Cricket 1899

THE FINEST BAT THE WORLD PRODUCES. M ay 11 1899. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 115 BUSSEY’S o " O OJ * 0 1 > § a £ euu 3 O' ad "5 45 “ *4 ri t3 03 «~5 . ------------ ttj o “I ° 1 o» I > » » a ! t o CO 3 C D ci o 0 > o BUSSEY’S t/j <u C o -hi o <2 a a ®3 A T T H E S IG N O F T H E W IC K E T . B r F. S. A shley -C oopee . B y far the most interesting perform­ ance during the past week was the capital fight made by Worcestershire against Yorkshire. T o run the champion county so closely is an effort of which Worcester­ shire may be pardonably proud, especially as it was their first appearance as a first- class county. To lose by only eleven runs, after playing a winning game for two days, was to achieve honour only less than what would have been theirs had victory attended their efforts. J. T. Brown, of Darfield, is to be congratulated upon his successful bow ling on his second appearance for Yorkshire—he played at Dewsbury last season against Leicester­ shire, but did not bow l—for to his efforts more than to anything else the success of his side was due. Trott’s fine performance for the M.C 0 . against Sussex demands more than a passing notice. Scores of 64 and 69, towards totals of 145 and 133, and eleven wickets in the match for 113 runs speaks volumes. A t such a rate did he score in the second innings that his first fifty-tw o runs took only twenty minutes to compile. Such rapid scoring at Lord’s had not been witnessed since H . E. Meek made twenty- seven in seven minutes for Harrow against Eton in 1877. The ten-wicket victory of Lancashire over Warwickshire was brought about by fine all-round play rather than by the efforts of one individual. To three men in particular, however, the success was principally due—to Tyldesley, for his score of 78, and to Mold and J. L. Ainsworth for their bow ling. It is very pleasing to see Mold in such fine form again: his ten wickets cost less than four-and-a-half runs each. Ainsworth was making his debut for Lancashire, and his record of seven wickets for eighty-two runs was a distinctly good performance for a first appearance. He was in the Marlborough eleven in 1894 and 1895, and, as a left-hand slow bowler, rendered great service to the side. In the first innings of Rugby at L ord’s in 1895 he was simply unplayable, delivering seventy- five balls for nine runs ai, d seven wickets. A s a member of Mr. Warner’s team in America last autumn, too, he was wonder­ fully successful, obtaining in all matches seventy-five wickets at a cost of six-and- a-third runs apiece. To William Brockwell has fallen the honour of scoring the first century of the season. It was a very fine display, his placing on the leg-side being especially noteworthy. A t one time, whilst in with Lockwood, fifty runs were added in fifteen minutes. Abel was unfortunate in being dismissed b y means of a very brilliant catch at point by Mr. L . G. Wright, who took the ball very low down with his left hand. In the firstinnings of Derbyshire, whilst Storer was making seventy-seven— an innings of inestimable worth to his side, as was Mr. Wright’s effort of sixty— only sixteen other runs were obtained from the bat. Reference must be made to Jephson’s successful bow ling. Eight wickets for eighty runs b y a lob-bow ler on a run-getting wicket is a very good performance. It may be of interest to mention that Mr. W . B. Delacombe, who plays for Derbyshire, is the tallest cricketer taking part in first- class matches, he being 6 feet 5 inches, which he reached at the early age of fifteen. The Australians have commenced their tour against the South of England at the Crystal Palace in an auspicious manner. It was a good performance on their part to get rid of the formidable side brought together b y Mr. Grace for a total of 246 — a result not brought about b y the sensational performances of one man but due to good all-round work. The field­ ing of the Australians was excellent, the ground-fielding particularly so. Of the batting strength of the team there cannot be two opinions, any one of the players being likely at any time to run up a large score. Noble, by obtaining a century in his first innings for an Australian team in England, has equalled the feat per­ formed in 1882 by H . H . Massie, who scored 206 against Oxford University. Gregory, who played very finely for his score of 124, obtained a century when he appeared on the same ground three years ago, making 154 against an eleven led by Mr. C. E . de Trafford. It is a curious fact that of the twenty-two players who took part in this week’s match all except one have at one time or another scored a century in a first-class match. Diver’s performance for Warwickshire against Leicestershire on Monday last is as yet the best he has ever accomplished in first-class cricket. His score of 184, which took but two hours and thirty-five minutes to compile, is the largest innings ever made for the county in a first-class match. In 1887 Diver made some wonderful scores for the Cambridge Victoria Club, in one week obtaining 312 not out against St. John’s College, L .V .C ., and 200 against Biggleswade, whilst a short time before he had scored 213 against Royston. He also did some sensational scoring in a match at Wimble­ don on May 31st, 1883. Playing for the Stygians against Wimbledon School, he scored 131, at one time obtaining 79, while his partner, G. P. Keeley, was making two ! With the single exception of Bichard Daft, Diver is the only person who has represented both the Gentlemen and the Players. I have received a copy of ‘ ‘ International Cricket, England v. Australia,” compiled by R. H . Campbell, and edited by “ Old Cricketer,” whom I take to be T. U. Groube, of the 1880 Australian team. Full scores of the matches are not given, but the forty pages of which the book consists are devoted to innumerable tables, all of which are very interesting. The publishers are Edgerton and Moore, 241 and 243, Flinders L in e, Melbourne, and the price of the book is sixpence. A gentleman in Newcastle has been good enough to forward a copy of the Sydney Referee for February 1st, from which it appears that early in the present year the third number of the Australian Cricket Annual was published. I am extremely pleased to realise that Mr. Davis was