Cricket 1900

A ug . 2, 1900. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 307 BUSSEY’S £3 O P o P h < P o £ *3 S Q £ -• OQ 525 >— I 6 3 M C O c o S p e r * 0 3 BUSSEY’S AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. B y F. 8. A bhley -C oopeb . The doings of the Gloucestershire team in the North of England must have gladdened the hearts of the many thousands who take an interest in the county’s performances. It was remarkable that, after being beaten by Worcestershire, the team should have done so well against Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, three of the strongest teams in the country. It is this glorious uncertainty which causes so much interest to be taken in the game. How monotonous it would be if the great players always proved successful— if Abel always scored centuries and Trott never bowled without taking half-a-dozen wickets ! Against Nottinghamshire “ the county of the Graces ’ ’ made a splendid fight, and, had time permitted, would probably have won, as at the finish they had four wickets in hand and required only thirty-nine runs. In the Yorkshire match Mr. Jessop covered him­ self with glory by obtaining two separate centuries when runs were badly needed, and, thanks to this flue display on his part, a capital finish to the match was seen, the home team only winning by the narrow margin of forty runs in a somewhat high-scoring game. It was against Lancashire, however, that the team showed its finest all-round form, and the side is to be heartily congratulatedupon being the first team in England to inflict a defeat upon its formidable opponents. The victory was the more meritorious, too, as the side was deprived of the services of Roberts, who sprained himself badly after sending down a couple of overs in the first innings of Lanca­ shire. Owing to this occurrence he was Unable to take any further part in the match, his side being severely handicapped in conse­ quence. Although Mr. C. L. Townsend played well for eighty-seven in the first inn­ ings, chief credit for the victory must be given to Mr. Jessop, who scored 66 and 47, and obtained six wickets for twenty-five runs in Lancashire’s second innings. Mr. Jessop is indeed a wonderful cricketer, and since the cares of captaincy have fallen to his lot he has displayed finer form than ever before. That success may continue to attend his efforts must be the wish of all those who take more than a passing interest in tbe grand old game. Although play was sadly interrupted by rain on the second day it may safely be assumed that for Brockwell the recent Surrey v. Yorkshire match proved a success. When each side had completed an innings the game was in a very even state, Yorkshire claiming a lead of twenty. When Surrey went in a second time the wicket had grown very difficult under the hot sun and, as a con­ sequence, a collapse took place, the whole side being dismissed for the poor score of fifty-two. Haigh bowled superbly on the difficult wicket, and his record of six wickets for twenty-one runs recalled his success against the same side at Leeds, in 1897, when he obtained seven for seventeen. It was unfortunate for Yorkshire that another half-hour did not remain for play, for they required only thirty-three runs to give them the victory. Scoring in the match would have been below the average had it not been for the efforts of two men on either side. Mr. Jephson repeated his success in the previous match between the two sides, and his score of 121 was worthy of great praise. With Lockwood (98) he added 208 runs for the fifth wicket, and to these two men must be given the credit of stopping whatthreatened to be a bad collapse. When Yorkshire went in two wickets fell before ten runs had been scored, but it was at this point that Tunnicliffe (101) -was joined by Mr. Taylor (147) and before the next wicket fell the score had been increased by 201 rims. The concluding stages of the game were of a most exciting nature, Haigh and Rhodes dismissing the greatest run-getting team in England in an hour and twenty minutes for the small score of fifty- two. It was a great match, but Yorkshire deserved to win. When the history of cricket in 1900 comes to be written, Ranjitsinhji’s innings of 202 against Middlesex at Brighton on a very difficult wicket will probably be described as the finest batting display of the year. He made his runs at a tremendous rate at a time when other players on the side were perfectly helpless, and he gave no chance until he had made a hundred and forty-eight. The character of his hitting can best be judged when it stated that he and Bland added 78 runs in thirty minutes for the eighth wicket, of which number he claimed all but two. The performance would have been a note­ worthy one even if it had been achieved on a good ground against a moderate team, but what words can adequately describe the innings when it was made against Trott, J. T. Hearne and Kawlin on a wicket altogether against large-scoring ? It was a marvellous display, and when it was at length ended the applause from all parts of the ground was lusty, loud and long. Ranjitsinhji has played many fine innings in his time, but never sueh a one as he played last Saturday. His innings so overwhelmed everything else seen in the match that Mr. Fry’s innings of 110 had been almost forgotten. By playing this innings immediately after his double- century performance against Surrey he has caused his name to be added to the gradually- lengthening list of batsmen who have scored three separate hundreds in consecutive innings in great matches. The two Sussex batsmen are, indeed, in wonderful form this season, and their position at the head of the batting averages is thoroughly deserved. At a time when large scores are fashionable, it is pleasing to be able to draw attention to a bowling performance of more than ordinary merit. Pougher’s eight wickets for 151 runs in an innings of 313 must not be lightly passed over. It was at Lord’s, for the M.C.C. against Worcestershire, that he accomplished the feat, and, bearing in mind the recently improved form shown by the county, the performance must be regarded as a great one. For some time past Pougher has not represented his county, but, judging from his doings last week at Lord’s, it would seem as though his presence on the side would add greatly to the strength of the team. Effective bowlers on good wickets are so rare nowadays that it is more than probable that a place will shortly be found for Pougher again in the Leicestershire ranks. In addition to Pougher’s bowling the recent Worcestershire match at Lord’s will be remembered on account of William Gunn’s superb innings of 110 and 46 not out. Although the wonderful summers experienced in recent years, coupled with the excellence of modern wickets, have caused huge scoring and, as a consequence, hundreds of drawn games, they have also been the means of keeping longer before the public men who otherwise would have dropped out of great matches, CAM