Cricket 1899

A u g . 10, 1899. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 327 BUSSEY’S CO * J o 6 m fe D co iJ 1J : w £ -0 3 ; g j ! h < o LU g CD 43 «±! S _ CO 0 9 CO CO w CO B P ? f £ M o w 0 3 I C O t CO I ^ 3 J § s Q D BUSSEY’S A T TH E SIGN OF TH E W IC K E T . B y F. S. A shley -C ooper . During the past tenortwelve years wehave welcomed teams from Australia, the United States, Canada, Holland, South Africa, and India, and now it appears very probable that next season we shall have the pleasure of receiving a visit from West Indian cricketers. Owing to the kindness of Mr. H. A. Laurie, of Barbados, I am enabled to lay before the readers of Cricket a copy of theletter addressed by Lord Hawke to the West Indian cricket clubs respecting the proposed visit. “ West India Club, ‘*Howard Hotel, “ Norfolk Street, Strand, “ London, June 8th, 1899. “ D ear S ir , — At a recent meeting of the Sports Committee of the West Indian Club— a club formed in 1897 with the object, among others, ‘ To afford facilities for organising, in connection with the West Indies and British Guiana, annual cricket matches and other kindred amusementsrecognisedby ourEnglish Universities and Public Schools ’—it was resolved to approach the leading cricket clubs of British Guiana and the West Indies with a view to promote a visit to this country of a fully representativeWest Indian cricket team, consisting of both amateurs and professionals, during the cricket season of 1900. “ We are ofopinion that there would be no difficulty in arranging a series of matches between the Marylebone Cricket Club, the leading first-class County cricket clubs, and such a West Indian team as your club, in conjunction with the other cricket clubs in the West Indies, should be in a position to send over. “ We estimate that the visit of a team con­ sisting of fourteen members for a three months’ tour would cost, including passage money to and from this country and the salaries of the professional players, about £2,500, and this sum the West Indian Club would endeavour to collect in England, though any contributions from the colonies will, of course, be gratefully received, and we think that there should be no difficulty in raising the amount here in the interest of sport. “ I am, therefore, to ask you if—subject to the West Indian Club being able to raise the above-mentioned sum—you, in co-opera- tion with the other cricket clubs, would be prepared to undertake the selection of a West Indian cricket team, and ensure its visit to England during the year 1900. “ As the matter must be definitely settled before November next, in which month the Marylebone Cricket Club arrange the fixtures for the ensuing season, I venture to hope that you will bring it before your club, andfavour my committee with a reply at your earliest convenience. “ I may add that a similar communication to this is being addressed to the other West Indian cricket clubs, and would ask you kindly to address your reply to the Hon. Secretary of the Sports Committee at the above address. “ I am, Dear Sir, yours faithfully, “ H a w k e , “ Chairmanof the Sports Committee of the West Indian Club.” It has been' proposed that the meeting to decide whether it is possible to send a team to England should be held next January, when the inter-colonial matches will be played, and the three colonies of Trinidad, Demarara, and Barbados represented. It is probable, however, that the final decision will be made long before that date on account of the meeting of secretaries at Lord’s in November or December to draw up the fix­ tures for next season. Should a team be sent over here, and the proposal to do so appears to have been received with much enthusiasm, the captaincy would probably be undertaken by the Hon. Aucher Warner, captain of the Queen’s Park Club, Trinidad, who visited the United States and Canada last season as a member of the team taken out by his brother, Mr. P. F. Warner. The manage­ ment, it is almost certain to say,' would be in the hands of Mr. W . C. Nock. The batsmen would be chosen chiefly from Barbados, and other likely members of the combination would be W. H. Mignon, of Grenada; A. Woods, L. S. D’Ade (who made 140 not out against Mr. Priestley’s team in February, 1897), and A. Cumberbateh, of Trinidad; D. DaCosta, jun., the Barbados wicket­ keeper ; and one of the Oliverres, of St. Vin­ cent. The trip would, of course, be made, like that of the Philadelphians in 1897, for educational purposes, and with no idea of “ setting the Thames on fire.” Some of the first-class counties would be met, and the tour would probably last about six weeks, the matches being played in July andAugust. Should the visit be made, the West Indian cricketers may be sure of receiving a hearty welcome. Very few cricketers have, like Mr. R. H. Spooner, of Marlborough, enjoyed the dis­ tinction of having made two such fine scores as 69 and 198 in a public school match. The feat, however, is the more meritorious as it was performed on that most classic of all grounds, Lord’s. Mr. Spooner, in addition to making such large scores, bowled with success in both innings, and is undoubtedly a cricketer of more than average ability. His scores for his college this season have been very large, and that he can score with ease against good-class bowling is shown by the large score he made at the commencement of the week against the Surrey Second Eleven. Mr. Spooner has abirth qualification for Lan­ cashire, and he will probably play for that county as soon as an opportunity presents itself. In thematch against Rugby in 1897, Mr. Spooner kept wicket, catching two and stumping three. So fine have been his per­ formances of late, both with bat and ball, that he deserves to be bracketed with Mr. E. Dowson, of Harrow, as the best public school man of the year. His career will certainly be followed with more than ordinary interest. Matches between Rugby and Marlborough date from 1855, since when the match has been played annually, with the exceptions of 1858, 1859, and 1861, when no matches took place. With a few exceptions all the games have taken place at Lord’s. In 1857, 1863, and 1867 the match was played at the Oval, in 1864 at Islington, in 1868 at Rugby, and in 1870 at Marlborough. In the series of matches Rugby has proved victorious on twenty-two occasions and Marlborough thir­ teen times. Six matches have been left unfinished, whilst one, that in 1888, was abandoned withouta ball being bowled. Five individual centuries have been hit for Rugby and the same number for Marlborough. Those who have achievedtheperformance for Rugby are E. W . M. Lloyed, who made 139 not out in 1864, F. Tobin, who soored 107 in 1868, E. H. F. Bradby, whose score of 170 in 1885 was made in the second innings, and J. Stanning and C. P. Nickalls, who scored 152 not out and 109 respectively in the 1894 match. For Marlborough, A. G. Steel made 128 in 1877, W . Mortimer 106 in 1892, P. R. Craed 211 in 1892, and R. H. Spooner 139 in