Cricket 1901

THE FINEST BAT THE WORLD PRODUCES. J u n e 3 1 , 1 9 0 1 . CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME 1 9 5 BUSSEY’S BUSSEY’S A T T H E S IG N O F T H E W IC K E T . By F. 8. Ashley-Coopeb. The scoring at Lord’s in the match against Yorkshire was not so high as was generally expected, owing to the fact that a portion of the ground had been just previously returfed. But for this occurrence the run-getting would probably have been so great that a definite result being arrived at would have been out of the question. At no time during the game did the bat beat the ball in merciless fashion, as is so often the case in great matches nowadays ; throughout, batsmen and bowlers were on an equal footing, and it is under such conditions that the game is seen at its best. Nothing finer than Mr. P. F. Warner’s not out innings of 73 could be imagined. It was a splendid display even for so great a master as Mr. Warner, and higher praise than this it is impossible to bestow. His defence against the powerful Yorkshire attack was superb. Bugby School has turned out many excellent batsmen during the past half-century. William Yardley and B. B. Cooper were in quite the front rank, but probably neither was capable of playing so really great an innings under adverse conditions as Mr. Warner. He is a batsman who would have delighted the heart of old Nyren, who was so great an admirer of the studiously correct player It is said—• and, it is believed, with a certain amount of truth—that Mr. Warner will be leaying England after the close of the present season. It is a dangerous thing to use superlatives, but, if the report should prove to be true, not only Middlesex but England will lose one of its most skilful and polished players. Two unusual events occurred last week­ end regarding substitutes being allowed for players injured. In the match between Oxford University and Somersetshire, at Oxford, W . Findlay, the ’Varsity wicket­ keeper, was hurt, and the Bev. A. P. W ick­ ham, who was assisting the county, was for some time allowed to keep wicket in his stead. Mr. Wickham thus had the unique experience of “ keeping ” for both sides in a first-class match. The second unusual occur­ rence took place in a match between Cam­ bridge University and Surrey at Cambridge. E. <i. McCorquodale, who bowled before luncheon on the first day of the match, injured himself, and by the courtesy of the Surrey captain, L. S. Keigwin, of Peter- house, was permitted to take his place. Mr. A. 0. MacLaren, it will be remembered, granted a similar indulgence a few years ago in a match against Sussex, at Brighton On that occasion—in 1897 to be precise—Bland was suddenly taken ill and his place was filled by Killick. (Whilst dealing with unusual events, I may perhaps be pardoned for relating a short anecdote of James Henry Dark, at one time proprietor of Lord’s. Dark was not a very great player, although he not infrequently met with a fair amount of success. In a match in which he took part at Lord’s about 1838 or 1839, he had hatted over three hours for about 30 runs when a lady in the ring, suddenly becoming enthusiastic about his display, procured a bottle of champagne and two glasses and proceeded to the wicket, where Dark and his fair admirer unblushingly shared the refresh­ ment ! It would be interesting to know what opinion would be expressed if such an occurrence were to take place in these days.) To a great many cricket enthusiasts in Sussex the old saying that everything comes to him who waits must have long since appeared to have been untrue regarding matches at Trent Bridge between Notting­ hamshire and Sussex. Prior to last week Sussex had not won a match on the Notting­ ham ground since 1853 ! The recent victory is one which will long remain unforgotten by those who follow the fortunes of the Sussex club at all closely. Vine’s performance in obtaining fifteen wickets in the match raises the hope that the county has at last found the bowler it has so long required. Vine, we are told, when meeting with his success, bowled fast leg-breaks. If correct, he holds a unique position in the cricketing world. G. E. Palmer, the Australian, used frequently to send down a fast ball which broke in from leg, but it has always been considered impossible for a player to confine himself to such bowling without being very erratic in pitch. Should Vine prove that his feat against Nottinghamshire was no mere flash in the pan, Sussex may look forward to a more successful season than it has had for many years. It was at Trent Bridge that Mr. Fry burst suddenly into his finest form. His innings of 170 not out towards a total of 254 recalls to memory many of W . G .’s greatest triumphs of the seventies. One would not hesitate to rank his 170 higher than his 244 against Leicestershire, as the former was made when his side was in a far from favourable position. In each innings Mr. Fry showed how serious a matter it is for a fielding side to miss him when he has made only a few runs. Those who have all along insisted that the South Africans, when thoroughly acquainted with the conditions under which cricket is played in this country, would give a good account of themselves, must have rejoiced at the displays given by the colonials against Derbyshire and Cambridge University. A nine-wicket victory over Derbyshire would be a good performance for any team, whilst a score of 692 against Cambridge University would be considered a wonderful total if made even, by Surrey or Yorkshire. The success of the South Africans is very pleasing, and one hastens to congratulate M. Bisset and Hathorn on their large scores. When the team first arrived there were several who expressed the doubt whether their matches should be considered first-class, but the dis­ plays recently given by the side have dispelled all such notions. Success begets success, and our visitors, having now become used to their surroundings, may be safely relied upon to perform with credit in their future engage­ ments. The most remarkable feature of the season’s cricket occurred the day before yesterday in the match at Leyton between Essex and Derbyshire, W . Beeves obtaining five wickets in 11 balls in the first innings of the latter. This is a feat almost without precedent in great matches. Four wickets in four balls have been obtained by J. Wells (Kent), G. Ulyett, G. Nash, J. E. Shilton, J. Hide, W . H. Lockwood, F. Shacklock, F. Martin, and A. Mold. J. Wisden obtained six wickets with consecutive balls for the All-England Eleven against X X II. of the United States and Canada, at Bochester (U.S.), in 1859. Mr. A. Cazenove lowered five wickets with successive deliveries for Oxford University v. Oxfordshire, at Oxford in 1853. (The umpire in this match, owing to a mistake, allowed five balls instead of four to the over and the bowler obtained a wicket with each). Alfred Shaw obtained six wickets in seven balls for Nottinghamshire against Gloucestershire at Nottingham, in 1884, performing the hat- trick twice in the first innings and once in the second, and E. Wainwright five in seven balls for Yorkshire v. Sussex at Dewsbury in 1894. '