Cricket 1902

M a y 29, 1902. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 163 BUSSEY’S GQ £ 3 o p o cu <P > eco as ss GO > - H w C O M >J o fa fa & 00 (J kJ w & c o S i-3 W fci<s 43 a CO « * CO CO p e r C D C O C O w ad s' 5 « «o w (*»S- o 'fcj a J* Q D BUSSEY’S AT THE SIGN OF THE W ICKET. B y F, 8 . A s h le y -C o o p b k . The cricket of the past week has been full of interest, and the improvement in the weather has added considerably to the enjoy­ ment both of players and spectators. The meeting of the Australians and the M.C.C. at Lord’s has provided the match of the season so far. Few, if any, games yield so keen a struggle. Since that memorable day in May, 1878, when one of the strongest teams ever placed in the field by the M.C.C. was dis­ missed in most summary fashion for totals of 19 and 33, and the game completed in a day, the meeting of the two sides has always proved one of the best matches of the year. Into the history of the various contests there is neither space nor need to enter here, but it may be pointed out in passing, that of the twenty-two players appearing in the match which finished yesterday, “ W.G.” alone took part in the historic meeting of 1878. Furthermore, he had assisted the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord’s before any of the other players in the recent match were born ! By his all-round cricket he proved himself still to be one of the most useful men possible to have on any side. If the success with which his bowling has met continues, he will assuredly be found among the takers of a hundred wickets at the end of the season. That he will obtain his thousand runs is taken for granted: ccla va sans dire. But we digress. From the Australian point of view the feature of the game was the batting of Trumper. Three years ago he played a splendid innings of 135 not out against England at Lord’s, and he has again shown his partiality for the ground by notch­ ing another hundred there. Of the great batsmen on the side—and there are many— there is none better worth watching than Trumper. Play is always bright when he has settled down, and those who saw his displays both at Lord’s and the Oval were fortunate indeed. It is curious how various players do best on certain grounds. Three years ago Howell and Noble bowled with very great success at the Oval and Leicester respectively, whilst Trumper, as already stated, played a three-figure innings at Lord’s. This year precisely the same events have occurred. Ranjitsinhji made some de­ lightful strokes on the opening day, but he gave an easy chance before he had made 20. The game throughout was splendidly con­ tested, but it was somewhat unfortunate for the Australians that they should be called upon to take part in so important a contest on the very eve of their meeting with England at Edgbaston. In a match between Free Foresters and Silwood Park, on the 17th inst., whit© enamelled stumps were used. “ It was agreed by all that it was a most excellent innovation, as the stumps are seen so much quicker by the fielders.” It may be as well to make a note of the fact and date, as it is more than possible that in later years the practice of using white enamelled stumps will become general. It was with the Free Foresters that the idea of white coats for umpires originated. Three years ago, bails made of india-rubber were used in some small country matches, but the idea did not meet with public approval. Old TomNixon, of the M.C.C., was the inventor of cane handles for bats, and cork leg-guards. Daniel Day, of Surrey and Hampshire, was the patentee of the tubular guard gloves, about 1827, and they were first manufactured at the india-rubber factory of a Mr. Wilson, at Streatham. The present form of the bat was devised by the immortal John Small, who found he could therebymake his favourite stroke—“ the draw” —with more ease and certainty when opposed to the length bowl­ ing introduced by David Harris than was formerly the case. The addition of the third stump to the wicket (in or about 1775) we owe to Lumpy, whilst Robinson (“ Long Bob” ), another old Surrey player of a hundred years ago, initiated spikes for the shoes (about the year 1800) and was the first to don leg-guards. These latter he placed angle-wise, and the leg-byes went off so clean and with so much noise that he was laughed out of his invention. Owing to great pressure on space this week it can be only briefly noted that (a) Shrews­ bury is easily first in the batting averages ; that ( b ) the team to represent the South of England against the Australians at East­ bourne on June 16th, includes two players from as far north as Derbyshire; that (c) J. N. Crawford, of Repton School, gives promise of becoming a really great bowler; that (d) Lockwood was seen at his best at Leyton on Tuesday; that ( e ) Yorkshire appear stronger this year than ever ; and ( / ) that in all kinds of cricket “ W.G.” has scored 199 centuries. NOTES FROM SCOTLAND. (B y O u r S p e c ia l C o r r e s p o n d e n t .) Arrangements have been practically concluded whereby a strong eleven of Gloucestershire, under the captaincy of G. L. Jessop, will play a two-days’ match within the Bothwell Castle policies, Udding- ton, on August 22nd and 23. Uddington, who will furnish the Opposition, are one of the strongest com­ binations in Scotland. They meet, and as ofien as not, beat nearly all the best Scottish Clubs. The Western District Championship was carried off by them last year. The Grange played Stirling County at Stirling on the 17th, when a draw was the outcome. The premier club made 145 for 5 (A. G. G. Asher not out 69) and Stirling 87 for 7 ( W. Wilson 32). Pepall, G. (late of Gloucestershire), bowled very well for the Grange and performed the “ hat-trick,” taking four wickets in five balls. During an interval in the match, the Marquis of Graham formally opened the new pavilion. To show the interest taken in cricket in Stirlingshire, I may mention that the funds required for erecting the building were raised without the aid of a bazaar. The firet century of the season was made by Laven­ der (C.H.). 100 not out for Royal High School (F.P.) v. Lord Eglinton’s X I. The Dest first wicket part­ nerships so far. have been : 137 by A . J. MacGregor (80), and R. K. Smith (71), for Dumfermline v. Grange; 127 by C. T. Mannes (85). and T. O. Mathie- son (64), for Lord Eglinton’s X I. v. Royal High School (F.P.) In the match between Forfarshire and Fifeshire, at Broughty Ferry, on May 22 (Scottish County Cham­ pionship), Fifesh’re, who were beaten by 115 runs (177 for six wickets against 62), had not a strong side. The chief absentees were T. Johnston (Grange), and A . MacGregor, while Forfarshire played a good, but not their best, team. W . R. Sharp’ s 100, not out, was a splendid effort; it being his first innings this season. SUTTON (2) v. BANSTEAD (2).—Played at Ban­ stead on May 24. B a n b t e a d . T. Balchin, b Hyslop.. 1 F. Millington, run out 0 H. Blunt, b Bell ...2 3 A.Lamone, c Redman, b U yslop................... 7 C. Dally, c French, b Easton ................... 0 T. Mason, c Bell, b Hyslop ................... 2 E.Oakshott,c Redman, b Hyslop ... G. Blunt, b Bell.......... G. Burling, c Easton, b Bell........................... E. Cave, not out........... A . Trusjon, c Bell, b Hyslop ................... Extras................... Total 42 0 SOTTON. E.A. Redman, b Blunt 16 A . Collins,bMillington 6 B. W . Appleton, c Mason, b Burling ... 31 J.G M.Bell,cOakshott, b Blunt ................... 0 R. Greenall, b Blunt .. 0 s*W. S. Holford, H. Hyslop and H. Nickall.s did not bat, C. J. Easton, b Blunt. 13 L. Straker, not out ... 11 . French, not out ... 6 Extras................... 4 Total (6 wkts) 85