Cricket 1902

THE FINEST BAT THE WOULD PRODUCES. M a y 22, 1902. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 147 BUSSEY’S c o W o 6 m s p os j _ J Ul w £ to S J w E fcr a> pfi CO < * CD CO w co O w C D PL( ! C O >> C O o-M 3 O <3 C Q a S3cd ■ S3 0 9 EUSSEY’S AT THE SIGN OF THE W ICKET. B y F . 8 . A sh le y -C oopbr . Cricketers will long remember the inclement weather experienced at the commencement of 1902, for it is safe to say that no season has ever opened in more dreary fashion. The years of 1879 and 1888 suffered much in consequence of wet, but 1860 was even worse, yet in the last-named season, of thirty-six great matches, as many as twenty-eight were finished, whereas of the twenty-five games commenced this year (up to the 18th inst.), as many as seventeen could not be decided on account of wet. What cricket there has been has been interesting, for the bat has not triumphed in merciless fashion over the ball. Centuries have been few and far between, and those which have been made would not have been if all the chances offered had been accepted. The fielding, apart from that of the Australians, has been far from dazzling in its brilliancy, although probably as good as was to be expected. The heart-breaking displays which some county elevens give in the field are enough to make angels weep, and give one the impression that fielding is a lost art. The weather, however, may partly be responsible for this ; it is, at least, charitable to think so. Enveloped in heavy sweaters and other articles of attire, cricketers natu­ rally find their movement of limb interfered with ; it is to be hoped that when the weather changes, they will not find it too hot to admit of good fielding. The probable constitution of the team to represent England against Australia, at Edgbaston, on Thursday next, has provided a topic of conversation for cricketers during the recent unseasonable weather. It appears to be taken for granted that K. S. Ranjitsinhji will appear, whatever may be his performances before that date. Should his scores during the next week be small, and he fail to meet with much success in the great match, the selectors may expect to be severely criticised. There is no reason why any player, however great, should be awarded a place in a repre­ sentative team owing to the good form he displayed the previous season. Abel is in capital form this year and, if justice is done him, should receive a place in the eleven. Other certainties should be Maclaren, who will, of course, captain the side, Fry, Jackson, Braund, Lilley, Hirst, and Rhodes. Another fast bowler is required, and the choice pro- ably rests between Barnes and Lockwood— the latter for preference, as he is a good bat, and the former’sknee gave way quite recently. Two places still remain to be filled for which there are several candidates, the chief being Mason, Hayward and Ranjitsinhji. As the first-named has already shown good form this year, and Hayward is well acquainted with the Australian bowling, I should select those two, providing, that is, that in the meantime the Indian does nothing phenomenal. In the latter event happening, however, the spin of a coin should decide whether Hayward or Ranjitsinhji should fill the eleventh place. Some confusion appears to have arisen respecting the identification of Messrs. H. F. and C. E. Bateman-Champain, who appeared in the Gloucestershire eleven last week against Surrey at the Oval. The former must not be confounded with Mr. F. H. Bateman-Champain, who has assisted the Gentlemen against the Players. There were five cricketing brothers altogether, and each succeeded in gaining a place in the Chelten­ ham eleven. Their batting averages in Chel­ tenham College matches are appended:— Completed Highest Total Year. Inna. Score Runs. Aver. A . P. ... 1883 ... 7 .. . 25 ... 65 .,.. 9-28 A. P. , 1884 ... 18 .. 61 ... 342 ,. 1900 C. E. .... 1890 ... 16 ... 60 ... 168 ., 10-50 C. E. .... 1891 ... 19 .. . 87 ... 337 .,,. 1773 C. E. ... 1892 ... 15 .. . 170* ... 594 .... 39-60 H. F. ... 1885 .. 14 ... 104 280 ..,. 20-00 H. F. ... 1886 ... 18 ... 108* .. 450 .. 25-00 H. F. ... 1887 ... 13 .. . 129 .,.. 551 .. 4238 H. F. ... 1888 ... 9 ... 167 .... 419 .. . 46 55 F. H. ... 1892 ... 16 .. 66 .... 310 ..,. 19*37 F. H. .., 1893 ... 16 ... 78 .. 471 .. . 29-43 F. H. ... 1894 ... 13 ... 94 .... 353 .. . 2716 F. H. ... 1895 ... 17 ... 104 .,.. 572 .. 33-64 F. H. ... 1896 ... 13 . . 172* .... 502 .. 38*61 J. N. ... 1896 ... 14 ... 76 ., 294 ..,. 21*00 J. N. ... 1897 ... 15 ... 36 ... 210 .. . 14-00 J. N. ... 1898 ... 18 ... 90 .. 408 .. . 2266 Signifies not ont. H. F . was captain in 1888 and F. H. in 1894, 1895 and 1896. The eldest of the brothers (A. P.; was a splendid point, and won the fielding prize in 1883. H. F. was a very fine school bat, hitting well all round the wicket, especially to leg and in front of cover-point, and could keep wicket well. He made 90 and 78 v. Marlborough in 1886, 63 and 24 not out v. Clifton in 1887, and 167 and 5 not out v. Clifton in 1888. He also made 104 against the R.A.C. in 1885, 108 not out v. Old Malvernians in 1886, and 129 v. Old Cheltonians, and 104 v. R.A.C. (Chichester) in 1887. C. E., in addition to being a very good cutter, was a successful slow-medium bowler. In 1890 he made 60 and 0 v. Clifton, and in 1892 played an unfinished innings of 170 against the R.A.C. (Chichester). F. H. is so well known that little about him need be said here, except that he showed signs of future excellence whilst still at Cheltenham. In 1893 he made 78 v. Clifton, and 94 the following year v. Marl­ borough, whilst in 1895 he scored 104 and 46 against Clifton and 75 and 4 against Hailey- bury, and in 1896 made 50 and 0 also v. Haileybury. J. N., although not so fine a player as his elder brothers, was a good average batsman, and in 1896 scored 47 and 21 not out against Marlborough. The large Whitsuntide programme has this year provided more interesting cricket than is generally the case. With wickets not wholly against the bowlers, scoring has ruled lower than usual, and some good finishes have been witnessed. The chief surprises were supplied by Essex and Gloucestershire, who gained easy victories over Kent and Sussex respectively. Mead has been bowling par­ ticularly well this yfar—better than his figures would lead one to suppose—and Young, by his success against Kent, has plainly shown that he yet retains some of the skill which three years ago placed him in quite the first flight of bowlers. Mr. Perrin has probably never shown finer form than he has done of late, and if he could only be smarter in the field, would be one of the first choices for an England eleven. He appeared to put more force into his strokes this season than in the past, and, if he desired, could probably become one of the longest hitters in the country. At the nets at Leyton a few weeks ago, hemade some tremendous strokes, hitting all the bowlers opposed to him all over the ground. The prospects of Essex are certainly brighter than for some time past. Gloucester­ shire’s success at Brighton, coming after their fine up-hill play against Notts., was very welcome, and shows that the side will prove a difficult one to beat. Jessop is evidently in splendid form, and the bowling success of Huggins will cause the future doings of that player to be followed with interest. ‘ ‘ Seven for seventeen ” is an analysis of which any bowler might be pardonably proud, but the fact that the feat was accomplished at Brighton—notoriously easy for run-getting—