Cricket 1902

214 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u n e 19, 1902. NOTES FROM SCOTLAND. B y our S pecial C orrespondent . Mr. A. K. Bell, the Perthshire cricketer, has issued an appeal to Scottish cricketers, stating that the co-operation of other clubs is now desired in extending the County Championship to other parts of Scotland where no county clubs already exist. The Scottish County Championship has now been in operation for more than six weeks, and Mr. Bell states that, ‘ ‘ although the season is young, we can easily see that our ideas are correct, and that great interest is being already taken in this competition.” This assurance coming, as it does, from the lips of those best qualified to judge is very satisfac- tory, especially when one can hardly conceive of any new venture of a like nature ever having been ushered in under more cheerless or uncricketical conditions. There are obstacles in the way of extending the move­ ment, but happily, none of them are insur­ mountable. 1 am convinced that the salva­ tion of Scottish cricket lies in the adoption of the competitive element by all the chief cricketing counties. In other parts of the world, competition has done the game no harm, but rather a great deal of good, and, I ask, is Scotland to be an exception ? Is not competition the very life of cricket, just as it is that of commerce ? There is very little of the nature of competition in Scottish cricket as it is played at the present time. A well- known Edinburgh club, let us say, beats a team from Glasgow, The former gets very little satisfaction from its win, while the latter is not much affected by its defeat. Why ? Because there is nothing of the nature of competition in the match. Mr. Bell instances the case of the Western District Championship, which has proved a suceess, owing, in great measure, to there being an incentive, and all the principal clubs in the West taking part in the competition. The larger the district, the greater will be the interest, and Mr. Bell argues that if the WesternDistrict Championship has proved a success with a small district and a small in­ centive, “ the County Championship with a larger district and a big incentive, is bound to be an undoubted success.” Not only would the excellence of the play be increased, if all the chief cricketing counties were to take part, but cricketers themselves would also feel that they were playing with some definite object in view, which they cannot, except in the case of the Northern Counties, be said to be doing at present. It is now, as Mr. Bell points out, imperative that Mid- Lothian should, through the medium of the Grange, take the initiative, and that such counties as Lanarkshire, including Udding­ ston, West of Scotland, Clydesdale and Drumpellier, Renfrewshire, embracing Gren- nock, Ferguslie, etc., Selkirkshire and Rox- burgshire should also participate in the com­ petition. Club cricket is, with few excep­ tions, a failure in Scotland, but cricket generally is not by any means in a hopeless condition. The majority of Scottish cricketers are now at the parting of the ways ; let us hope they will take the right turning, so to speak, and provide the desired response to Mr. Bell’ s appeal, in the shape of hearty co­ operation. A golden opportunity thus presents itself for cricket in Scotland entering upon a new era of prosperity. May every Scottish cricketer go into the matter with enthusiasm, and so assist in bringing about this much desired consummation ! Stirlingshire made their cUbut in the County Championship on the 14th, when they were opposed by Perthshire at Perth. The visitors, who had not their strongest team, batted first on a slow wicket. They did not make a very good start, W. Wilson, who opened with J. Harper Orr, being caught by Joe Anderson when he had made ten. J. H. Orr was the next to go, being unfor­ tunately run out after subscribing fourteen. Hallas (T.) and G. S. Orr were now together and a good stand was made, the professional exhibiting a steady defence. However, with his score at 18 Hallas got in the way of a straight ball from J. Brownandhad to retire. The next three wickets fell rapidly, but towards the close P. R. Lowe, who was top scorer with 19, received some assistance from D. Yellowlees. The Stirlingshire innings terminated for 94. Smith (D.), with four wickets, was the most successful of the home bowlers. Perthshire, requiring 95 to win commenced with Joe Anderson and Smith (D.) of Worcestershire. A good start was made, both men playing fine cricket and showing a bold front to the Stirlingshire attack. Douglas Smith with 31 to his credit had to retire, being “ leg-before” to D. Yellowlees. Anderson continued to play splendid cricket, but W. McDonald, the new comer, after making a single was caught by Yellowlees off Hallas. J. Mailer -the Perth­ shire Jessop—and Joe Anderson soon put the issue out of all doubt, and when the score stood at 120 for two wickets playwas stopped. Joe Anderson and J. Mailer were both not out with 53 and 26 respectively. Perthshire thus won their second victory in this competition. One of the most important of the School Championship matches, that between Mer­ chiston and Fettes, was played at Fettes on Saturday. Both schools had played one match in the series and each had been victorious. Merchiston, who had the first of a slow wicket, made a disastrous start, two wickets being down for five. Th© score was taken to 19 when two more wickets fell. With the brothers Tennant in partnership, the younger of whom did the bulk of the scoring, Merchiston’s prospects became much brighter. At the luncheon interval the score stood at 66 for five, but after the resumption the Merchiston “ tail ” were at the mercy of A. M. P. Lyle, the Fettes Captain, in whose hands the ball seemed as if it were alive. The remaining five batsmen only made three between them. A. Tennant with an admirably played 41, was top scorer, his elder brother H., coming next with twelve. A. Tennant is only fourteen, and is known as the “ Merchiston Mite,” so small is he. But if he is a mite in stature, he is a giantin skill. A. M. P. Lyle bowled with deadly effect, having eight wickets for 31. Fettes requiring 70 to win, made an even worse start than their opponents, A. Tennant bringing off a smart catch with no runs registered. G. Turner, and A. M. P. Lyle then made a good stand until the latter was bowled for 27. A. A. Lawrie gave Turner great assistance, the latter playing good cricket until out, “ leg- before.” G. Turner, who made 45, the top score for Fettes, is a brother of A. J., of Essex fame. Fettes continued to have the upper hand, and Merchiston’s score was passed with three wickets down. The Fettes venture eventually realised 162, Merchiston being beaten by 93 runs. A. A. Bisset met with most success with the ball for the losers, having four for 31. I. Rutherford had one for 13, and should have been put on sooner. I am informed that arrangements havebeen concluded, whereby Gloucestershire will play a two day’s match against Uddingston on August 22nd and 23rd, on the ground of the latter. Uddingston are one of the strongest combinations in Scotland, andhave carried off the Western District Championship for the last three years in succession. As they have already played four matches in that competi­ tion this season, and won them all, they are likely to retain their title of “ Champions of the West.” They are very enthusiastic players and where enthusiasm is, there will good cricket usually be found. GLAMORGAN v. MONMOUTHSHIRE. Played at Newport on June 14. Drawn. M onmoutbsbibe . Silverlock, c Eees, b Creber ......... . ... 29 A . J. Gould, c and b Of&orne ...................37 F. Rees, b Creber ... 5 Dr. Tatham, b Cre'ur 28 P. C. Hiillips.b Creber 20 J. R. Rowlands, c Na«»h, b Low e...........12 W . E. C. Hudden, c Sweet-Escott, bRus- sel ........................... 7 L. F. Stedman, b Low e........................17 Steeples, b Lowe ... 14 F. Holmes, c Osborne, b Creber .................... 5 A. Williams, not out 0 Extras.................... 9 Total ...183 G lamorgan . A.Osborne, cWilliams, b Silverlock ........... 2 E. W . Jones, c Silver­ lock, b Steeples ... 16 Russel, c Phillips, b Silverlock................ 38 J. H. Brain, b Steeples 0 Bancroft, c Holmes, b Steeples ...................16 W . H. Brain, c Gould, b Silverlock ........... E. R. Sweet-Escott, not out ................. S. Rees, *t Williams, b Silverlock ........... Nash, not out ........... Extras.................. Total (7 wkts) 96 Crcber and Lowe did not bat. M onmouthshibe . O. M. R. W . O. M. R. W . Creber ... 50 21 72 5 IRussel ... 29 8 36 1 Lowe ... 8-3 2 30 3 INash ... 18 10 23 0 Osborne . . 6 2 13 3 | Creber bowled one wide. G lamorgan . O. M. R. W . O. M. R. W . Silverlock 17 6 39 4 1Stedman... 2 1 0 2 Steeples .. 16 2 43 3 | Steeples delivered one no-ball. NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK v. LONDON AND COUNTY B A N K —Played at Dulwich on June 11 and 12. N ational P rovincial B ank . J. W . Richards, st Knight, b Bienvenu 11 H. C. J. McConachy, b Goddard ........... 4 C. R. K. Symons, b Goddard ................... 0 W . File, run out ... 7 H. L. Stephenson, b G od d a rd ................. 2 C. Pennington, b Bien­ venu .+ .................. 2 H. S. Johnson, b God­ dard .......................... 0 J. Price, b Siggers ... 38 W . Fear, b Goddard 27 P. E. H. Masters, b G oddard................... 1 A. Harrison, not out 23 B 13, lb 3, wb 1... 17 Total ...132 L ondon and C ounty B ank . Bienvenu, not o u t .......................... Hubbard, not out .......................... Extras .................................. Total .................................. 32 HAMPSTEAD v. GUY’S HOSPITAL.- Hampstead on June 11. H ampstead . -Played at F. Rowley, b Morgan L. Dudley-Smith, b Foster ................... F.J Potter, c Foster, b M otgan ... ... o MohamedSaid.bFoster 0 B. W . H. Beaton, b Foster ...................10 J.G.Q..Besch,cLovison, b M orga n .................12 G uy ’ s H ospital . 6 A. J. East, not out ... 20 S. Oxlade, b Morgan.. 0 F.R.D.M onro, b Hicks 12 G. L. Jeffery, b Foster 16 S. T. Fradd, b Hicks.. 13 B 12, lb 10..............22 Total.......... 112 H. Barber, c East, b Beat >n ... .......... 100 H. D. Wyatt, b Monro 2 F. Morris, b Said .. 65 R. Willan, b Said ... 4 **. H. Bones, b Slid ... 24 E. A. Collins, not out 50 E. Morgan, c Said, b Beaton ................... 5 J. Bookless, b Dudley- Mnith ...................19 J. T. Hicks, not out .. 0 B 16, w 2 ...........18 Total (7 wkts) 277 M. G. Lovison and H. L. Foster did not bat.