Cricket 1902

404 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. S ept . 11, 1902. (Sussex) in 1882 met their death through a gun accident, whilst in 188G W. Lapworth, of Warwickshire, was accidently blown up by dynamite. Sam Marcom, a well-known South Australian player, was killed in 1888 through being run over by a heavy waggon, and Mr. M. P. Bowden, of Surrey, is stated to have met his death through a similar happening four years later. In 1881 Mr. N. Hone, of Cambridge University and Ireland, died from the effects of a dose of carbolic acid given to him in mistake for a black draught. Mr. L. O. Meyrick, of Marl­ borough, andMr. E. R. Dixon, of Winchester, were both drowned, the former in 1886 and the latter in 1889, Mr. Dixon meeting his fate whilst endeavouring to save life. Capt. John Dunn, probably the finest batsman ever turned out by the Army, and who played for Harrow and Surrey, was one of the Shanghai team which went down on the “ Bokhara” in 1892 whilst on the way to Hong-Kong. The father of Mr. A. J. Turner, of Essex, was also one of the team. During the past three yearsthree well-known cricketers have succumbed through accidents whilst cycling, viz., Mr. F. D. Gaddum (Rugby, Cambridge University and Lanca­ shire) in 1900, Mr, E. E. Bowen (Harrow) in 1901, and the Rev. J. S. E. Hood (Rugby and Cambridge University) quite recently. George Baigent (Sussex) was accidentally killed at the Preston Waterworks, Brighton, in 1854, whilst in 1896 Charles Johnson (Staffordshire) met his death in a coal-pit. In 1835 John Walker (Surrey), brother of the ever-to-be-rememberedTom, died through falling down whilst bowling in a match, but the best-known instance of a first-class cricketer dying whilst in the performance of his duty was furnished by Tom Box, the wicket-keeper of the old Sussex eleven, who fell down dead on Prince’s Ground in 1876 whilst attending to the scoring-board. In bringing this melancholy retrospect to a con­ clusion it may be stated that Tom Lockyer, of Surrey, and the Hon. Robert Grimstoji (Harrow and M.C.C.) died in their arm-chair, the former in 1869 and the latter in 1884. The Scarborough and Hastings Festivals, which usually come at quite the end of the season, this year heralded the close of a summer’s campaign. The cricket at the two centres named always comes as a welcome relief after four months’ play in county championship contests, for the players feel that there is not such grim seriousness attaching to extraneous matches, with the result that the cricket shown is more free and more delightful to watch than that generally shown in inter-county and Australian matches. It is to be feared that financially this year’s Hastings Festival has not been so successful as in previous years. A few years ago all enthusiasts living within measurable distance of the premier cinque port flocked to the Festival, as for the majority it provided the only opportunity of seeing first-class cricket during the season. Now, however, all that is changed, and the fact that during the past few months—I almost wrote summer —great matches have taken place at Ton­ bridge, Tunbridge Wells, Eastbourne (where Australian as well as inter-county cricket has been played) and Hastings may account for the somewhat poor attendances during the past week. It is to be hoped, however, in the interests of those who have worked so loyally on behalf of the “ Week,” that when the accounts are published of the late Festival a balance will be found on the right side. If an England team had now to be picked to play against the Australians it would be impossible to dispense with the services of Mr. Buraup. His feat of completing his 2,000 runs for the season on Tuesday last drew attention to the sequence of fine scores he has made during the latter part of the year. His runs during the entire season have been made as follows :— 30 j H. D. G. Levesoc-Gowei’s X I. v. Cambridge 18 | University, at Cembridge. 32 j H. D. 0*. Leveson-Gower’s X I. v. Oxford Uni- 4 | versity. at Oxford. 0 Kent v. Middlesex, at Lord’s. 4 I2 j.Kent v. Essex, at Leyton. *6j |Kent v. Lancashire, at Manchester. j-Kent v. Yorkshire, at Bradford. 19 ) 12 JKent v. M.C.C. and Ground, at Lord’s. 90 Kent v. Surrey, at tbe Oval. 11 Kent v. Oxford University, at Oxford. 6g |Kent v. Worcestershire, at Worcester. 0 Kent v. Nottinghamshire, at Gravesend. 3> ) g |Kent v. Lancashire, at Tonbridge. 42 Kent v. Gloucestershire, at Tonbridge. |Kent v. Hampshire, at Bournemouth. 161 M.C.C. and Ground v. Cambridge University, at Lord’s. 2g |Kent v. Gloucestershire, at Bristol. jg |Gentlemen v. Players, at the Cval. 102 Kent v. Hampshire, at Tunbridge Wells. j 2 |Kent v. Sussex, at Tunbridge V>'ells. 7j? |Kent v. Kidd'esex, at Beckenham. 67 Kent v. Somerset, at Maidstone. gy |Kent v. Nottinghamshire, at Nottingham. 60 Kent v- Essex, at Canterbury. 6D Kent v. Surrey, at Canterbury. |Kent v. Somerset, at Taunton. |Kent v. Worcestershire, at Tonbridge. j Kent v. Australians, at Canterbury. 23 |Kent v. Yorkshire, at Catford. 23 i J-Kent v. Sussex, at Brighton. |Gents, v. Players, at Scarboro’. |Kent and Sussex v. England, at Hastings. 2^ |South of England, v. Australians, at Hastings. •Signifies not out. Fif^y-four innings, 3 times not out, 161 highest score, 2,046 total, average 40-11. In addition to the above feats of Mr. Burnup scored 104 and 50 for Cambridge University v. Liverpool and District, at Aigburth in the early part of July. He is the first Kentish man to obtain as many as 2,000 runs in one season in first-class cricket, and considering that his runs were obtained in so wet a year as 1902 his performance must be regarded as a remarkable one. A considerable amount of interest was occasioned in cricketing circles by the fact that on the last day of the Gentlemen v. Players match at Scarborough, it was found advisable to play without bails on the stumps, owing to the force of the wind. Such an occurrence had never previously taken place in a great match, although in minor cricket the bails have frequently been dispensed with. Scarborough cricket furnishes many instances of such an event happening. Mr. C. I. Thornton, in a speech in 1894, when referring to some matches he played there in 1869, for the Visitors at Scarborough, said, “ They were brought there in that year by one of the finest cricketers who ever appeared in the field—Mr. I. D. Walker. They played on the Castle Hill on one of the most windy days he had ever seen cricket played on. They used iron bails.” The iron bails referred to by Mr. Thornton are still available and were in­ spected last week by Lord Hawke, who pre­ ferred to dispense with bails altogether to bringing the iron ones into use. Matches on the East Hill, at Hastings, have frequently taken place without bails being used, owing to the force of the wind, and no doubt such an event has occurred in many another exposed place. Mr. Pavri, in his “ Parsi Cricket,” gives instances of similar occurrencesinIndian cricket. A short time ago “ Bob” Thoms informed me that he had often found india- rubber bails of use when the wind did not permit ordinary bails to be used. By-the- way, how is it the M.C.C. have so long neg­ lected to state how much a bail shouldweigh F The laws, which tell us what length the bat shall not exceed, the height and width of the wickets, the measurements and weight of the ball, &c., are silent on the subject of the weight of the bail. We frequently hear of a ball bowled beating the batsman and hitting the wicket without removing a bail, and it would be interesting to know—if such a thing were possible—in how many cases such a result had been due to the fact that the bails on the stumps were heavier than those in general use. The matches participated in by the Austra­ lians at Scarborough and Hastings were most interesting throughout, and produced two very fine finishes. The most in­ teresting phase of the Scarborough match, was the second innings of Mr. Thornton’s XI., in which Tyldesley (88), Haigh (30 not out) and Rhodes (25 not out) made so successful an effort to stem the tide of dis­ aster. Tyldesley’s innings, apart from the one he played in the International match at Edgbaston, is probably his greatest of the season. It was his display which was the chief cause of the England side being able to make as creditable a draw as it did, though the partnership of Haigh and Rhodes must not be forgotten. It was the latter which enabled Mr. Jackson to declare the innings closed, though in doing so, and at once putting on the two men to bowl who had only just returned from the wicket, he ran a quite unnecessaryrisk. For some time, especi­ ally whilst Trumper was in, it appeared quite possible that the Australians would make the required number of runs, and when time arrived 34 stoodbetween the side and victory. The Hastingsmatch, like the one at Scarboro’ , produced a close finish, the South of Eng­ land requiring but eight runs to win with five wickets in hand when stumps were drawn. Hayward’s century-score was the result of very fine cricket, his success being thoroughly dtserved, whilst Trumper’s three- figure innings, which one seemed to expect, was most heartily welcomed. Abel and Burnup, who gave the side so fine a start, had a very great deal to do with the most satisfactory position occupied by their side at the close of play. In making 122 for the first wicket, they accomplished a noteworthy feat, inasmuch as on no other occasion during the season had as many as 100 runs been made for the opening partnership against Australian bowling. The series of inter-county matches came to a very peaceful end at the Oval on Saturday last, when Surrey gained an easy ten-wicket victory over Warwickshire. Not the least interesting feature of the game was the stand at the end of the Surrey innings by Clode and Strudwick. 'Jhe latter is quite first-class as a wicket-keeper, and this fact perhaps causes his batting ability to be lightly passed over. Those judges of the game who are in a good position to speak on the matter have for some time past thought well of Strudwick’s batting capabilities, and, almost needless to add, his display on Friday last considerably strengthened their opinion.