Cricket 1899

A pril 13, 1899. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 65 winnings, and I am glad to think that they were disappointed. To those thousands present in the flesh at the Adelaide Oval on January 4th, 1908, and those other thousands at both ends of the earth who were present in the spirit, I present this truthful narrative of the Kid­ napping of Popper. J. W . E l l is . CTorrcgponiittue. To the Editor of Cricket. Sir,—The promotion of Worcestershire to first-class rank has heen hailed with general satisfaction; and it may prove of interest to your readers if I reproduce, as far as one can ascertain, the first bond fide inter-county match played by the porcelain shire. Records of Worcestershire cricket have not been pre­ served to any great extent; indeed, Mr. Haygarth himself has openly admitted that his untiring researches has often resulted in failure. The match, as will be seen from the annexed score, was contested on Hartlebmy Common, August 28th, 1844, and resulted in a victory for their opponents, by nine wickets. A return encounter was fought at Shrewsbury on September 18th and 19th, when Worcester­ shire were again defeated; but after this there appears to have been no important cricket match in the county until 1851, when an English Eleven defeated twenty-two of Worcester and district. In 1862 several gentlemen interested themselves in the wel­ fare of the county, and matches were arranged with Hertfordshire, Shropshire, Warwick­ shire, etc. The present County Club was established on Friday, March 3rd, 1865, the initial meeting being held at the Star Hotel, Worcester, under the presidency of the Earl of Coventry (the Lord Lieutenant of the County). Mr. J. S. Isaac was first treasurer, Mr. W . I). Deighton undertook the secretarial department, while the committee consisted of the Hon. C. G. Lyttleton, Messrs. A. H. Cocks, C.B., W . D. Dodeswell, G. E. Martin, W . de S. Blount, S. A. Allsopp, and the Revs. B. Cherry and C. Waller. The county ground at Worcester was opened the following year, and since that date Worcestershire has made steady progress in our National Sport. THE FIR ST WORCESTERSHIRE MATCH. Played on Hartlebury Common, August 28, 1844. Shropshire won by 9 wickets. W o rcestersh ire . First innings. Second innings. Mr. Friend, b S. Lowndes... 0 c Groves, b Salt 0 Mr. Cresswell, c S. Lowndes, b S a lt ................................... 0 c Groves, b S. Lowndes........... 4 Mr. Pardoe, b Bradley ...1 0 c Bradley, b Salt 8 Mr. Cooke, b Salt.................. 2 c & b S. Lowndes 0 Mr. Hamlyn, b S. Lowndes 6 c Ingle, b S. Lowndes........... 0 Mr. Morgan, b S. Lowndes 0 c Eyton, b Salt... 7 Mr. Tyler, b S. Lowndes ... 0 c Groves, b S. Lowndes........... 3 Mr. Greathead, not out ... 0 run out ... ... 1 Mr. Davis, c Edgerly, b Bradley .......................... 0 b S a lt ...................12 Mr. Holland, run out........... 0 run out ........... 4 Mr. Wheeldon, b Bradley... 3 not out................ 10 B 3, w 3 .................. 6 B 2, w 4 ........... 6 Total... Mr. Bradley, c Great- head, b sub. (?) ... 14 Mr. Heynes, b Davis... 4 Mr. T. C. Eyton, st Holland, b Davis ... 0 Mr. Salt, b Davis ... 1 Mr. S. Lowndes, b D avis........................... 0 Mr. Ingle, c Hamlyn, b Davis ................... 9 Mr. Lover, c Hamlyn, b Davis . 27 S h ro psh ire . Total . 66 Mr. W . Edgerley, b Greathead ........... Mr. R. Lowndes, b Greathead ........... Mr. Hicks, c Creswell, b Greathead ........... Mr. T . Groves, not out ........................... B 4, w 2, nb 1 ... 14 Total... ... 61 W ill you also allow me to point out that this is the Diamond Jubilee of the Sussex County Cricket Club, a fact that has ap­ parently been lost sight of. The club was formed on March 1st, 1839, the first match being played against the M.C.C. Could not the encounter between the two teams, which is fixed to take place at Lord’s, on May 3rd, receive official recognition as the Diamond Jubilee Match ? I believe the Brighfjm Gazette have made arrangements for publishing an exhaustive record of the County Club during the past sixty years, which may ultimately appear in book form.—Yours, &c., ALFRED D. TAYLOR. Clifton-Villc, Hove Place, West Brighton. Second in n in g s M r . Bradley, st Holland, b Greathead, 0; Mr. Salt, not out, 18: Mr. Ingle, not out, 9 ; no-ball 1.—Total (1 wicket), 28. WHEN I WAS CAPTAIN. Prom Cricket Club Life. (Continuedfrom page 39.) It has happened that in looking over my team when gathered together on the field, I have discovered that my bow ling talent was not in evidence. In such a case I usually decide to toss them down myself. This must be my excuse for what happened at an ou t-of-tow n match some years ago. It was not much of a cricket centre, but they had a good base­ ball team and a few of the members wished to foster cricket. When the first man took his place before the stumps I noticed considerable obliquity of bat, and quite a triangle between bat and legs. I promptly dropped the first ball on the base of this triangle and it found its way to the stumps. The second victim appeared flourishing his bat and smiling, eager for the fray. H e had quite a local reputation as a baseball man, and he was com ing to show us how batting should be done. I have bow led to baseball men before, so I sent down a carefully pitched slow ball which I think he intended to drive out of the lot. I forget whether he hit the ball or not, and indeed this is a matter of little importance, for in making his preliminary flourish he had mowed down his stumps. Third victim now arrived, evidently a sticker, he was so long getting his block and fixing himself at the bat. H ow could I tempt him ? I sent him a very slow one which he had three minds to let alone, and'finally lifted carefully into the hands of mid-on. As the fourth man came in things began to look serious. I was afraid if this thing went on we should not be permitted to leave the ground alive, so with the full determination that this man should not be bow led I tossed down a full pitch to leg. Now my short leg was a very fat man, who had done nothing since he came on the field but shake his sides with laughter. I had repeatedly corrected him, but to no purpose. Now came his time to distinguish himself. The bats­ man swiped my ball vigorously to leg, it went straight for the m id-off of my fat friend who “ received, but recked not of the wound and clasped his hands the red ball round.” Pour balls four w ickets! The story of the balance of that game is unimportant, except the anxiety of the parson who was deputed to bow l at the other end. He was afraid that I would not leave anything for him to do. Certainly an essential in the make up of a good captain is the ability to get the best work out of his men, not to have razors chopping blocks, or spoil a good short slip by placing him in the country. H olding with the Pagan that man should know himself, I, for a quarter of a cen­ tury, tried to find out my place in the field with only a partial or qualified suc­ cess. N ot finding that my abilities specially suited me to any other position, I have for the last two decades settled down to m id-on, for what special reason I cannot exactly tell, but rather that it seemed forced upon me that this was my place. In Grace’s book I notice that he says with reference to m id-on. “ This is the easiest position in the field.” I do not feel hurt about this. No doubt “ W . G .” knows, or ought to know, and I decline to combat the point with the master. He sometimes fields m id-on himself, and, besides, his weight when in condition is 240 lbs. But there is another book on cricket which has caused a sensa­ tion and has been read considerably by some during the last year or so. I was idly turning over the many pages a few evenings ago when I pulled up at the follow in g : “ M id-on. This is the place to put the duffer if you are unfortunate enough to have one on your side.” Here the author seems to have gone out of his way to make a personal attack on me. There are some games that liDger in one’s memory like the ashes of the rarest day in June, though they are without the wild delirium of victory, or the excite­ ment incident to the string of defeat. Such an one I remember now. We began early, everybody scored, everybody bowled, nearly everybody fielded, we took plenty of time for dinner, cigars, and stories of what we had done, and when the lengthening shadows warned us that the end must come and stumps were reluctautly drawn, the last pair were in and going strong with but forty runs yet to make to win. I t was one of those games where both sides win, and the captains can congratulate themselves that some of that refinement of pleasure which I believe is found more often on the cricket field than elsewhere, was brought about b y their gently steering, without appearing to control the day’s doing. There are troubles connected with taking charge of a team, no matter of what calibre, but I find that I like it, and with the warm spring-like days I am again, in m y mind, coaxing the w icket­ keeper to put on his pads with a delusive story of no fast bow ling, leading out my merry men on to the level mead, placing the field, selecting the bowlers, and then the ever-changing phases of the game. Sometimes as I look through the clouds of m y cigar, after reading the exciting story of a mimic battle of years gone by I wonder if on the Elysian fields they will play a game as good as this. I say, if it is not cricket it must be nearly allied to it, for it is not to be conceived that perfect happiness can go much further, and then I find unbidden comes the thought notwithstanding all the cares of the position, may I be captain.