Cricket 1899

“ Together joined In Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. h o . 5 2 2 . v o i . x v i i i . THUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1 8 9 9 . p b i c b aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD- TOM RICHARDSON. PART I. When, on a May afternoon in 1892, the Surrey team filed out into the field to see •what the Essex batsmen could do against them, there were cries from the spectators who had just arrived of “ Who is that tall, black-headed chap ? ” And was discovered that he was named Richardson, afast bowler from Mitcham, the birthplace of dozens of famous Surrey players. j The newman was put on first change, and made a splendid debut by taking a wicket with the very first ball he bowled, Burns being his victim— caught at third man. This early success he thoroughly sustained throughout the match, and pleased the critics, who at once saw in the young bowler the powers that oppor­ tunities alone required to develop. He next appeared against Leicester at the Oval, and took five wickets in their second innings for only eleven runs. Thus, early in his career, it was generally observed by the players, and more particularly by the batsmen opposed to him, that his bowling had an element in it beyond the powers of pace, of the latter? quality there was, at the time of; writing, perhaps, only C. J. Kort- right that could be compared with him, whilst, as a fast bowler, he not only relied on his extreme pace to force the batsmen out, or to bowl short, for he could command a break that made his bowling under any conditions of wicket a severe trial to the batsmen. In the season 1893 he thoroughly established himself in the Surrey Eleven, and bore the brunt of the work—Lockwood and he beiDg res­ ponsible for over 350 wickets, Richardson’s share being 174, and of this number over 140 were clean bowled; thus proving his wonderful combination of pace and break in getting through the batsmen’ s defence. It may be remarked here that owing to the remarkable “ whip ” back from the pitch, he could always afford to give the ball more flight, or in other words pitch them farther up, even by two yards, than any other fast bowler of his time. The following season, 1894, again found Richardson improving and en­ hanced his already growing reputation by taking 196 wickets in 936 overs. He had at this period, a wet season, proved himself a bowler with capabilities beyond the ordinary fast mechanical class, and as a crowning reward he was invited to join A. E. Stoddart’s English X I. that were to visit Australia in the fall of that season. This was, in fact, the ordeal of fire, so to speak, in the Surrey fast bowler’s career. Fast bowlers had in every case failed to uphold their English reputations “ down under” hitherto, and Richard­ son’s admirers and, in fact England waited to know how their premier fast bowler would sustain the severe test the perfect Australian wickets and climatic influences would challenge. It is most gratifying, and must be even now fresh in the memory of the keen followers of the game, which, in fact, applies to the whole sporting world and supporters of English cricket, that Richardson was a decided success, and perhaps the chief factor in the series of “ tests” that during that tour gave England the supremacy on Australian soil. Brilliant and consistent batting by Mr. Stoddart, J. T. Brown, Mr. McLaren, and Albert Ward was glorious in its department, it had its influences, the splendid work the batsmen accomplished was continued, Richardson, by sheer force of dogged pluck, with Peel and Briggs, the two left-handers, gained three games out of the five “ tests,” in England’s favour. It is very rare that a team re­ turning from the arduous and trying conditions of an Australian tour does itself justice, therefore it is most remarkable that we find Richardson, who had practically exhausted every fibre in the Antipodes, to prove that a fast bowler could be successful against our finest county teams, and winning matches quickly for Surrey with all the stamina most surprising to those associated with his three seasons’ efforts. That year he took 290 wickets, a record. As far as mere health was con­ cerned, the Colonies have agreed with him, the heat, of course, ex­ cepted, but even under these trying conditions, during two trips to Aus­ tralia, Richardson has done himself justice. The close of the season 1897 saw him with a record unique in­ deed, the four season’s work with the ball yielding 1,005 wickets, a record that speaks for itself. Continuing his brilliant work in 1898, he, at the close, had taken 161 wickets, and in recognition of his splendid work, the committee of the Surrey Club gave him the Lancashire match as a mark of their appreciation and esteem. All the more reason that this match should be a success, a real “ bumper,” for if ever a man deserved a splendid benefit, it is Richardson, who has been the mainstay of Surrey, as a bowler, for years, and has won match after match for his county. Surrey men have ever been generous when their representatives have received their reward, and they will not forget their t o m ' b ic h a b d e o n .