chiswick Park Uxbridge, v. M. J. M. Faulkner’s X I. KENSINGTON PARK v. ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL. —Played at West Kensington, oa April 29. S t . P a u l ’ s S chool . A. E. Hunt, lbw, b Abney ...................16 A. S. Bailey, c 8tork, b Abney .................. 17 R. C. Halse, b Abney 3 J. R. Kingdon, c M. Nicholas, b Abney... 0 K. M. Mackenzie, b Abney ...................0 T. L. Winterbottom, b Abney ................... 3 H. D. Keigwin, no-!: out ........... ... 19 E.T. Hunter, c Bailey, b H. Nicholas ... 1 R. P. Culver, run out 3 G. E. Barry, c M. Nicholas, b Abney 6 T. W . W il8on,bAbney 6 B y es........................... 7 Total , 81 K ensington P a r k . M. A. Nicholas, c Hunt, b Culver ...................10 S. M. Tindall, c King­ don, b Culver ......... 16 E. H. Seaton, not out 3i T. H. ' C. Levick, c Barry, b Culver ... 41 H. D. Nicholas, ltw , b Hunter................... F. J. W ood, c Winter- bottom, b Hunter... Byes ................... Total (5 wkts.) 114 E. S. Bailey, S. E. G. Abney, H. S. Stork, W. G. Thompson, and H. C. Thompson did not bat. A USTRALIAN CRICKET TEAM FIRST MATCH in ENGLAND, CRYSTAL PALACE, MONDAY, TUESDAY, and WEDNESDAY, May 8th. 9th, and 10th. p R Y S T A L PALACE. LONDON COUNTY CRICKET CLUB. Secretary and Manager, W . G. Grace. OPENING MATCH. SOUTH OF ENGLAND AUSTRALIANS. MONDAY, TUESDAY, and WEDNESDAY, May 8th, 9th, and lith. One Three day. days. Numbered seats in covert d stands 5s. Od. 10s. 6 i Unnumbered un rt served side of ring 2s. 6J. 5s. od May now be had at Crystal Palace or any of the usual agents.