Cricket 1900

J u n e 2,1, 1900. CRICKET ; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 211 BUSSEY’S * j o to & m ►4 * a £ l— ' g L U □ “ I G O « ia u g C D ,3 CO C J D w CQ p e r H X W = 3 1 o W 0 9 CU }m C O >> C O *4o = 5 o cm C O § s C Q BUSSEY’S AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. B y F. S. A sh le y -C ooper . It would seem as though Surrey had now little chance of retaining the championship, having lost three inter-county matches in less than a month. Each match was lost on a wet wicket, and it is under such conditions that the county, of late years at all events, has generally fallen a prey to several of even the weaker of the first-class sides. On a hard, true wicket Surrey is practically invincible (vide the match at the Oval last year against Yorkshire), but the side does not possess a single batsman who can play a really great game on a wet wicket. Brockwell, in the wet season of 1894, was seen to the greatest advantage, heading the batting averages of the whole country at the end of the season, but at the present time he appears as power­ less as his comrades on a wet wicket. It is unfortunate for the county that H. B. Richardson is unable to assist this season, for last year, just after his introduction into the team, he played several very good innings on wet wickets, and his assistance now would be of great value to the side. In making these statements it must not be supposed that excuses are being made for their defeats at the hands of Essex, Somersetshire and Lan­ cashire. The truly great side is that which can play a good game on a wicket favouring the bowlers as well as on a wicket all in favour of huge scoring. By far the best side in the country at the present moment is Yorkshire, followed by Lancashire, withEssex onlyashort way behind. [What about Sussex? — E d . ] Cricket, we have often been told, is a game of surprises, in which the unexpected frequently occurs. Perhaps it is; but, be that as it may, everything points to the championship returning to the North at the end of the season. In Gloucestershire’s second innings against Middlesex Board played a very vigorous game, at one time scoring 44 runs without any further additions being made to the score. This is nearly, but not quite, a record in first-classmatches, it having been surpassed by Mr. A. \V. Ridley and the late William Bates. The following short table will show at a glance the best performances achieved in the matter of fast run-getting:— 48 46 45 44 49 runs out of 49, Lloyd, at Hagley Park, Canterbury, New Zealaad, April, 1883. (All obtained off thrae overs.) „ 48, A. G. Steel, Marlborough College v. Cheltenham College, at Chelten­ ham, July 4, 5, 1876. „ 46, W . ^ates, England v. New South Wales, at Sydney, Febiuary 18, 1», 21, 1887. „ 45, A . W . Ridley, Oxford University, v. M.C.C. and Ground, at Lord’ s, June 24, 25, 1876. „ 44, J. H. Board, Gloucestershire v. Middlesex, at Lord’s, June 14, 15, 16,1900. From the above it will be seen that Board’s performance is entitled to rank as a record in county championship matches. In addition to the hitting of Board and Mr. Jessop, the recent Middlesex v. Gloucestershire match will be remembered on account of the very successful first appearance of Mr. A. H. 0. Fargus in the Gloucestershire ranks. In the first innings of Middlesex he obtained five wickets for 32 runs, and in the second seven for 56. Mr. Fargus is a fast bowler and an old Haileyburyian, and, judging from his per­ formance against Middlesex, he should prove a most valuable addition to the Gloucester­ shire ranks. Another creditablc debut was that of Pearson, for Worcestershire against the West Indians. Pearson proved successful both with bat and ball. In addition to scores of 12 and 88 not out, he obtained six wickets for 73 in the first innings, and four for 25 in the second. On Monday last Mr. W. G. Grace assisted in scoring over 100 or more runs for the first wicket forthefiftieth time in first-class cricket, a record quite unique as far as great matches are concerned. The complete list is far too lengthy to be given here, but it can be seen in the Sportsman of July 19th, 1898. W.G. has helped to score over 200 for the first wicket on four occasions, between 150 and 200 four­ teen times, and between 100 and 150 thirty- two times. These figures do not include his stand of 140 with Jupp for the English team in Australia against Eleven of Victoria, at Melbourne, in February, 1874, or his partner­ ship of 135 with Mr. J. Gilman for London County against the West Indians at the Crystal Palace last week, neither match being ranked as first-class. During the past few weeks “ the Doctor ” has been in excellent form, making large scores on almost every occasion upon which he has gone in. At Derby, it is true, he scored only two runs in as many innings, being leg-before-wicket on each occasion, which hadhappened to him but once before in a great match, viz., for M.C.C. and Ground v. Lancashire, at Lord’s, in i885, when he was lbw, b Briggs, 37, and lbw, b Watson, 0. In his following innings, for Gloucestershire v. Notts, at Trent Bridge, he was lbw, b Flowers, 0. At various times gentlemen have written to me asking which is the best book to study in order to become proficient in the game. It is generally recognised that Mr. A. G. Steel’s chapter in the Badminton volume on “ Bowling” is the best as yet written on the subject. So many articles have been written on “ Batting” that it is a difficult matter to know which one to recommendmost. Probably Mr. Murdoch’sadvice in his book, “ Cricket,” is as sound as any, though Mr. C. B. Fry in “ The Jubilee Book of Cricket” runs him somewhat closely. As regards “ Fielding,” the Hon. Edward Lyttelton contributed an excellent article entitled “ Hints on Fielding ” to Lillywhite’s Companion for 1881, which should be read by all who desire any informa­ tion on that important branch of the game. Half-an hour at the nets, however, under the watchful eye of a reliable professional is worth more than a week spent poring over books. CLAPrON v. LOUGHTON.—Played at Clapton on June 16. C lapton . C. Brown, b Clarke .. 29 W . H. Nolloth, not out 71 H. E. V . Chichester, run out ................. 79 H .B . H ugill, b Allis .. 4 S. Genders, c Yasey, b Allis ...........................33 W . Goodwin, c sub, b H oddin g................... 6 J. Attenborough, not out ........................... 6 B 11, lb 2 ...........13 Total (5wkts)*241 C. Nelson, Dr. Ladell, F. Rodick, and R. H. W al­ bancke did not bat. * Innings declared closed. L oughton . G. Warwick, c Brown, b N olloth ...................34 F. Foster, b Genders . 36 L. Curtis, c Brown, b Nolloth ...................10 F. A . Boys, not out .. C. Clarke, Allis, Hodding, and W . G. T. Parker did not bat. F. P.Vasey, b Nolloth. 0 L. Harris, notout ... 11 B 5, lb 3 ........... 8 Total (4 wkts)127 The New Palace Steamers announce tbatthe ‘ “Koh-i-Noor” will commence to run to Southend and Margate on the 23rd inst., instead of on the 30th, Uavinp Old Swan Pier at 8.50 a.m. The “ Rojal Sovereign” is now sailing daily lo Mar­ gate and Ramsgate, leaving Old Swan Pier at 9,20*