Cricket 1900

THE FINEST BAT THE WOULD PRODUCES. J u n e 28, 1900. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 227 BUSSEY’S </> « l-J o P* E m & co ►a a 5 '0 3 s J w S n 6 0 a »— 9 a " I CO CO LU S e c d _ q 5 £ a S “ £ 3 » _ CO M p e r 0 3 C O C O w QQ a 3 « W o W CM ! >5 t. o o <*-< fl cd E o s BUSSEY’S AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. B y F. S. A sh ley -C ooper . The continued success of Wilfrid Rhodes is the chief cause of the high position at present held by Yorkshire in the county champion­ ship table. His howling both on true and soft wickets stamps him as the finest bowler in the whole country. Considering that he is only twenty-two years of age, and that a couple of seasons ago he was practically un­ known save in club matches in his native county, it stands to reason that his successes with the ball must have been remarkable indeed for him to have attained the position he has in cricketing circles. His recent per­ formances against Hampshire and Derbyshire tempt me to give the following table. W ILFR ID RHODES’ CHIEF PERFORMANCES W ITH THE BALL IN FIttST-CLASS MATCHES. 1898. Yorkshire v. Somersetshire, at Taunton. Yorkshire v. Fssex, at Leyton. Yorkshire v. Surrey, at Bradford. Yorkshire v. Essex, at Bradford. 1899. Yorkshire v. Somersetshire, at Bath. Yorkshire v. Gloucestershire, at Bristol (1st iunings). Yorkshire v. Gloucestershire, at Bristol (both innings). Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton. Yorkshire v. Notts, at Nottingham. C. I. Thornton’s X I. v. Australians, at Scarborough. Yorkshire v. C. I. Thornton’s X I , at Scarborough. 1900. Yorkshire v. Worcestershire,at Bradford. Yorkshire v. Cambridge University, at Cambridge. Yorkshire v. Lancashire, at Bradford. Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton. Yorkshire v. Hampshire, at Hull. 7 for 24 ) 6 for 21 [ 13 for 45 ) 3 for 9 7 for 24 { 12 for 70 i 6 for 24 i 11 for 92 J 5 for 11 6 f r 16 9 for 31 9 for 29 J 15 for 56 f 8 for 38 9 for 24 7 for 66 7 for 20 11 for 36 8 for 68 8 for 43 7 for 46 8 for 23 14 for 46 It would seem, judging from his doings during the past four or five weeks, that he will this season place to his credit over two hundred wickets; at least the wish is father of the thought. The recent successes gained by Kent recall to mind the many victories obtained by the county when it possessed its “ five mighty cricketers.” The fact that its recent triumphs have been chiefly due to the captain, who is at present in splendid form, must be very gratifying to those who are interested in the county’s welfare. Not since the days of kind andmanly Alfred Mynn has Kent boasted such a fine all-round exponent of the game as Mr. J. R. Mason. The position he holds both in the batting and bowling averages testifieshow successful he has been both with bat and ball. It is unfortunate that no table can be compiled showing the capabilities of the various captains taking part in great matches; but, if such a table could be brought out, it may safely be assumed thatMr. Mason’snamewould be found occupying a vary high position in it. Another reason why the county’s successes are so pleasing is because Kent is a county with a glorious history. In the very earliest days the county took a leading part in the game, as it has done ever since. Surrey, Kent and Sussex: these were the greatest names when the game was in its infancy. As far back as 1735 Kent played return matches with Sussex, and from that date Kent has been anything but an in­ significant name in the annals of cricket. Therefore are the recent triumphs of the eleven peculiarly gratifying. The match at Eastbourne last week between Sussex and Essex, although played between the showers, was full of interest throughout. At one time on the last day, when the home team had lost five wickels for twenty runs, it seemed as though Essex must have won, and it was only the really fine play by Mr. Fry and Marlow which saved the side from defeat. Scores of 43 and 30 do not as a rule suggest anything out of the common, but on this occasion they represented a great deal of skill, and they were clearly as useful as many inn­ ings of a hundred or more which have been hit for the county during the past few years. Had Essex not declared their first innings closed there is every probability that Sussex would have met with their first defeat of the season. It is, of course, easy to be wise after the event, but I do not think any other captain would have declared the innings closed when Mr. Lucas did—Sussex were but 52 runs in arrears at the time—even allowing for the fact that the wicket was all against run-getting and suited Mead’s bowling to a nicety. Mr. Collins’ fine defensive innings for Sussex proved the most remarkable feature of the game. In his first innings he batted three hours and a quarter for 29 on a wicket which gave the ball a great advantage over the bat. It was a most praiseworthy effort, and one of the best batting performances accomplished this season. I believe I am correct in stating that no Sussex player has remained so long at the wicket for so small a score since T. Pier- point batted seven and a-half hours for 31 against Kent, at Sevenoaks, in 1827. LO VELL’S X I. v. BRIXTON W ANDERERS.— Played at Tulse Hill on June 24. L ovell ’ s X I. First inning*. K . Robinson, b Gilligan . C. H. Mountain, c and Stubbs.................................. J. P. Candler, b Rider A . Meller, lbw, b Rider ... G. A . Ring, b Rider ........... W . H. Golds, c Burlington, b Stubbs ........................... J. S. Lovell, b Stubbs........... W . B. Pais^ns, c Faulkner, b Stubbs ........................... E. D. Lovell, c Rider, b Gilligan ........................... C. Ring, not out ................... L. Lovell, b G illigan ........... B 6 ,lb 1 ................... 42 Second innings, b G illigan ........20 cStubl 8,bGilligan 3 st Whitley, b Stubbs ... ... 9 b G illigan ............ 3 c Whitley, b H ock ley............ 0 5 b Gilligan 0 b Gilligan 0 b Hockley b Stubbs ... b Gilligan ... not out........... B 4, lb 1 0 16 Total .. ...........63 Total ...........77 B bixton W anderers . F. Odell, b Candler ... 10 J. Faulkner, c Golds, b Candler ...................41 F. P. Rider, b Robin­ son ........................... 2 G.8tubbs, c Mountain, b Candler................... 2 W . S. Gilligan, c and b Candler................... 3 R. J. Burlington, c L. Lovell, b Candler ... 8 C. G. Smith, b J. S Lovell ...................33 H. Hockley, c Moun­ tain, b J. S. Lovell.. 12 H. M»8on, not out ... 3 E. 8. Brymer, c Golds, b Candler.................. 2 A.W hitley,b Robinson 4 B 9, lb 2 ...........11 Total ...131 S cond innings : H. Mason, c Mountain, b Candler, 0; E. S. Brymer, not out, 2 ; A. R. Whitley, not out, 8.—Total (I wicket), 10. CLAPTON v. BR IXTO N W AN D E R E R S—Played at Clapton on June 20. B bixton W anderers . J. Odell, b Jenkins ... 44 C. Smith, not out ... 10 J. Faulkner,c Higgins, Extras ............... 5 b Jenkins...................29 F. Bider, b Higgins ... 52 G. Stubbs, not out ...103 F. Odell, S. Thuwtin, C. Jones, and J. Maxwell did not bat. * Innings declared closed. C lapton . Dr.M . Ladell,b Mason 1 J. Douglas, not out ... 0 Total (3 wkt8)*243 H. Mason, A. Whitley, C. Brown c Odell, b Thurston..................112 E. Ward, not out ... 51 Extras Total (2wkts)171 W ! Goodwin, F. Bishop, C. Nelson, A . Chapman, W . Salaman, F. L. Jenkins, and Higgins did not bat,